by John Cirillo, for Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — A masked man landed at JFK Airport early Thursday morning (Oct. 1) and was welcomed with open arms.

Mike Lizzi photo

Timoko will compete in the International Trot on Oct. 10.

It was the hooded, French harness “Super Hero” Timoko, arriving to compete in the $1 million International Trot at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 10). Post time is at 3:10 p.m. for the exciting matinee program.

An earner of $3.5 million in purses and 25 wins lifetime, as well as the winner of this year’s Grand Prix de France in Paris, Timoko gets my wager in a stellar field of 10 elite trotters.

Here’s the scoop: Bjorn Goop, the Swedish standout, drives the 7-year-old French stallion. “B-Goop” drove Timoko to a dual-heat victory in last year’s prestigious Elitlopp, one of trotting’s premiere events, so you know he’s durable.

I really love “French-Bred”: My all-time International favorite is the only three-time champion, the white-blazed Ideal du Gazeau back in the Roosevelt heyday. That French icon would trot the entire 1-1/4 mile distance on the outside before driver Eugene Lefevre simply shook the reins to send him into high gear, trotting up a storm in the home stretch. Viva la France!