Goshen, NY — Yannick Gingras captured the 2026 edition of the $10,000 Mr. and Mrs. Elbridge T. Gerry Sr. Memorial Hall of Fame Invitational Trot, held Sunday (July 5) at Goshen Historic Track, when he piloted Southwind Banshee to a 1:56.2 victory over five rivals.
Southwind Banshee pushed clear of Full Rights (driven by Ray Schnittker) just before reaching the backstretch but faced immediate pressure from Send It In Hanover (Wally Hennessey), who forced a :28.3 first quarter. The pair continued to duel through middle splits of :58 and 1:27.1 before Southwind Banshee asserted herself at the top of the stretch and trotted 1-3/4 lengths clear of Send It In Hanover at the winning post. Reel Em In (Chris Ryder) rallied mildly for third.
Chase Vandervort trains Southwind Banshee, now a 10-time winner with $179,920 in career earnings, for Arden Homestead Stable.
Gingras, a 2022 inductee into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame, is the fourth richest driver in North American harness racing history, having teamed the winners of over $263 million in purses. All told, the five Hall of Fame members who drove in the race — Gingras, Hennessey, Ryder, Dave Palone and Jimmy Takter — have accounted for the winners of over 47,000 races and $700 million in purses.
Three $20,000 New York Excelsior Series events for 3-year-old trotters served as co-featured events on the eight-race card. Jason Bartlett drove fillies Bar Hall Beauty and Elqueen to matching 1:59.2 wins for trainers Nick DeVita and George Ducharme, respectively, while Andy Miller teamed Flex Up to a 1:59.3 win in the lone male trot for trainer Julie Miller.
To view Sunday’s replays, visit the412.info/070526Goshen.