Ariana G to represent USA in International Trot

YONKERS, NY, Saturday, September 29, 2018-Yonkers Raceway has announced that 4-year-old double millionairess Ariana G has been selected to represent the United States in the $1 million Yonkers International Trot @ Empire City Casino, set for Saturday afternoon, Oct. 13th.

The Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld co-owned homebred daughter of Muscles Yankee comes off a track-record (1:52.1) effort in Friday night's (Sept. 27th) Dayton Trotting Derby. It was her fifth win in 11 seasonal starts and 26th in 37 career races ($2,367.709).

The International would serve as the 11th venue where Ariana G has raced, though her first small-track try. Twice a Breeders Crown champ, twice a Dan Patch award winner and with a Hambletonian Oaks win leading a gaudy resume, her accomplishments are numerous. Now, she prepares to meet some of the world's best trotters.

"I spoke with (trainer) Jimmy Takter earlier tonight to offer the invitation, and he immediately accepted," race secretary Steve Starr said. "As I said when we announced the nine foreign entrants, it should be a great race."

The alphabetical field for the mile-and-a-quarter International Trot, with country of representation…

Arazi Boko (Italy)

Ariana G (United States)

Cruzado Dela Noche (Sweden)

Dreammoko (Netherlands)

Lionel (Norway)

Marion Marauder (Canada)

Pastore Bob (Sweden)

Ringostarr Treb (Italy)

Slide So Easy (Denmark)

Up and Quick (France)

Beginning in 1959 at Roosevelt Raceway, this is the 40th International Trot and fourth since it was brought back after two decades of dormancy. More information about the card (including post time) and surrounding promotions and activities shall be sent when available.

YONKERS CO-FEATURES SATURDAY

Two hard-knocking veterans who've made careers of winning did just that Saturday night (Sept. 29th), annexing Yonkers Raceway's co-featured $44,000 Open Handicaps.

Ladies first, so props to favored N F Happenstance (Jack Parker Jr. $4.10) for whipping five gelded gentlemen in the weekly trotting feature. Assigned outside all of them, she did her thing-leaving-then went the distance (:27.4, :58.2, 1:26.3, 1:55.4).

Fashion Creditor (Brent Holland) was a sold second, closing to miss three-quarters of a length, with DW's NY Yank (George Brennan) tiring in the pocket and ending up third. Barry Black (Jordan Stratton) and Don Dream (Jason Bartlett) picked off the remainder, while a first-up Tight Lines (Jeff Gregory) broke.

For N F Happenstance, an 8-year-old daughter of S J's Caviar owned by James Moore III and trained by Carol Jamieson-Parker, it was her 10th win (with 10 seconds) in 26 seasonal starts (career 30-for-107) The exacta paid $51.50, the triple returned $104 and the superfecta paid $1,013.

The week's marquee pace saw a gutty, two-move effort from Mach it So (Joe Bongiorno, $18). Nose-to-gate from assigned post position No. 5, he was stuffed in behind Doctor Butch (Bartlett). The Doctor found a :27.2 opening quarter-mile as 3-5 fave More The Better N (Eric Goodell) was about to move from third.

More The Better N made the lead before a 56-second half, and soon after, Mach it So was back for more. That one engaged More The Better N after a 1:24 three-quarters, then put him away late the lane. Mach it So defeated a second-up Theartofconfusion A (Dan Dube) by a half-length in 1:52.1.

Doctor Butch was third, with More The Better N fading to a money-burning fourth. Caviart Luca (Brennan) settled for the final pay envelope.

For fourth choice Mach it So, an 8-year-old double millionaire Mach Three gelding owned by Bamond Racing and trained by Jeffrey Bamond Jr., it was his seventh win in 22 seasonal starts (career 47-for-142) The exacta paid $91, the triple returned $307.50 and the superfecta paid $789.

Quillen Memorial winner Sunfire Blue Chip came up injured from his assigned eight-hole here.

by Frank Drucker, for Yonkers Raceway