Strategy switch brings victory for Leonidas A

Usually winning when he is on the front-end, Leonidas A (Mach Three) and harness racing driver Austin Siegelman changed tactics and worked out a second-over trip in capturing the $39,000 Open Pace at Yonkers Raceway Monday (Oct. 24).

The 8^th race feature started off with Covered Bridge (Jordan Stratton) going right to the lead with The Wild Card (George Brennan) grabbing the two-hole trip as the field raced single file to the quarter in :27.3 and the half mile in :57.

It was not until after the half that Buddy Hill (Matt Kakaley) came first-over to challenge with Leonidas A following second-over as Covered Bridge continue to cut the mile to the three-quarters in 1:25.3 but now had Buddy Hill eye-to-eye with him on the outside.

Buddy Hill was not giving up by the top of the stretch and Covered Bridge was still strong on the front-end. But slingshotting off the live cover was Leonidas A and Siegelman and they had to work hard to just get up at the finish by a neck in 1:53. Covered Bridge was second with Buddy Hill a neck back in third.

LEONIDAS A REPLAY

It was the tenth win on the year for Leonidas A, who paid $3.20 to win as the race favorite. The seven-year-old gelding is trained by Steven Finkelstein for the Jesmeral Stable of Scarsdale, NY.

For complete race results, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink