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

Yonkers, NY — The Empire’s movers and shakers obviously couldn’t wait for Saturday night’s $644,770 final of the Yonkers Trot. Thus, they sent 21 trotters of their own downstate for Friday night’s (August 24) $285,060 New York Sires Stake Armand Palatucci for 3-year-old colts and geldings at Yonkers Raceway.

Post time for the 10-race card is 7:40 p.m., with the trio of $95,020 statebred events going as races four, five and six.

Divisional dominator Bet To Win drew post position four in the evening’s first event. The son of Credit Winner has rolled a seven — as in consecutive victories — the most recent in this past Sunday’s $117,250 Zweig divison at Tioga.

He began the run with at Vernon’s $153,125 final of the Empire Breeders Classic in late May, then added NYSS wins at Monticello, Buffalo, Vernon, Batavia and Tioga. Jim Morrill, Jr. drives and Larry Remmen trains for owner John Lichtenberger. For the season, Bet To Win is 7-for-8, with earnings of $223,952.

New Hampshire Boy (Ray Schnittker, post six), no slouch himself, has has been first (seven) or second (six) in 13-of-15 ’07 efforts ($173,549). The Credit Winner colt, co-owned (and trained) by Schnittker, Steven Demeter and Herbert Burns, has statebred wins at Monticello and Buffalo. He wound up fourth (to Flirtin Man) in his Zweig division over the weekend.

Friday’s middle Palatucci event finds last season’s frosh champ, Hitwiththeladies (Morrill Jr., post two) avoiding any semblance of a sophomore jinx.

The son of Giant Hit, owned and trained by Allan McCarty, has won 11 of his 19 career races ($316,132). This season, he’s won thrice in nine tries, hitting the board in all but one ($120,664). Included in this summer’s resume are NYSS wins at Vernon (life-best 1:54.4) and Tioga and a third-place finish (to Yonkers Trot finalist Green Day) in Monticello’s $338,000 Nevele Pride.

Rushmore Hanover (Driver TBA, post three), stablemate to Bet To Win, and DW’s Big D (Brian Allen, post four) have each earned about 50-large this season.

The night’s final NYSS event sees Conway Court (Morrill Jr., post three) eyeing a sixth ’07 victory. The son of Conway Hall, trained by Remmen for co-owners Paolo Rosanelli and John Siena, has been in-the-money in his last nine appearances, including NYSS wins at Monticello, Buffalo, Vernon, Batavia and Tioga.

Jack’s Reef (Bill Bailey, post four) has four wins (all in his last seven tries) and more than $67,000 as a rookie thus far.

The multi-million-dollar New York Sires Stakes traverse the state, culminated by the $1.2 million New York Night of Champions here on Saturday, September 15, featuring eight $150,000 divisional finals. Please visit www.nysirestakes.com for a complete schedule and further information.

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.

Please note that the open draw for Saturday night’s 53rd edition of the Yonkers Trot, second jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown, takes place Tuesday afternoon, August 21.