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

Yonkers, NY — A total of 14 3-year-olds — including one filly — have been entered for Yonkers Trot No. 55. The total purse for the double nickel edition of Yonkers Raceway’s marquee trotting event is $750,774. The Trot’s companion race, the Hudson Filly Trot, attracted 11 lasses for a total take-home of $367,985.

The number of entrants necessitated a pair of elimination races for each stake this Saturday night, worth $40,000 (Yonkers) and $20,000 (Hudson) per. The first four finishers in those trials qualify for their respective finals a week from Saturday night (Aug. 29), with purses of $670,774 (Yonkers) and $327,985 (Hudson).

The contestants, please…

Yonkers Trot first elim (eighth race): 1-Judge Joe (Doug R. Ackerman); 2-Neighsay Hanover (Trond Smedshammer); 3-Copy Catch (Jason Bartlett); 4-Select Yankee (John Campbell); 5-Keystone Activator (Cat Manzi); 6-Celebrity Athena (f) (Michel Lachance); and 7-Salutation Hanover (Greg Grismore).

Yonkers Trot second elim (ninth race): 1-Road Rash (Ron Pierce); 2-The Chancellor (Andy Miller); 3-Broadway Bistro (Bartlett); 4-Vesuvio AS (Tim Tetrick); 5-Citation Lindy (Ray Schnittker); 6-Truth In Action (Tetrick also listed); and 7-Calchips Brute (Smedshammer).

Hudson first elim (fourth race): 1-One Tough Girl (Manzi); 2-Honorable Daughter (Stephane Bouchard); 3-Sea Raven (David Miller); 4-Missy’s Doubt Fire (Bartlett); 5-Windsong Soprano (David Miller also listed); and 6-Yursa Hanover (Jeff Gregory).

Hudson second elim (sixth race): 1-Hall Of Wishes (Bartlett); 2-Sirenuse (Manzi); 3-Whispering Wind (Smedshammer); 4-Seaside (Bartlett also listed); and 5-Celebrity Juliet (Lachance).

Judge Joe and Calchips Brute, standout New York-bred sons of Credit Winner, have both excelled in statebred and open company.

Judge Joe, carrying the banner of Team Ackerman, has banked more than $483,000 in his 20-race career. As far as home-track advantage, Judge Joe has two wins and a second in three career local starts.

Calchips Brute, third in both the final of the Hambletonian and the Colonial, has a win and a pair of seconds in four lifetime Yonkers tries. He’s banked in excess of $358,000 this season. Trond Smedshammer trains and drives for owner Diane Giuliano.

The Chancellor, a Yankee Glide colt, has raced very well of late, despite some less-than-stellar trips. After an out-every-step fourth in the Hambo, he was a first-up second in the Colonial last weekend at Harrah’s Chester. Julie Miller trains the $338,000 winner in ’09 for co-owners (driver) Andy Miller and Arden Homestead Stable.

As for the fairer sex, Celebrity Athena shows a win in her division of the Zweig and a second in her division of the Delvin Miller She’s owned by Celebrity Farms and trained by Staffan Lind.

Among the Hudson heroines, Honorable Daughter is a statebred daughter of Malabar Man closing in on millionairess status. Last season’s freshman divisional champ won the finals of the Breeders Crown, Merrie Annabelle and Matron. Larry Remmen trains for Paolo Rosanelli and John Siena’s P&J Stables.

Windsong Soprano and Yursa Hanover won their respective divisions of the Delvin Miller last month.

Keeping with the theme of Yonkers Trot, the ’08 winner, Napoleon, returns here Friday night in a $37,000 conditioned event. The 4-year-old statebred son of Credit Winner, sold earlier this season, is up over $700,000 in career earnings. He drew post position seven in the 12th race with trainer Smedshammer doing the honors.

Friday night’s festivities also include the $181,808 New York Sire Stakes Mike Cohen Trot, the first local look at the 2-year-old fillies. Four divisions (races two, six, eight and nine) go for $45,452 each.

The first group looms the most contentious, with Madam Hooch (Mike Simons, post one), Streak (Torgeir Hagmann, post three), Secret Vacation (Boone Mattison, post five) and Munis Blue Chip (Ray Schniitker, post six) all acquitting themselves well in statebred competition. The foursome has combined for nine wins in 16 starts, with earnings in excess of $183,000.

The event honors the memory of the former publicity director at the Raceway as well as NBC Sports.