The post positions for Saturday, October 15โs $1 million Yonkers International Trot at Yonkers Raceway were drawn Tuesday at a press conference at Gallagherโs Steak House in New York City. The formidable American trio of Resolve (3-1), Hannelore Hanover (4-1) and Obrigado (5-1) were installed as the first three choices on the morning line.
World-class trotters from the United States, Canada, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark will comprise the 10-horse field for the 38th edition of the International.
The U.S.A.’s potent threesome, all with career earnings of more than $1 million, will race as separate betting interests.
Resolveโ, a winner of 14 lifetime starts, will start from post position two, and was tabbed the 3-1 favorite. Ake Svanstedt is the trainer-driver of the five-year-old stallion.
The only mare in the field, โHannelore Hanover, drew the advantageous inside rail post for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke, and is the 4-1 second choice on the morning line. The four-year-old is a $32,000 bargain purchase who has won 23 of 37 career races.
Obrigadoโโ has Mark MacDonald in the sulky, and drew post six as the 5-1 third choice. ย Paul Kelley trains the six-year-old.
Three leading Euros returning for a second try after failing in last yearโs Yonkers International are Italyโs Oasis Bi(driver Erik Adielsson, post five, 5-1), Norwayโs BBS Sugarlight (driver Vidar Hop, post seven, 6-1), and On Track Piraten of Sweden (driver Orjan Kihlstrom, post eight, 10-1). Last seasonโs winner, Norwayโs Papagayo E., is injured and unable to defend his title.
The remainder of the field includes: Jonesy of Finland (Tuomas Korvenoja, post 3, 15-1); Canada’s Flanagan Memory (driver Brian Sears, post 4, 6-1); Tano Bork (driver John Campbell, post 9, 20-1); and Explosive De Vie of Sweden (driver Kevin Oscarsson, post 10, 12-1).
Empire City Casino and raceway president Tim Rooney revived the International last year after a 20-year hiatus. The million purse equals the richest in New York State and raceway history. The International was inaugurated in 1959 at now-defunct Roosevelt Raceway and Rooney brought it to Yonkers in 1988 upon Rooseveltโs closure.
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