Sell a Bit N and harness racing driver Jordan Stratton was left without adult supervision Friday night, then made 'em, winning Yonkers Raceway's $45,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
In play from assigned post position No. 5, Sell a Bit N was three-wide early before getting past pole-sitting Lookout Stokk Zone (Tyler Buter) and Know it All (Eric Abbatiello).
The leader was able to put up pokey precincts of :28 and :57.1 as McCovey Cove N (George Brennan) tried it first-up from first. Al Raza N (Matt Kakaley), as the 13-10 favorite, was second-over, which did her no favors here.
Sell a Bit N maintained her advantage in and out of a 1:25.4 three-quarters, taking a two-length lead into the lane. She then held off the closest pursuers, beating "Stokk Zone" by a neck in 1:53.3. Third went to Know it All (at nearly 64-1), with a crisp-late Mach it a Par (Brian Sears) and Al Raza N settling for the remainder.
For second choice Sell a Bit N, a 6-year-old Down Under daughter of Julius Caesar owned by Harry von Knoblauch and trained by Peter Tritton, it was her third win in 11 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $154.50, with the triple returning $650.
Preakness Day Saturday finds the Raceway in full Pimlico simulcast mode, with selected mutuel windows opening at 10 AM in advance of a 10:30 AM first post. The 12-race, 1ive program begins at the usual 7:10 PM .
Frank Drucker