Tell Me A Story wins Yonkers Open Handicap Trot

Tell Me A Story (Pat Berry) protected the pocket from the pole in the Open Handicap Trot at Yonkers Raceway Saturday night, scooting by pace-setting Grain of Truth (Ray Schnittker) to  win going away.

The lone lass in the field, Spur-Ann-E (Pat Lachance), launched a long, first-over bid before tiring in the fnal turn. Tell Me a Story, carried where he needed to go, widened to win by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:58.3.

Grain of Truth held second, with 8-5 favotire Winnin' Image (Greg Grismore), B J's Rocky Vacation (Alain Robillard) and Get Packin' (Jim Pantaleano)  rounding out the cashers.

 For Tell Me a Story, a 6-year-old Keystone Nordic gelding owned by Ian Fromowitz and trained by Robert Greenwood, it was his first win in four seasonal starts. He paid $5.70 (second choice) as his career earnings crept close to $200,000, leading a $17.20 exacta and $55 triple. 

Benear (Jeff Gregory), in her second start after five months R&R, went the distance in the Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace. Leaving from post four, she stepped around longshot Drinking Games (Jordan Stratton), then stepped through fractions of :28, :57.1 and 1:25.2. The 3 1/2-length lead off the final turn was  three lengths at the wire, which she found in 1:54.

Ulrica Bromac N (Grismore) rallied for second in her local pari-mutuel debut, with Peine Bubbles (Pantaleano) closing from last to snatch third. Western  Graduate (Eric Abbatiello) and Drinking Games left with minor morsels.

For Benear, a 5-year-old Badlands Hanover miss, she paid $4.70 as the 13-10 choice. Carl Cito Jr. trained for co-owners David Scharf and Jerry Silva.  The exacta returned $19.20, with the tiple paying $153.

The Open Handicap Pace saw King Cat Anvil N (Strattonn) stack widest of all turnig for home, get the better of Mr P B N (Abbatiello), then hold off the other closers.

Hop Sing (Stephane Bouchard), as the 9-5 people's choice from post four, rolled through early intervals of :27.4 and :56.2. He was dueled into submission before the 1:24.1 three-quarters by Mr. P B N, who tried to run away and hide.

However, he couldn't close the issue. George At Bigs (Pantaleano) and King Cat Anvil N took up the chase outside, while Cam's Fool (Gregory) awaited room. "Cat"--who started from post six--won the battle of closers, whipping Cam's Fool by three-quarters of a length in 1:54.1. George At Bigs, Hops Sing and Mr. P B N also earned pay envelopes.  

For King Cat Anvil N, a 6-year-old Down Under Christian Cullen gelding, it was his first win in four '08 tries. David Stratton trained rhe winner for owner John Kiwczak. He paid $14.80 (co-fourth choice), with the exacta worth $119 and the triple good for $538  

Saturday's card also included the opening round of the Hopeful Pacing Series for 3-year-old colts and geldings.

The quartet of $10,000 events went to: Papa Hemingway (by Real Artist), co-owned by Gary Cook & Brian Brown, trained by Mickey Burke and driven by Greg Grismore in a lifetime best 1:55.4; Thunder Cruise (by Yankee Cruiser), owned by Sharon Fisher, trained by Steve Carter and driven by Russell Swartz in 1.57.2; PH  Bestman (by Cambest), owned by Dr. R. James Shive, trained by Art Green and driven by Travis Bowman in a career-best 1:57; and Harness My Fury,g (by Cole Muffler), co-onwed by John Hinrichs and James Sronce, trained by Nick Gibersonand driven by Grismore in 1:56.4. (Yonkers Raceway) 

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