Park Avenue, Pembroke Prayer win at Yonkers

Park Avenue (Tyler Buter) angled and circled Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's co-featured  $32,500 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.

Leaving from post position No. 3, she watched early as last week's victress, Twin B Tiara (Jim Pantaleano), worked her way around slight 5-2 choice  Delightful Diva (George Brennan). After intervals of :27.1 and :57, Tomorrowpan (Dan Dube) moved first-over from fifth.

Red Star Hottie (Jason Bartlett) was all over that one's back going toward the 1:26 three-quarters, while Park Avenue found herself seemingly buried.  However, she slipped out--from fourth along the cones to fourth-over--before launching a wide bid.

She was next-to-last in and out of the final turn. Tomorrowpan was about to overtake Twin B Tiara before the 1:55 mile marker, but could not match  strides with Park Avenue. The latter rolled by, winning by a length-and-a-quarter. She found the mile-and-one-sixteenth in 2:02.1 over a "good" oval. Tomorrowpan was a solid second, with Delightful Diva, Up Front Cruiser (Larry Stalbaum) and Headpoles R Us (Cat Manzi) completing the cashers.

For Park Avenue, a 6-year-old daughter of Keystone Raider, co-owned by her driver, Lynette Buter and Eugene Oldford and trained by Amber Buter,  she returned $25.20 (sixth choice) for her first win in a couple of seasonal starts. The exacta paid $165, with the triple returning $978.

Friday night's co-featured $32,500 Open Handicap Trot saw 6-5 cash cow Pembroke Prayer (Brennan) return to town a handy, first-up winner.

Leaving from post No. 6, he easily went up and over last week's champ, Trottin' Troy (Pantaleano). That one had led through fractions of  :28.1 and  :58.2, but was done right around the 1:28.2 three-quarters. Pembroke Prayer rolled right by, owning a two-length lead turning for home. He negotiated the mile in 1:57.3 and the added distance in 2:05.3. Mystical Starlight (Eric Goodell)--shuffled when "Troy" tired--found a way out and finished second, beaten a length-and-a-quarter.

Friendly Amigo (Bartlett), Wind Surfer (Dube) and Shoeless White Sox (Jeff Geegory) grabbed the small change, their causes helped when Victor's Vicky (Pat Lachance) and Baby Boy Grin (Stalbaum) both misbehaved early.

For Pembroke Prayer, a 7-year-old  Like a Prayer gelding co-owned by (trainer) Mark Ford and William Varney, he returned $4.50 for his second win in eight '11 tries.  The exacta paid $53.50, with the triple returning $477.50. (Yonkers)