Yonkers: Posts drawn for Messenger, Yonkers Trot
Post positions have been drawn for Yonkers Raceway’s two half-million-dollar Triple Crown events, Saturday night’s (Sept. 1) 64th Yonkers Trot and Messenger Stakes No. 63.
The Trot, which required no elimination races, goes as the sixth of a dozen races (first post 6:50 PM). The draw yielded a nearly-complete alphabetical order: 1-Helpisontheway (s, Jim Morrill Jr.), 2-Lindsey’s Pride (g, Marcus Miller), 3-Lindy’s Big Bang (g, Dexter Dunn), 4- Six Pack (Ake Svanstedt), 5-Maxus (Mark MacDonald), 6-Mississippi Storm (g, Jason Bartlett), 7- Tito (Bartlett also listed), 8-The Veteran (Jordan Stratton).
[g- gelding. s-$30,000 supplemental entrant]
The Messenger saw an original list of 11 entrants whittled down to the finale octet. The open draw turned Jimmy Freight (Louis-Philippe Roy)—he of the scorched-earth 1:50 3/5 romp in the second of last Saturday night's (Aug. 25) two $40,000 eliminations—into Jimmy (Fr)eight-hole, starting outside his seven rivals.
Owner Adriano Sorella’s $30,000 supplemental entrant (the only buy-in this season) set a track record for his age group and went faster than any final of this race held here.
The other elim winner, Babe Dig Me (George Brennan), did so in a life-best 1:52 2/5. He drew post No. 5 for the final (race 7), which drew as such:
1-Springsteen (Brian Sears), 2-Winston (g, Corey Callahan), 3-Topville Olympian (g, Sears also listed), 4-JK Wildfire (g, Jason Bartlett), 5-Babes Dig Me (George Brennan), 6-Stay Hungry (Doug McNair), 7-Nutcracker Sweet (Jordan Stratton), 8-Jimmy Freight (s, Louis-Philippe Roy).
[g- gelding. s-$30,000 supplemental entrant]
Saturday night’s card also includes the $129,014 Hudson Filly Trot (4th race) & $112,904 Lady Maud Pace (5th race), both for 3-year-old ladies.
-edited release (Yonkers)