by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — A pair of $250,000 invites are among the highlights of Yonkers Raceway’s ‘International Trot Day,’ and while the field is not quite set for the Harry Harvey Invitational Trot, no more calls, we have eight winners for the inaugural Dan Rooney Invitational Pace.

The one-mile Dan Rooney goes as the seventh race (approximate post time 3 p.m.) during Yonkers’ $3.3 million program a week from Saturday (Oct. 14). First post for the special matinee program is 1 p.m.

The eight Free-For-All pacers who’ve RSVP’d to race secretary Steve Starr (alphabetically) are All Bets Off, Bit Of A Legend N, Keystone Velocity, Mach it So, Missile J, Scott Rocks, Sintra and Somewhere In L A.

The inaugural Harvey Trot (eighth race, approximate post 3:30 p.m.) shall be finalized shortly, since there are a few more seats (10 in total) needed for the 1-1/4 mile event.

Again, both of these races, as well as that afternoon’s finals of the New York Sire Stakes, are to be drawn Monday afternoon (Oct. 9). The million-dollar Yonkers International Trot at Empire City Casino is drawn Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 10) at a midtown Manhattan press luncheon.

The day’s schedule:

Race day schedule
1-NYSS Genesee Valley Farm 2YO Colt/Gelding Pace-1:00
2-NYSS Winbak Farm 2YO Filly Pace-1:20
3-NYSS Crawford Farm 2YO Filly Trot-1:40
4-NYSS Cameo Hills Farm 3YO Filly Pace-2:00
5-NYSS Harness Horse Breeders of NYS 2YO Colt/Gelding Trot-2:20
6-NYSS Blue Chip Farms 3YO Colt/Gelding Pace-2:40
7-Invitational Pace (Dan Rooney)-3:00
8-Invitational Trot (Harry Harvey)-3:30
9-Yonkers International Trot at Empire City Casino-4:00
10-NYSS Morrisville Coll. Equine Inst. 3YO Colt/Gelding Trot-4:30
11-NYSS Allerage Farm 3YO Filly Trot-5:00

Notes: all finals for NYSS are at flat mile with eight starters at $225,000 each; Invitational Trot is 1-1/4 miles with 10 starters at $250,000; Invitational Pace is flat mile with eight starters at $250,000; races eight through 11 simulcast to French-hubbed audience.

More information about this program shall be sent when available.