by Dean A. Hoffman

Yonkers Raceway makes its long-awaited return to racing on Friday night with a nine race card, featuring $53,500 in purses.

The historic Hilltop oval has been dark for more than a year while the track concentrated on construction of its new Empire City Gaming facility, which features video lottery terminals designed to benefit education in New York State.

Proceeds from the VLTs will also enhance purses at Yonkers as purses are expected to rise dramatically as the gaming revenues flow into the purse account.

Next Saturday, November 25, Yonkers will host the Yonkers Trot and Messenger Stakes, the first time that two Triple Crown events have been raced on the same program.

Top purse on opening night is a $9,000 event for pacing fillies and mares, with seven starters.

On Saturday night, Yonkers hosts two $20,000 eliminations for the Hudson Filly Trot, the companion to the Yonkers Trot. With only eight entered in the Yonkers Trot, eliminations will not be necessary. It’s the same with the Messenger Stakes, which drew six pacers.

The first elimination of the Hudson Filly Trot is headed by the world champion Queen Serene, the fastest sophomore filly trot after her 1:52 upset win over Passionate Glide in the Kentucky Futurity filly division in October. In 16 starts this season, Queen Serene has banked $384,560. Trainer Trond Smedshammer will drive the fast daughter of Dream Vacation.

The second elimination looks to be a duel between Hidden Vigorish, a winner of 11 of 13 starts and $236,403 this season. Brian Zendt will steer her. She’ll be challenged by Quick Credit and driver Jeff Gregory, a New York-bredd star with $207,029 in the bank this season.

The Open Handicap pace at Yonkers on Saturday night will go for a purse of $21,000, and attracted a field of eight talented older pacers.

On Nov. 25, Yonkers will roll out the red carpet for some of the best sophomore Standardbreds in North America when it hosts two Triple Crown races.

Glidemaster heads a field of eight in the Yonkers Trot after paying a $60,000 supplement to gain entrance to the historic event. Trainer Blair Burgess is hoping that the fast son of Yankee Glide can add the Yonkers Trot to his earlier wins in the Hambletonian and Kentucky Futurity, and thus etch his name on the Triple Crown trophy.

Shark Gesture is the horse to beat in the Messenger Stakes. He was impressive in his Breeders Crown win at Woodbine in late October, and will be looking to add to his late-season laurels.