Semi Tough is very tough in Invitational

Semi Tough (Somebeachsomewhere) controlled the pace from start to finish to take the $35,000 Yonkers Raceway Invitational harness racing pace on Monday night (March 11th).

Driver Yannick Gingras shot the slight 6 to 5 favorite for the front leaving the gate as next-door neighbor Nandolo N (Jason Bartlett) looked to have the same idea.

But when Joe Bongiorno stepped on the gas with Hemsworth N from the rail, Nandolo N aborted his move and dropped back to last in the five-horse field.

That turned out to be too much of a disadvantage to overcome, because Gingras would guide Semi Tough through moderate early fractions of :27.4 and :57.1. Bartlett moved Nandolo N to the outside before the half, but racing uncovered in a :55.2 back half would be too much to overcome.

In the end, Semi Tough was full value for his length win, taken in 1:52.3 over Hemsworth N, who finished a head in front of Nandolo N. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to Sonny Weaver (George Brennan), who took fourth, just ahead of returnee Pleaseletmeknow (Matt Kakaley), who was making his first start of 2024.

SEMI TOUGH REPLAY

Semi Tough took his fifth win in eight tries this year and the eight-year-old Mickey Burke trainee boosted his lifetime earnings to $1.196 million for owners Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi Llc of Pennsylvania, Frank Baldachino of New Jersey and Jandt Silva -Purnell and Libby of Florida. He paid $4.70 to win and combined with Hemsworth N for a $21.80 exacta.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting Results

by Garnet Barnsdale, for Harnesslink