Yonkers: Yes Mickey, Guardian Angel As tops in Yonkers Trot eliminations

August has been an incredible month so far for trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt, and the good fortune continued on Saturday night when supplemental entry Yes Mickey followed up his Zweig victory with an impressive 1:56 1/5 mile in the first of two $40,000 eliminations for the Yonkers Trot at Yonkers Raceway.

Svanstedt's charge was alert from the get-go and yielded to favored Devious Man off the opening bend. Those two were able to control the action as Enterprise wound up with an extended uncovered trip and unable to threaten them after a break behind the gate. Driver Andy Miller set fractions of 28, 59 and 1:28 1/5 with Devious Man, followed by Yes Mickey sitting on his back for Svanstedt.

In the stretch Yes Mickey, an altered son of Muscle Hill, found the passing lane to his liking and responded to Svanstedt's urging to surge past Devious Man in the late stages. Another Chapter and Southwind Cobra completed the qualifiers for the $500,000 final on September 2.

Melby Gard Inc. of Delray Beach, Florida, own Yes Mickey, now a winner in three of 10 starts this year.

Guardian Angel As took the uncovered route as the 1-2 choice in the second Yonkers Trot elimination and outdueled Money Macintosh on the wire for driver Jason Bartlett. The Anette Lorentzon-trained son of Archangel scored in 1:56 2/5.

Money MacIntosh took advantage of the pole position and forced New Jersey Viking to tuck before hitting the quarter in 28 4/5. Andy Miller kept Money Macintosh in control through a half in 58 1/5 and three-quarters in 1:27 1/5 as the favorite edged up on the outside from the third turn to engage the leader. The pair of New York-breds locked horns through the stretch, with Guardian Angel As easing by in the late stages.

Money Macintosh finished second, with his entrymate Top Flight Angel rallying furiously for third and Di Oggi and Southwind Hydro finishing in a dead-heat for fourth.

"I didn't want to tip him over," said Jason Bartlett after the race in response to his decision to rate the winner from behind. "He's come first-over here before so I felt comfortable. He's a good horse."

ACL Stuteri AB and Kjell Johansson own Guardian Angel As, now a winner seven times in 2017.