Sixth straight score for Pop-Up Final winner

Yonkers Raceway hosted the $40,000 Final of the Filly & Mare Pop-Up Series Friday (Aug. 18) and it was the sixth straight harness racing win for the victor, Coachellabound N (Sweet Lou).

It came as no surprise as Coachellbound N and driver Brent Holland were the overwhelming 1/9 race favorite, having won all three of the preliminary rounds, leading from start to finish in each one.

The 7^th race feature went at a distance of 1 and ¼ mile and saw Coachellabound N and (Holland start from post one but had to work a little to get by Coalfordsnshine GB (George Brennan) at the opening quarter in :29.1.

Once on the lead Coachellabound N was rated evenly by Holland to the half mile in :58.1 and the three-quarters in 1:27.3. With no one challenging first-over, Coachellabound N pulled away from the field by the top of the stretch to win by five open lengths in 2:24.1, the last half mile in :56.3. Coalfordsnshine GB was second with Frondeur (Braxten Boyd) third.

COACHELLABOUND N REPLAY

It was the seventh win this year for Coachellabound N. The five-year-old mare is trained and owned by Ricky Bucci of Campbell Hall, NY and paid just $2.10 to win.

In the 8^th race $36,000 Filly & Mare Open Handicap Pace it was a battle between pacesetter Karma Seelster (Sportswriter) with driver Jordan Stratton and race favorite Drama Act (George Brennan).

Man Dontforget Me (Austin Siegelman) was first on the lead but Karma Seelster wanted the lead and worked to get it at the opening quarter mile in :27. They raced single file past the half mile marker in :56.1 and that’s when Brennan moved Drama Act first-over from third place.

Drama Act and Karma Seelster then battled it out to the three-quarters in 1:24.2 and were noses apart of each other. Then around the final turn and they were still going at it head-to-head. That lasted most of the stretch until Karma Seelster came on to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:52.1 over Drama Act with Man Dontforget Me third.

KARMA SEELSTER REPLAY

It was the seventh win this year for Karma Seelster. The six-year-old mare is trained by Andrew Adamczyk for owners Karen Hauver and the Shady Hill Racing Stable. She paid $7.40 to win.

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

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink