Yonkers: Gingras has sights set on $200K Miecuna victory with Antognoni

All eyes will certainly be on the $1,000,000 MGM Yonkers International Trot on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 P.M. (EDT), but fans of the sport may not want to tune out too quickly as less than 30 minutes later MGM Yonkers Raceway will host the $200,000 Bob Miecuna Invitational, also for trotters going 1 1/4 miles.

Despite landing post eight in the field of 10, Antognoni was installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite and co-owner/driver Yannick Gingras wasn't deterred at all by the bad luck at the draw.

"I think he can win the race from anywhere," said Gingras, who had dreams of his charge starting one race earlier in the International Trot. "I really wish I had him in the other race because I think he is that kind of horse. I have all the confidence in the world in him."

Antognoni is perfect in seven career starts at Yonkers and even has a win at the distance, having captured the John Brennan Memorial final in 2:24 3/5 back in April. He took a bit more than two months off during the summer since there were no races for him but has since come back strong, winning in 1:54 1/5 at Yonkers and 1:51 4/5 at Harrah's Philadelphia.

"He's changed a lot in the two months he was off. The last two times he raced he was two fingers [to drive]. He was his own enemy at times early in the year. He was really aggressive and I had a hard time putting him in the right spots; he was driving me more than I was driving him," said Gingras. "At Chester [Harrah's Philadelphia] I was able to press in the first turn to make sure the pace was fast enough that I didn't have to move to the lead early. I would never have been able to start him up and stop him three months ago before he was turned out. He sat in the hole, I pulled him and he went."

Gingras said Antognoni can "fly around the turns" at Yonkers, and he wasn't shy in revealing his strategy in the Miecuna. "We are going to blast out of there and see if we can make the front or get a spot."

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While for some Antognoni is the horse to beat, the task won't be easy with some nice trotters lined up on the inside of the gate. One of them is Security Protected, who has Scott Zeron in the bike from post two for trainer Marcus Melander.

Security Protected has dealt with outside posts lately and hasn't been able to get involved but back on August 2 he displayed his raw ability by rallying to finish second in the Cashman Memorial at The Meadowlands in 1:50 1/5.

"If he gets a little bit closer he's not a bad horse actually, so hopefully from the two hole he can get a good spot and finish well," said Melander, who does think the horse can show more early interest. "He has some early speed as well. At Pocono he tried leaving and got parked. Maybe that sat in Andrew's [McCarthy] head as well. Hopefully we get a good trip."

Up Your Deo is another in with a big chance. He broke at the start last time from post 10 in the Maple Leaf Trot at Woodbine Mohawk Park but did pick up a big win in the Spirit of Massachusetts at Plainridge Park back on July 20. Trainer Ake Svanstedt won't be in the bike this time around as he hands the lines over to Dexter Dunn from post three.

Perhaps the fastest horse off the gate has drawn pylon position. Sir Pinocchio beat an easier field last week at Yonkers but hasn't really stepped up this year versus some of the best trotters in the sport. The speedster figures prominently here with the track's leading driver Jason Bartlett if he can get the 4-year-old to last the 1 1/4 mile distance.

The Miecuna Invitational is race seven on the track's 10-race card that starts at 12:20 PM (EDT). The race also starts a $10,000 guaranteed $2 Pick 4 sequence.