Gingras holds the cards at Yonkers

Driver Yannick Gingras holds a strong hand at Yonkers Raceway on Thursday evening (April 18th), as he is scheduled to pilot both morning line favorites in the Invitational harness racing trots.

Gingras kicks it off in race two, the $35,000 Invitational Trot, as he will take the lines on returnee Hillexotic (Muscle Hill) who needs to earn only $20,000 to become a millionaire.

The seven-year-old Ron Burke trained gelding comes off a strong six-year-old season where he took nine wins from 19 starts, finishing second five times and third once for earnings of close to $374,000. His biggest win came in the $240,000 Dayton Trotting Derby in September where he scored a 22 to 1 upset with Gingras at the controls.

Hillexotic drew post four in the five-horse field and the 25-time winner was installed as the 2 to 1 morning line choice.

Lining up directly to Hillexotic’s right will be Yonkers Invitation stalwart Nows The Moment (Credit Winner) who has taken four of his last seven starts at the top level.

Most recently on April 4th, he was 2nd beaten a neck after setting all the pace. Regular driver Austin Siegelman will no doubt be firing Nows The Moment off the gate again. The earner of $830,000 seeks his 49th win in this 141st start. The gelding is sent out by conditioner Allison Macdonald.

Starting from post three will be another Credit Winner gelding Credit Con, who comes off an impressive 2 1/2-length win at the class just below the Invitation level one week ago. Joe Bongiorno drives the gelded six-year-old for his sister Jenn.

Credit Con has won three of his last four starts racing close to the front so it’s likely he will be pointed in that direction at the start. Credit Con seeks his 24th win in this 107th start. The 3 to 1 morning line choice has earned more than $546,000.

Starting from the rail for part owner/driver Scott Zeron and seeking a fourth straight Yonkers win will be Texsong Soprano (Text Me), who is 4 to 1 in the morning line.

The Megan Scran pupil has climbed the condition ladder in the past month, winning all three starts racing on the lead. The unaltered four-year-old has win five of 11 starts this season and 14 of 39 lifetime and he has earned more than $463,000. He has won five of 13 starts since being acquired by Zeron and The Stable last fall.

Completing the talented Invitation trot quintet and starting from post two will be Get It (Dontyouforgetit), who won at this level on March 28th.

The Scott Di Domenico trainee has been remarkably consistent throughout his career, taking 64 wins from 146 start while earning $378,000. Get It is the longest shot in the morning line at 6 to 1.

Here is the field for the Invitation Trot, scheduled to go at 7:20 as race 2 on the 12-race card:

1. Texsong Soprano – Scott Zeron – 4/1

2. I Get It – Matt Kakaley – 6/1

3. Credit Con – Joe Bongiorno – 3/1

4. Hillexotic – Yannick Gingras – 2/1

5. Nows The Moment – Austin Siegelman – 5/2

In the $35,000 Fillies and Mares Invitational Trot, Gingras will steer 9 to 5 morning line favorite Tipsy Moni (International Moni) from post eight.

The four-year-old Per Engblom trainee is back in with her own gender after competing against the boys in three straight Invitation trots. Tipsy Moni was very competitive, taking a win, a third and a fourth in those three races.

Prior to that trio of starts, Tipsy Moni was queen of the mares ranks, dominating her rivals in four straight winning efforts in the Fillies and Mares Invitation trot. Despite drawing the widest post, she is the mare to beat.

No Mas Drama (Muscles Yankee) was favored last week when the race was canceled due to lighting issues. On that occasion driver Joe Bongiorno indicated that he would likely be sending the Nicole Dicostanzo pupil.

“I will have to see how it feels when the wings of the gate fold, but I feel she will most likely be back on the point again tonight,” he said. The 21-time winning mare looks to add to her earnings of more than $705,000. She is 4 to 1 in the morning line this week and it seems likely that she will get pointed to the front from post four.

Perfect Vixen, the 7 to 2 co-second choice in the morning line, shoots for a second straight win at this level after wiring the field on March 28th, finishing one length in front of a closing Helpoftheseason. That was the Jared Bako pupil’s second attempt at the mares Invite after finishing second to Tipsy Moni on March 14th. Matt Kakaley drives.

Here is the field for the Mares Invitational Trot that is scheduled to go at 9:40 as race 9:

1. P L Notsonice – Scott Zeron – 5/1

2. Perfect Vixen – Matt Kakaley – 7/2

3. Ima Diamond Babe – Braxten Boyd – 7/2

4. No Mas Drama – Joe Bongiorno – 4/1

5. Lady Jeter – Brent Holland – 20/1

6. Hot Flash Kimmy – George Brennan – 8/1

7. Call Me Dani – Jordan Stratton – 20/1

8. Tipsy Moni – Yannick Gingras – 9/5

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

by Garnet Barnsdale, for Harnesslink