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

Yonkers, NY — It’s “Matinee Sunday, the Sequel” with Yonkers Raceway set for another late-morning excursion across the Atlantic.

After a very successful opener, the second of the Raceway’s six Sunday matinee racing programs (post time 11 a.m.) goes this weekend, offering the same freebies and a return to “wagering normal.”

Once again, this Sunday’s card is front-loaded with trotters, with the French-based audience wagering on the first five races. Those events are all added-distance (1-1/4 miles) with higher purses and oversized fields (12, 12, 10, 10 and 10 horses, respectively).

The half-dozen Sundays, running through Dec. 14 inclusive, replace five Tuesday nights (through Dec. 9).

With the first Sunday having proven popular, Yonkers, which had limited some of the exotic wagering options on the early races, is reinstating them this time around (triples in every race, a Pick-3 beginning in the second and fourth races, a third race superfecta and a Pick-4 beginning in the third race).

“Despite some first-week glitches, we were very happy with the results,” Raceway COO Bob Galterio said. “The response was better than we expected, and our fans, both on- and off-track, wanted us to return to the wagering menu they are familiar with.”

North American handle for the 12-race card was just under a half-million dollars — with that reduced exotics menu early — while the French-based European number (which also includes Switzerland, Belgium, Spanish Basque community, Germany, Austria, Luxemburg, Holland, Estonia and Malta) was about 1.4 million Euros, or about $1.75 million US dollars.

“I want to again express my appreciation to all involved,” Galterio said. “None of this works without the help of any number of groups, including our staff and horsemen, the New York State Gaming Commission, the French PMU and simulcast partners who have accommodated our schedule change.”

As was the case in Week One, Yonkers is enticing both its evening regulars and the Sunday early risers with any number of freebies, including:

• a free Sunday live program with the purchase of a Saturday live program (advance wagering for YR’s Sunday races is available all day Saturday)
• free Sunday breakfast (egg sandwich and coffee) trackside between 10 a.m.-12 Noon (mutuel windows open on the track apron at 10 a.m. and beginning at 10:30 a.m. at other areas of the track)
• free Sunday bets — a $2 daily double (races one and two) and $1 exacta box (races two, three, four and five) — to the first 200 existing (or newly-enrolled) Empire Club members between 10-11 a.m. (all tickets are “quick picks”).
• Also, there’s a free promotional gift (while supplies last) and a chance to win dinner for two at any of the restaurants on the premises.

All Empire City Bets members receive a free, dollar-box triple wager (not a “quick pick”) for Sunday’s third race, while selected ECB members are eligible for a $10 bet/get for wagers made on the first five “French” races.

In addition to Empire City Bets, several other ADWs are continuing to offer special incentives for those wagering on these Sunday matinees.