by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Her approval rating in New York would shame any politician, as would her margins of victory.

Fortunately for the elected, Barn Doll isn’t taking them on.

Unfortunately for the seven lasses she sees Saturday night, Barn Doll is taking them on.

Barn Doll, her sights on another sire stakes championship, drew post position five in the Majestic View Farms International 3-Year-Old Filly Trot. The event is the first of four Yonkers Raceway finales comprising Part I of the 26th New York Night of Champions.

The $225,000 finals for 3-year-old pacers and trotters go Saturday (races five through eight), while the equally-purses quartet of finales for 2-year-olds is set for Saturday, Sept. 26. Each of the eight events is sponsored by a prominent New York breeding farm.

As for Barn Doll, the daughter of Conway Hall has never left Empire’s boundaries in her 21-race, $560,850 career. Her 17 wins (with three seconds) have included four in five Yonkers starts, highlighted last season’s frosh championship.

“She’s just been a pro for two seasons,” Jeff Gregory, Barn Doll’s driver in 17 of her purse starts, said. “She always shows up.

“(Trainer/co-owner) Steve (Pratt) warned me right away she was a nice horse, and she’s lived up to it,” Gregory said.

Why?

“Exceptional manners and speed,” her chauffeur said. “Last season, if you saw her race, you’d never have thought she was a 2-year-old. She made one break (Saratoga) and that’s because she was in heat, a fluke thing.”

As good as she’s been on the small tracks, Gregory thinks a big track steps her up even more. “She’s not the quickest out of gate, but with the big track, she can get out of there.”

Gregory has won 13 sire stakes finals, third all-time (behind Wally Hennessey and Jim Morrill Jr.). His dozen leg wins this season puts him second, behind runaway leader Morrill Jr.

“Hopefully, we can get another one Saturday.”