Boiling Oar on fire in Yonkers Invitational

Boiling Oar (Shadow Play) and harness racing driver Matt Kakaley hung on right to the wire to hold off Energetic Hanover to win the $35,000 Invitational Pace in a photo Monday (May 13) at Yonkers Raceway.

The 4^th race feature saw the race favorite, Hellabalou (Joe Bongiorno) leave sharply to take the lead but then a determined 9-1 Boiling Oar came on the outside and took command after an opening quarter mile in a speedy :26.2.

Boiling Oar and Kakaley then led the field to the half mile marker in :54.4. Then in the backstretch, Energetic Hanover (Jason Bartlett) started up first-over, giving outside cover to Captivate Hanover (Austin Siegelman) and started to come after pacesetter Boiling Oar passing the three-quarters in 1:22.

Around the final turn and Boiling Oar held the field at bay, but as they started down the stretch, Boiling Oar showed signs of slowly getting tired, but he held game to the wire, holding off Energetic Hanover by a nose in 1:50. The pocket-sitting Hellabalou was third.

BOILING OAR REPLAY

It was the fifth and fastest win this year for Boiling Oar. The nine-year-old gelding is trained by Travis Alexander for owner Robert Manis and paid $21.60 to win.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink