Covered Bridge and Coaches Corner to battle in Yonkers Invitational

A talented quintet of top aged harness racing pacers contest the Yonkers Raceway Invitational on Monday night, but the one to beat is ultra-consistent Covered Bridge (American Ideal).

The Jeff Gillis trainee is one of fifteen millionaires produced in North America by his superstar dual hemisphere sire who passed away last week due to severe colic.

Like his father, Covered Bridge has had a remarkably consistent career. He has racked up 45 victories from 138 starts, to go along with 19 seconds and 22 thirds, good for $1.16 million in earnings. But Covered Bridge’s bread and butter has been racing at Yonkers.

In 53 starts at the Hilltop oval, the Mark Ford owned eight-year-old gelding has won 18 times, the most recent victory coming on January 22nd. On that night, Covered Bridge made it look easy despite starting from the widest post. Regular driver Jordan Stratton sent Covered Bridge for the front immediately leaving from the eight hole and when he cleared shortly after passing the :27.0 opening quarter, the race was in effect over.

Seven overmatched rivals in the winners over $30,000 last five dash futilely chased Covered Bridge around the track and he coasted to an easy 3 1/4-length win in 1:53.0. It was his second win in three 2024 starts, the first victory coming in the Mohawk Park Preferred Pace on January 13th.

Covered Bridge has won 20 of his 42 starts in 2023/24, but he will have to deal with another win machine that will be leaving from the advantageous rail position who comes into the race razor sharp.

Coaches Corner (Always A Virgin) had a 10-race win streak broken here on January 24th when he was headed right on the line by Simon Says Hanover in the 3YO to 6YO Open. Simon Says Hanover has already come back to repeat as a 1 to 9 favorite in the Open class.

Coaches Corner, a four-year-old Per Engblom trained gelding, has won closed to half his starts, taking 20 of 41 starts and earning just over $151,000. He was sold after completing a successful sophomore sires stakes campaign in Indiana and he then took wins in his first seven starts at Yonkers Raceway after shipping east. Coaches Corner will no doubt look to blast and last starting from the rail.

There are three other Open pacers that will look to have a say in this one-mile dash.

Classy and consistent Leonidas A (Mach Three) has been a win machine in his 116- race career. The nine-year-old Matthew Medeiros trained gelding has compiled a terrific 49-21-14 record. The Australian bred’s biggest North American win came in the $100,000 2020 Potomac Pace at Rosecroft Raceway, where he took his lifetime mark of 1:48.0. That night, he defeated Bettors Wish, who would go on to take the Aged Pacer of the Year Dan Patch Award.

Leonidas A starts from post 4 with regular driver Austin Seigelman at the controls.

Groovy Joe (Roll With Joe) comes into this race hot, having won his last two starts at Yonkers. The seven-year-old Enrico Robinson pupil most recently took a non-winners of $20,501 last five pace on January 23rd, leading all the way for his 31st win in his 117th start.

Bought for only $17,000 at the 2018 Goshen Sale, Groovy Joe has earned more than 37 times his purchase price, taking home more than $640,000 in prize money. He races for Pollack Racing Llc of Pennsylvania, and he starts from post two.

Rounding out the field is Whats Stanley Got A (Heston Blue Chip) who finished second to Covered Bridge in his 2024 debut, riding the pocket the entire mile.

The eight-year-old gelding had a productive 2023 campaign, taking five wins, six seconds and two thirds from 18 starts and earning close to $110,000. The Cory Stratton trainee will be driven by Joe Bongiorno, and he starts from post three.

Here is the field for the Preferred Pace which goes as race two on the 11-race card and is scheduled to go to post at 7:20 p.m. Eastern.

1. Coaches Corner – Jason Bartlett 2/1

2. Groovy Joe – Yannick Gingras 4/1

3. Whats Stanley Got A – Joe Bongiorno 9/2

4. Leonidas A – Austin Seigelman 5/1

5. Covered Bridge – Jordan Stratton 2/1

For complete race entries, click here: US Trotting results.

by Garnet Barnsdale, for Harnesslink