Napoleon Wins Yonkers Trot Over Make It Happen
Holiday Credit Breaks Stride Creamy Mimi Takes Female Hudson Trot
Traditionally, the Yonkers Trot, run on a 1/2 mile oval at Yonkers Raceway in New York, is the first test for 3-year-old trotters vying for the harness racing Triple Crown. The $645,845 one mile race offered an electrifying finish Saturday night, June 30, under the lights when Holiday Credit went rank, breaking stride on the lead with the end wire gleaming just 50 yards ahead of him.
Holiday Credit's Broken Stride Causes Loss
Second choice Napoleon, driven by Stephane Bouchard, had led most of the race, sent to the lead from the get-go. Favored Holiday Credit trotted smartly past Napoleon at the opening of the stretch drive and flashed away to a 1-1/4 length lead by the eighth pole.
Driver Ron Pierce had kept Holiday Credit in a stalking position, fourth on the outside through the first half mile fractions set by Napoleon. Napoleon went the first quarter in 28-1/5 and the half in 58-2/5. His three-quarter mile time of 1:27 didn't put Holiday Credit away
Suddenly breaking stride on the commanding lead he had opened, Holiday Credit vanished to fourth as Napoleon surged along the inside to regain the front.
Napoleon By A Head
Charging Napoleon was slowly weakening on the short lead, pressed by third favorite Make It Happen shooting through the lane in a strong late burst. Make It Happen got there a head late. Napoleon swept under the wire in 1:57-1/5 all out to hold onto his victory.
Fourth favorite Big Apple Deli went third, a head from Make It Happen. He defeated Holiday Credit by 1/2 length, but Holiday Credit lost the fourth place finish because of his broken stride on the lead and was disqualified to sixth in the field of eight contestants.
Bouchard Thrilled With First Yonkers
A regular driver at Yonkers, and holding a winning record every year there, Bouchard's win with Napoleon represented his first Yonkers Trot victory. "It's a lifetime dream," he commented.
Napoleon co-owner Sid Korn was equally happy, expressing the wish that Alvin Jacobsen, his ownership partner who recently passed away, was "up there listening somewhere" as their horse succeeded in one of trotting's biggest races.
Creamy Mimi Gets Hudson Trot
The Yonkers' female counterpart is the Hudson Trot, a $364,694 mile for 3-year-old fillies. Eight contestants went the distance, with Creamy Mimi prevailing in a gate to wire performance that was a 3-length victory.
Trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer said his filly was the one to beat, particularly after she drew the rail for the race on the 1/2 mile track. Creamy Mimi dashed home when Flower Lane broke stride on the final turn. The winner finished in 1:58-1/5.
Epangeline's late run was good for second place, beating There's A Way by 6-1/2 lengths in third.
