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

Yonkers, NY — Saturday’s (August 25) card at Yonkers also featured the $300,330 final of the Hudson Filly Trot. Wagering favorite Vulcanize (Pat Berry) left nothing to chance, taking it the distance in 1:56.3 — the fastest Hudson ever contested here.

Vulcanize, a daughter of Muscles Yankee, defeated Classical Mary (Dave Palone) by 1-1/4 lengths. However, “Mary” was quite contrary, misbehaving across the line and eventually being set down to fifth. Michelle’s Angel (Jeff Gregory), Oh Oh It’s Magic (Stephane Bouchard) and Vanity Plates (Chris Ryder) were each moved up one place. Celebrity Feeling (Mark Gingrich), Flash Lightning (Cat Manzi) and Eyefull (Steve Smith) rounded out the order.

The victress ($5.70), trained by Bob McIntosh for Lothlorien Equestrian Centre, is now 5-for-12 ($360,576) in ’07. The exacta paid $23.20, the triple returned $105.50 and the superfecta was worth $559.

“They told me to put her on the gate and she’d have no problem crossing over (from post four),” Berry said. “She looked very good last week (elims with Ron Pierce), and I was very happy to get this drive for the final.”

The $50,000 Dominic Frinzi Invitational was taken by odds-on favorite Maltese Artist (Greg Grismore, 1:51.4) at a $3.30 mutuel.

Malteste Artist, a millionaire 6-year-old Artiscape gelding, was reunited with Grismore for the first time since the pair combined to win the $475,000 final of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series here in mid-May.

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.