Yonkers: Mission Accepted captures Harry Harvey Invitational Trot

Mission Accepted scored the biggest win he's had so far in 2019 by taking Saturday afternoon's $250,000 Harry Harvey Inviational Trot at Yonkers Raceway. Mission Accepted, with Yannick Gingras driving, went 2:23 4/5 for the mile and a quarter distance.

Emoticon Hanover (Daniel Dube) flashed her usual speed from the outside post eight, but Will Take Charge (Jordan Stratton) moved up on the outside and took the lead away from her passing the 28 second opening quarter. Will Take Charge would then go on to the half in 56 2/5, with Rich And Miserable (Tyler Buter) going first-over from fourth just past that point. That gave a second-over trip to Mission Accepted, with Custom Cantab (David Miller), who was on the outside throughout, joining them from third-over.

Will Take Charge managed to repel the advance of Rich And Miserable to the 1:26 three-quarters and 1:54 4/5 mile mark, but Gingras fired Mission Accepted three-wide just before they hit the mile, and he would assume the first-over position around the final bend. Mission Accepted and Will Take Charge battled around the turn, but Mission Accepted put the pace-setter away in upper stretch, then pulled clear to prevail by 2 3/4 lengths. Custom Cantab came on to get second, and Will Take Charge held third. Speeding Spur (Brian Sears) closed for fourth, and Eye Ofa Tiger AS (Jason Bartlett) collected fifth.

"Everything went nice and easy," said Gingras. "I had no problems."

A 4-year-old son of Manofmanymissions, Mission Accepted is trained by Ron Burke for the ownership group of Burke Racing Stable LLC., breeder Knox Services Inc., David Wills, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Mission Accepted now has 17 career wins, and he has put away $770,899. He was the 9-5 favorite and paid $5.90 to win.

-quote by Derick Giwner-