Harness: International Trot back at Yonkers in 2015?

As a precursor to the return of Yonkers Raceway’s International Trot next season, the Raceway is planning to host an Invitational Trot this fall.

The date is Saturday night, Oct. 25, the evening coinciding with the finals of both Yonkers Trot and Messenger Stakes (along with their companion filly events).

The yet to be announced purse would be commensurate with the quality of the field.

“We are gauging the interest of bringing the best trotters on the continent here,” Raceway Chief Operating Officer Bob Galterio said. “We feel the date is perfect, a few weeks after Lexington and a few weeks before the Breeders Crown.

“Our race office is going to be reaching out in the near future to the connections of the elite trotters in both the United States and Canada,” Galterio said. “This race would make an already tremendous night of racing even better.”

As for the International, first held at Roosevelt Raceway in 1959 and last contested at Yonkers Raceway in 1995, its return has been in the works for some time, but there is no tentative date for 2015.

-edited release (Yonkers)

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