King Cat Anvil N scratches out win in Yonkers feature

A case could have been made for most of octet in Yonkers Raceway's Saturday night $30,000 Open Handicap Pace. Close on paper...closer at the wire. A stretch scrum saw King Cat Anvil N (Jordan Stratton) prevail from the pocket, getting the nod over the horse directly behind him, Magum (Stephane Bouchard, four winners Saturday).

Rare Jewel (Pat Lachance), leaving from post position No. 5 as the 4-5 choice, stepped around King Cat Anvil N--leaving directly inside him--to secure the lead just after a 28-second opening quarter-mile.

A seemingly soft-enougb :57.1 intermission should have worked to the advantage of Rare Jewel when Rain Train (Jason Bartlett) offered a stout, first-over challenge.

Cheyenne Hollywood (Eric Abbatiello) was second-up, while Getting Real (Greg Merton), last week's upsetter, was third over.

Rare Jewel clung to a tenusous lead at the 1:25.1 three-quarters and maintained it turning for home, but the walls were closing in. The public choice was being surrounded from all sides, with the pair directly inside of him getting the decision. King Cat Anvil N was a nose better than 18-1 Magum in 1:53.3, while 35-1 rank outsider Getting Real was up for third, beaten just a neck.

Rain Train and Rare Jewel completed the cashers in a race where 1-through-8 were sepaeated by just 2 3/4 lengths at the line.

For King Cat Anvil N, a 6-year-old Down Under Christian Cullen gelding owned by Joseph Kiwczak and trained by David Stratton, he returned $11.20 (third choice) for his sixth win in 25 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $92, with the triple worth $978.

New York Sire Stakes return here Monday night, with the $233,445 Mike Cipriani Trot for 3-year-old fillies to be constested in six divisions. Tuesday night offers the $244,035 Art Watson Pace (five divisions), also for soph fillies. (Yonkers)

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