by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers, NY — Post positions have been drawn for Yonkers Raceway’s two $500,000 Triple Crown events, Saturday night’s (Sept. 1) 64th Yonkers Trot and Messenger Stakes No. 63.
The Trot, which required no elimination races, goes as the sixth of a dozen races (first post 6:50 p.m.) The draw yielded a nearly-complete alphabetical order: 1-Helpisontheway (s, Jim Morrill Jr.), 2-Lindsey’s Pride (g, Marcus Miller), 3-Lindy’s Big Bang (g, Dexter Dunn), 4-Six Pack (Ake Svanstedt), 5-Maxus (Mark MacDonald), 6-Mississippi Storm (g, Jason Bartlett), 7-Tito (Bartlett also listed), 8-The Veteran (Jordan Stratton).(g-gelding. s-$30,000 supplemental entrant).
The Messenger saw an original list of 11 entrants whittled down to the final octet. The open draw turned Jimmy Freight (Louis-Philippe Roy) — he of the scorched-earth 1:50.3 romp in the second of last Saturday night’s (Aug. 25) two $40,000 eliminations — into Jimmy (Fr)eight-hole, starting outside his seven rivals.
Owner Adriano Sorella’s $30,000 supplemental entrant (the only buy-in this season) set a track record for his age group and went faster than any final of this race held here.
The other elim winner, Babes Dig Me (George Brennan), did so in a life-best 1:52.2. He drew post No. 5 for the final (seventh race), which drew as such: 1-Springsteen (Brian Sears), 2-Winston (g, Corey Callahan), 3-Topville Olympian (g, Sears also listed), 4-JK Wildfire (g, Jason Bartlett), 5-Babes Dig Me (George Brennan), 6-Stay Hungry (Doug McNair), 7-Nutcracker Sweet (Jordan Stratton), 8-Jimmy Freight (s, Louis-Philippe Roy). (g-gelding. s-$30,000 supplemental entrant).
Saturday night’s card also includes the $129,014 Hudson Filly Trot (fourth race) and $112,904 Lady Maud Pace (fifth race), both for 3-year-old ladies.
- HOF-bound Toscano aims for Yonkers Trot with Helpisontheway (Tuesday, August 28, 2018)
Linda Toscano felt as though she had her wings clipped when at the age of 13 her family moved from Brooklyn to Long Island. But the teenager soon fell in love with horses, which led her soaring to historic heights in harness racing, topped most recently by her election to the sport’s Hall of Fame. Toscano, though, is not finished flying. The trainer will be looking to add to her résumé when she sends Helpisontheway to Saturday’s $500,000 Yonkers Trot for 3-year-olds, the second jewel in the Trotting Triple Crown, at Yonkers Raceway.
- Triple Crown races at Yonkers lead Grand Circuit weekend (Wednesday, August 29, 2018)
A busy holiday weekend of Grand Circuit action is led by a pair of Triple Crown events at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday (Sept. 1).
- Tough task for Jimmy Freight in Messenger (Wednesday, August 29, 2018)
After a track-record performance in his Messenger Stakes elimination last week, Jimmy Freight will need to overcome the most unfavorable starting position at Yonkers Raceway — post No. 8 — in Saturday’s $500,000 final. While that presents a degree of uncertainty regarding the colt’s prospects in the race, owner Adriano Sorella is hopeful his horse possesses the skills to get the job done. Jimmy Freight, who won his Messenger elimination in 1:50.3 to become the fastest 3-year-old pacing colt in the track’s history, will have regular driver Louis-Philippe Roy in the sulky for trainer Andrew Harris and is the 5-2 morning-line favorite.