Top trotters produce exciting Yonkers finishes

The top trotters were in harness racing action at Yonkers of Thursday night (April 4) with $35,000 Invitation Trots, one open and one for mares, and Pappardelle (Wishing Stone) kicked things off by rallying past three rivals to take a neck decision in the $35,000 Invitational Trot.

Driver Joe Bongiorno was content to float the five-year-old gelding off the gate and tuck in fourth in the field of five square gaiters as Nows The Moment (Austin Siegelman) blasted to the front leaving the gate.

Nows The Moment led through unstressed early fractions of :27.2 and :56.4. P L Oscar (Brent Holland) followed in second with favored Tipsy Moni (Yannick Gingras) sitting third. Pappardelle was next and I Get It (Matt Kakaley) trailed.

Tipsy Moni was first to move as the field headed to the three quarters, with Pappardelle following. Nows The Moment held a two-length lead as they turned into the stretch with his rivals in pursuit. Pappardelle responded to Bongiorno urging, producing a big late kick to win the three-horse charge to the wire. Nows The Moment finished a neck behind the winner and a neck ahead of a game Tipsy Moni. P L Oscar held fourth in a photo over I Get It.

Pappardelle, who finished a closing second in the same class a week ago, took his first win of 2024 in his fourth start for trainer Jenn Bongiorno of New Jersey who co-owns with Joe Sbrocco and The Delaware Group of Ohio and Jaf Racing of New York. He upped his earnings over the $350,000 mark.

PAPPARDELLE REPLAY

Pappardelle paid $8.10 to win as the third choice and he combined with Nows The Moment for a $21 exacta.

Queen Of All (Swan For All) under perfect Austin Siegelman piloting, doubled up in the $35,000 Mares Invitational Trot.

Coming off a front-end score in this class in the slop last week, the six-year-old Lance Hudson trainee was content to take the pocket early as Joe Bongiorno insisted on leading the way with No Mas Drama.

After reaching the opening quarter in :28.1, Bongiorno was able to back the pace down because Call Me Dani (Yannick Gingras) was hung out in no mares land. With that rival idling first up, No Mas Drama enjoyed a :59 middle half, cutting a :58.1 half and 1:27.1 three quarters.

With Call Me Dani retreating at that point, Bongiorno called on his mare and she turned for home with a clear lead, but she would soon face an assault from fresh pocket sitter Queen Of All. That rival that got a perfect trip trotted past for a 1:56.3 score, winning by 1 3/4 lengths. It was four lengths back to The Ballykeel Deal (Matt Kakaley) who rallied for third, just ahead of P L Notsonice.

QUEEN OF ALL REPLAY

Queen Of All won for the third time in her 10th start this year and she boosted her earnings to more than $595,000 for owner William Hartt of Maine. She returned $4.00 as the favorite and combined with No Mas Drama for a $11 exacta payoff.

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

by Garnet Barnsdale, for Harnesslink