Italy finishes 1st and 3rd in $1 million International Trot

Vivid Wise A (Yankee Glide) captured the $1 million Yonkers International Trot in a front-stepping, monster performance for harness racing driver Matthieu Abrivard on a balmy afternoon at Yonkers Raceway Saturday (Sept. 9) over a rain-soaked surface.

Trainer Alessandro Gocciadoro had removed the 9-year-old gelding’s shoes just prior to the 1 1/4 mile contest, a sure sign he was confident of his charge’s chances.

The track was sloppy as the field of ten lined up behind the starting gate, and 5-2 favorite Vivid Wise As wasted no time grabbing the lead, and taking the field through fractions of :28.3, :57.3, 1:26.3, 1:55.2, and 2:23.1.

France’s star Etonnant (Timoko), made a three-wide move going to the half, but was unable to sustain his momentum and tired nearing the mile mark, when It’s Academic brushed quickly to the outside for driver David Miller, but faded to fourth at the wire. The hard charging Jiggy Jog S, the only mare in the field, finished second for driver Dexter Dunn at 5-1, while Italy’s other contestant and Vivid Wise AS’s stablemate, Bengurion Jet IT, was a strong third for driver Alessandro Gocciadoro.

VIVID WISE AS REPLAY

Vivid Wise AS has been one of the most consistent trotters on the European scene, winning almost 20 Group 1 races, and most recently was second in the $300,000 Group 1 Abergs Memorial at Jagersro Raceway in Sweden.

“He went really fast today. He wanted to see if anyone made any moves and if anyone was going to attack, but nothing really happened, so after the first turn, he really controlled the race and did what he wanted to do all the way,” Abrivard said via interpreter Kristin Riise Ødegård. “On small tracks like this, he’s a horse that’s very difficult to get around. He knew that after he got a good post position, and he got a good start that the other horses had to do a lot of work on the outside to catch him. He knew it was going to work out for him pretty quickly.”

Vivid Wise As is the first foal out of the Cantab Hall 3, 1:54 ($1,442, 303) mare Temple Blue Chip 3, 1:57.1f ($38,295) and recorded his 35th career win in 86 starts He also has 12 seconds and nine thirds to his credit and pushed his lifetime earnings to $3,626,865 with this latest triumph for owners Bivans Srl of Italy and Bruni Racing Team ab, of Sweden.

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

by Kimberly Rinker, for Harnesslink