Kaline homers at Yonkers

Best Chance Hanna and Kaline both sat chilly early, then both sat in the big char when it counted after Friday night’s co-featured, $35,000 Open Handicaps at Yonkers Raceway.

Best Chance Hanna and trainer/driver Pat Lachance swooped from third-over in the Filly and Mare Open 'Cap Pace. “Hanna” blindswitched Stonebridge Luau (Steve Smith), then engaged pacesetting 20-1 proposition Misbet (Jack Baggitt Jr.) in and out of the final turn before settling the issue.

Misbet had two-moved around Dance Hall (Victor Kirby) and led through fractions of :28, :57.3 and 1:27. Best Chance Hanna, leaving from post position No. 5, was a length better than “Luau” at the wire in 1:55.2.

Dance Hall shook loose up the cones and was outgamed for second, while Misbet and Sherry (Larry Stalbaum) made May money. Miss Galvinator A (Jim Marohn), the 11-10 favorite in her first local visit since early March, never fired from her assigned eight-hole and finished sixth.

Marohn had won his last nine drives behind the classy Miss Galvinator A, who is uncharacteristically saddled with a nine-racing losing skid. 

For Best Chance Hanna, a 4-year-old daughter of Western Ideal owned by Z Tam Racing, her fourth win in 13 seasonal starts was worth $16.40 to her groupies.

The exacta paid $119.50, the triple returned $333 and the superfecta was a healthy $4,707.

Driver Smith went directly from bridesmaid to altar in the weekly featured trot, rolling off cover with tepid favorite Kaline to handle his six rivals (Uncle Vernon, scheduled from the eight hole, came up ill).

The 8-year-old Malabar Man gelding, owned and trained by Jim Petruccelli, rode the coattails of Racsan Jenny (Kirby) before tipping and winning by a length-and-three-quarters in 1:58.1.

Sundance Kid G (Jim Meittinis) and Bubba Dunn (Mark Beckwith) had leapfrogged on the lead through fractions of :28.4, :58.3 and 1:28.1.

Designable (Tim Tetrick) rallied from third-over to get into second, with Racsan Jenny holding the bottom of the ticket.. Early leaders Bubba Dunn and Sundance Kid G lasted for small change.

Kaline, overcoming post No. 6, returned $6.10 for his sixth win (board-certified in six of last seven) in 15 ’07 appearances. He led a $20 exacta and $76.50 triple.

Friday also featured a visit from the Mildred Williams Driving Series, which has raised money for breast cancer research and other worthwhile causes in stops thoughout the U.S. and Canada. Seven ladies—the vast majority of whom were tickled to death to visit Westchester--went postward in the $4,000, third-race pace.

Pee Em Ess (hey, I don’t name ‘em) and driver Kelly Case overcame some early interference to widen out by 2¼ lengths in 2:00.4. Dream Around Johny (Betsy Phillips) closed from last to grab second, with Fancy Mufler (Jody Riedel) along for third.

Pegomydart (Joey Ayotte), Twinkie’s Star (Stacy Chiodo), Pincess Nikki (Ann Karin Larsen) and 9-5 favorite Viressa (Linda Toscano) completed the order.

It was the 749^th career driving win for Ms. Case and the first for Pee Em Ess ($6) in 15 seasonal starts.(Yonkers)

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