by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Ace High Hall, a 15-1 outsider despite owning a track record, won Saturday night’s (June 21) lone $40,000 elimination of Yonkers Raceway’s Yonkers Trot. He led eight 3-year-olds into next Saturday night’s $605,854 final.

Mike Lizzi photo

Ace High Hall (#5) powered past trotters in the stretch to win the Yonkers Trot elim.

David Miller drove the statebred son of Conway Hall to a half-length victory over Big Apple Deli (John Campbell) in 1:57.2. Make It Happen (Ray Schnittker) was third — giving New York-breds all three board finishes — with Over Ruled (Mike Lachance), Napoleon (Stephane Bouchard) Velocity Hall (Jason Bartlett, back from a spill here eight nights ago), 2-1 favorite Holiday Credit (Ron Pierce) and Di Manggio (Cat Manzi) completing the first eight who earned berths in the final. First Pleasurelane (Jeff Gregory) tired after challenging and finished last among the nine, thus not qualifying for the final.

The 54th edition of the Trot is the first jewel of this season’s Trotting Triple Crown.

Ace High Hall, trained by Mark Ford for owner Martin Scharf, returned $32.20. He set the Raceway track record (1:59) for 2-year-olds during last season’s New York Sire Stakes.

Leaving from post position five in the elim, he worked out a second-over trip and outfinished a stubborn Big Apple Deli. That one took early air before yielding to a parked-two-turns Napoleon. The early intervals were :29.1, :58.4 and 1:27.3.

The exacta paid $174, with the triple worth $1,321.

Next Saturday night’s $324,694 final of the Hudson Filly Trot — companion stake to the Yonkers Trot — included elim winners Flower Lane (Schnittker) and Creamy Mimi (Trond Smedshammer), along with Morgun’s Sweetheart (Jim Marohn), Lindy’s Heiress (Gregory), Smart Dream (Steve Smith), There’s A Way (Bouchard), Muscle Shirt (Jordan Stratton) and Epangeline (Schnittker).

Note that these were the drivers from Friday night’s pair of $20,000 elims.

Post positions for both stakes finals shall be drawn at a Tuesday afternoon press conference at the Raceway.

Fans attending next Saturday’s stakes finals get a complimentary T-shirt (while supplies last). The T-shirt features both the Empire City and Yonkers Raceway logos.

Rare Jewel (Pat Lachance, $4.00) won the $30,000 Open Handicap Pace, toying with his rivals for a second consecutive week. He won by 3-1/2 lengths in 1:53.1.

By the way, belated props to driver Gregory, who won once Saturday night after four-win programs on Thursday and Friday night.

Yonkers’ five-night-per-week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday — all at 7:40 p.m. — and Saturday — 6:50 p.m.) schedule remains in effect. Evening simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting available around the NYRA schedule.

Please be advised that beginning the week of Monday, June 30, and continuing through the week of Monday, Oct. 27, Yonkers is adding Wednesday nights (first post 7:40 p.m.) to its live schedule.