Yonkers: Sunday matinee racing is here
Yonkers Raceway is readying for the international intrigue that comes with the debut of Sunday simulcasting to France.
The first of the Raceway’s six Sunday matinee racing programs—post time 11:10 AM—goes this weekend, offering any number of handicapping variables.
The Sunday cards are going to be front-loaded with trotters, with the overseas audience wagering on the first five races. Those events are all added-distance (1 1/4 miles) with higher purses and oversized fields (12, 12, 10, 10 and 10 horses, respectively).
Included in that quintet is a dozen-horse Open, which goes as the second race during the 12-race dossier.
The half-dozen Sundays, running through Dec. 14th, inclusive, replace five Tuesday nights (Nov. 11th through Dec. 9th).
The overseas pool cannot be comingled, so the French betting won’t be included here. Toward that end, Yonkers is altering (at least for the first Sunday) the wagering format for some of the early Sunday races. Race 1 – no triple. Race 2 – no triple, no Pick 3. Race 3 – no superfecta, no Pick 4. Race 4 – no Pick 3.
“We’re optimistic our Sundays are going to prove popular,” Raceway COO Bob Galterio said. “None of this works without the help of any number of groups, including our horsemen, the New York State Gaming Commission, the French PMU and simulcast partners who have accommodated our schedule change.”
As mentioned earlier, Yonkers is enticing both its evening regulars and the Sunday early risers with any number of freebies, including…a free Sunday live program with the purchase of a Saturday live program (advance wagering for YR’s Sunday races is available all day Saturday)…free Sunday breakfast (egg sandwich and coffee) trackside between 10 AM-12 Noon (mutuel windows open at 10:30 AM)…free Sunday bets--a $2 daily double (races 1 & 2) and $1 exacta box (races 2, 3, 4 & 5)--to the first 200 existing (or newly-enrolled) Empire Club members between 10 AM-11 AM (all tickets are “quick picks”). Also, there’s a free promotional gift (while supplies last) and a chance to win dinner for two at any of restaurants on premises.
--edited release
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