Old-Timers Night when 90-year-old Dobkowski seeks 2 straight with 14-yo pacer

As the remnants of the weekend snowstorm have been cleared from Empire City Casino-s historic half mile harness oval, ?Old Timers Night? will return to Yonkers Raceway on Thursday evening (January 28) when 90-year-old trainer Carl Dobkowski and his 14-year-old wonder pacer Sakra Fella will try to continue their Ponce de Leon-type journey in the night-s opening race. First post is at 7:10 PM when Sakra goes behind the starting gate. The ?Fountain of Youth? duo scored the major upset win last Tuesday (January 19) when Sakra and the Stormville, NY, conditioner teamed for a $66.50 payoff with youngster Scott Zeron, a mere 26-years-old, in the bike. The Dobkowski-Sakra dynamic duo is believed to be the oldest trainer-horse victory in Yonkers history. Here-s the field for the Yonkers opener on Thursday night, a field of eight $12,500 claimers going for a purse of $6,500, with Sakra drawing the not-so-easy post position seven: 1 LATE NITE FLIGHT, Jason Bartlett; 2 WISHFORABEACHOUSE, George Brennan; 3 BABINGA WOOD, Daniel Dube; 4 HOT RODDY, Jason Bartlett; 5 TRIPLE MAJOR, Mark Kakaley; 6 SLY RULER, Mark MacDonald; 7 SAKRA FELLA, Scott Zeron; 8 DASH N, Tyler Buter. February 20 marks Dobkowski-s 91st birthday, and the ageless conditioner hopes for an early celebration. When asked the best thing about being 90, the Brooklyn-born conditioner jokingly replied: ?You can get away with murder.? The full Q and A is below: Q: When did you start in harness racing? A: ?I started in a young age. I just came across it and I settled in. I used to be a driver. I was a driver for 35 years. I prefer driving. Driving is the best.? Q: How did it feel to pull of the upset last Tuesday? A: ?Sensational. I had faith we could win.? Q: What is the best horse you ever trained? A: ?This one here (Sakra Fella). He has won a lot of races? Q: You have a one horse stable. What is the biggest you ever had? A: ?Me and my wife once had a five horse stable.? Q: What has kept you in harness racing all this time?A: ?Making money. The best part is developing horses. To buy one that has never raced, teach it to race and see it win, it is a great satisfaction.? Q: What do you have in mind to celebrate your 91st birthday? A: ?Nothing yet, I am working it out? Q: What is the best thing about being 90? A: ?You can get away with murder,?‎ he said jokingly. ?It is nice.? Q: How has the world changed since the 40s and 50s?A: ?It is more scientific now. I prefer the time back then.? Q: How long have you lived in Stormville/Dutchess County/What is your favorite thing about the area? A: ?A couple of years. It is nice and quiet. It is good.? Q: Where are you originally from? A: ?I was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. I lived in Hopewell, NJ for a long time. It was a nice and beautiful time. I had a golf course right there.? More on Sakra Fella: Gelded son of Pacific Fella-scored by three-quarters of a length over the 2-5 favored Arthur last week-wins was timed in 1:58 for the mile-is now 2-for-3 in his final year of racing after going winless the past two seasons-Fourteen is the mandatory retirement age for a harness racehorse-Sakra hadn-t won more than two races in a year since 1978-veteran warrior has been racing since 2005, a year prior to Yonkers Raceway-s Empire City Casino slot machine era, which began in 2006-last week-s win was his 20th in his 180th career start, good for $298,902 in lifetime earnings.