Tipsy Moni beats the boys in Yonkers Invitational

Harness racing mare Tipsy Moni (International Moni) lined up against the boys in the $35,000 Invitational Trot at Yonkers raceway Monday night (March 21st) and she had no problem handling them to run her win streak to five.

Tipsy Moni was one of four leavers in the race, and driver Yannick Gingras made sure that the mare would be no worse than second at the quarter by driving on between horses and not letting favored Nows The Moment (Austin Siegelman) cross over to the front before the first turn.

Nows The Moment did make front going to the :27.4 opening quarter, leaving Tipsy Moni pocketed up with Royalty Beer (Pat Lachance) sitting third and I Get It (Matt Kakaley) trotting fourth in the field of six.

There was no movement in the second quarter and Nows The Moment backed the half down to :57.4. The field approached three quarters which was trotted in 1:26 3/5 with Nows The Moment still leading. He would soon face an onslaught from pocket-sitting Tipsy Moni, however.

Gingras moved her out midway on the final turn and she responded, soaring past the leader at the top of the stretch and trotting away to a 1 1/2-length win over a closing I Get It, who nosed out Royalty Beer.

TIPSY MONI REPLAY

Second choice Tipsy Moni returned $7.70 to win and combined with I Get It for a $65 exacta payoff. The Per Engblom trainer ran her 2024 record to five wins from six starts for Gingras, who co-owns with Ben Mondello of Florida and Fac Racing Llc of New York.

In other action, Perfect Vixen (Muscles Yankee) took over command coming out of the first turn and led all the way from there to take the $35,000 Fillies and Mares Invitational Trot.

Matt Kakaley blasted the co-favored five-year-old Jared Bako trainee off the gate and issued intent by driving past the first leader Lady Jeter (Brent Holland), then taking the field through a :28.2 opening quarter. Queen Of All (Austin Siegelman) followed in third with the other even money co-favorite Helpoftheseason racing fourth in the field of five. No Turning Back (Jordan Stratton), who broke at the start, trailed in fifth.

Kakaley throttled the half down with an unstressed :30.3 second quarter, with Perfect Vixen strolling past that station in :59.0. There was no movement until the three-eighths pole when Bartlett asked Helpoftheseason to advance first-over.

Perfect Vixen passed three quarters in 1:27.4 bracing for a stretch challenge. She had plenty in reserve to hold off Helpoftheseason by a length, however. Queen Of All, who slid out second-over at the three quarters closed well late to just miss second. Early leader Lady Jeter finished fourth.

PERFECT VIXEN REPLAY

Perfect Vixen, who paid $4.10 to win, took her second win of the year in her seventh try and the $17,500 winner’s share boosted her lifetime earnings to more than $187,400. She is owned by Melady Enterprises LLC of Florida.

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

by Garnet Barnsdale, for Harnesslink