‎Mets Ace, Fan Favorite John Franco at Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway in Winner's Circle with Longshot Ace of Clubs‎‎

Mets ace reliever and fan favorite John Franco was never a long shot to get a save, but the New York product was in the Yonkers Raceway winner's circle Friday night (September 30) with a 53-1 long shot winner! Amazin'!

Trainer/driver Pat Lachance came from last-to-first with the aptly-named Ace Of Clubs, a $108 payoff winner in the fourth race, and Franco the ace was waiting in the winner's circle with a hearty handshake. The pacing "ace" won by 3 ¼ lengths.
‎The soggy, hotly-contested contest saw the heavy favorite Cartoon Daddy(driven by Jason Bartlett) dueled into submission to finish seventh, as Ace Of Clubs circled his rivals to earn his first seasonal win in his 16th seasonal start from the outside eight-hole. The mile was timed in 1:58.2.
‎‎Franco, Brooklyn-born and one of baseball’s all-time standout relief pitchers, was visiting Empire City Casino @ Yonkers Raceway, where he and Amazin’ fans congregated at Dan Rooney’s Sports Bar as the Mets took on the Philadelphia Phillies in a game with wild-card playoff implications. Spirited conversation, autographs, photos and a Mets win to clinch a tie for the wild-card highlighted the evening.