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

Yonkers, NY — The hot hand at Yonkers Raceway on Wednesday night (March 21) belonged to driver Mike Forte, who brought home four winners on the 13-race card.

Forte won the $5,000 pacing opener with the veteran statebred mare Blusgirlcanthelpit ($8.90) as the 9-year-old won her 37th career race in her 197th career start.

Celebrity Princess ($4.80) won the $9,500, seventh race trot, with Forte as trainer as well as driver, while Catherine’s Angel ($17.60) and Julie’s Shadow ($5.80) gave Forte consecutive winners in the 10th ($12,000) and 11th ($6,500) race paces, respectively.

The 49-year-old Forte, who won his 2,000th career race earlier in ’07, put together personal single-season standards in both wins and earnings in 2005 and 2006 and is well on his way to bettering those figures in 2007.

Leading driver Stephane Bouchard won three on Wednesday night.

Wednesday proved a longshot lovefest as well. Wesgate Leagacy and co-owner/trainer/driver Ed Morris won the $8,000, second race trot at an $85.50 mutuel, C Easter Sunrize (Kyle DiBenedetto) grabbed the $4,000, third race pace at an even 34-1 ($70) and Easter Icon (Larry Stalbaum) authored a 19-1 surprise ($40.20) in the $6,500 sixth race pace.

Live racing is currently offered at Yonkers with six programs per week — Monday through Saturday nights at 7:40 p.m. Harness and thoroughbred simulcasting is available seven days a week, while Empire City’s nearly 5,500 video gaming machines are in play daily from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m.