Leonidas A grinds it out in Open Handicap

Harness racing favorite Leonidas A (Mach Three) and driver Austin Siegelman did not have things go their way, yet they still were able to grind it out in winning the $33,000 Open Handicap Pace at Yonkers Raceway Monday, November 21.

The 8^th race feature saw three horses all leave for the lead. Oakwoodnitowinit IR (Yannick Gingras) was on the inside, Covered Bridge (Jordan Stratton) 1^st over and three-wide was Leonidas A, who backed right off and took the third spot as Oakwoodnittowinit IR stuffed Covered Bridge into the two-spot to the first quarter in :27.2.

To the half mile in :57 they raced single file and then on the turn Siegelman came first-up with Leonidas A with Semi Tough (George Brennan) taking the second-over cover.

Leonidas A was right up with Oakwoodnitowinit IR at the three-quarters in 1:24.4 and they raced that way around the final turn and then Stratton pulled three-wide with Covered Bridge and joined the fray.

Coming down the stretch, Oakwoodnitowinit IR had had enough as Covered Bridge made a charge but could not collar Leonidas A as he went on to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:52.4. Covered Bridge was second with Nandolo N (Jason Bartlett) third.

LEONIDAS A REPLAY

It was the 11^th win of the season for Leonidas A. The seven-year-old gelding is trained by Steven Finklestein for the Jesmeral Stable of Scarsdale, NY. He paid $3.60 to win.

For complete race results, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink