Co-favorites battle in out in Yonkers feature

The two co-favorites in the $36,000 Open Pace at Yonkers Raceway Monday (Aug. 21) battled it out early in the harness racing main event on the half mile oval.

The 8^th race feature started off with some hardball as Hickfromfrenchlick (Jim Marohn, Jr.) had the inside position to start off the race, but then came second choice Whats Stanley Got A (Jordan Stratton) on the outside and then three-wide and going for the lead at the opening quarter mile in :26 was race favortie Backstreet Shadow (Shadow Play) and driver Matt Kakaley.

Clearing to the lead, Backstreet Shadow settled down as he led the field to the half mile in :55 with Great Somewhere (Brent Holland) moving first-over from fourth place.

Great Somewhere pressured Backstreet Shadow down the backstretch to the three-quarters in 1:23 but could not keep it going around the final turn and began to fade.

Coming down the stretch, Whats Stanley Got A had a clear shot at the leader, but Backstreet Shadow still had some left in the tank and went on to win by one and one-quarter lengths in 1:51.3. Whats Stanley Got A was second with Lou’s Sweetrevenge (Tyler Buter) third.

BACKSTREET SHADOW REPLAY

It was the eighth win of the year for Backstreet Shadow. The eight-year-old gelding is trained by Travis Alexander for owner Robert Di Nozzi and paid $5.20 to win.

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

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink