from the Standardbred Owners Association of New York

Yonkers, NY — On the evening of Jan. 15, Yonkers Raceway hosted its first Saturday card of the New Year and the Standardbred Owners Association of New York took the opportunity to honor the Hilltop oval’s stars of 2010.

Tom Berg photo

Jason Bartlett received the leading driver award from SOA president Joe Faraldo.

SOA President Joe Faraldo presented awards to leading driver Jason Bartlett, leading trainer Lou Pena, and to driver Yannick Gingras accepting an award on behalf of leading owners Ronald and Sylvia Burke.

Additionally, SOA president Faraldo, SOA director Chris Wittstruck, and USTA director John Brennan toured the track facility and paddock with an accomplished writer named Tim Bella. Mr. Bella, a graduate of the Schieffer School of Journalism at Texas Christian University, and present graduate student at the Columbia University School of Journalism, has prepared articles for The Wall Street Journal, Houston Chronicle, and the Dallas Morning News.

He is presently preparing a paper on the success of the New York Video Lottery Terminal legislative model, the consequences of a VLT operation at Aqueduct Racetrack and the future of New York racing measured against all of these variables.

The writer was escorted to the paddock where he interviewed drivers Jason Bartlett and Jordan Stratton before being given a tour of the Hilltop oval in the track starting car before race two.