Owner promotions provide holiday cheer

The new harness racing owner promotion at Yonkers Raceway held in conjunction with the Standardbred Owners Association of New York and the United States Trotting Association comes to a close with 10 lucky new owners tasting victory and some strong returns.

In early November, 10 harness racing fans were randomly chosen from the USTA new owner's database to each receive five percent of the earnings of a designated horse racing at Yonkers Raceway through the end of the meet.

The 3-year-old trotting gelding Emerald Chip was chosen for the promotion with trainer Andrew Harris. Emerald Chip made five starts, including a win in his first start of the promotion, a $20,000 non-winners of four conditioned event. He moved up in class and made four starts in non-winners of six trotting events at Yonkers for purses of $25,000 and $32,000. Emerald Chip picked up checks for $2000 with a fourth and $1600 with a fifth place finish and also earned $500 for starting in a 10-horse field at Yonkers.

For the five starts, Emerald Chip earned $14,100, netting each of the 10 virtual owners $705. As part of the promotion, the winners were not responsible for any expenses associated with the horse.

I have to thank the SOA of NY, Yonkers Raceway and the USTA, said trainer Andrew Harris. Without movements like this, it's hard to show people how easy it is to get involved. It just takes a push in the right direction. We can make this business great again!

The 2016 racing season at Yonkers Raceway concludes Sunday December 18 with a 1pm first post. Yonkers Raceway has submitted a 2017 calendar of 238 racing dates to the New York Gaming Commission with a proposed return to racing Sunday afternoon January 8. The opening day card in 2017 will feature purses boosted from their normal levels in appreciation of horsemen both old and new.

TIME CHANGE FOR FINAL ‘NEW YORK, NEW YORK DOUBLE’

A bit of change in times for this Sunday (Dec. 18^th) final 2016 ‘New York, New York Double’.

Aqueduct has moved its first post up an hour, to 11:20 AM, to accommodate more races. Thus, the third race—first half of the gimmick double—now goes at 12:20 PM, instead of the originally-scheduled 1:18 PM.

Yonkers’ season-ending first post remains at 1 PM sharp, with our second race—second half of the wager—going at 1:30 PM, as planned.

Past performance pages for these races shall again be made available in all corresponding on-track and simulcast programs. The ‘New York, New York Double,’ also available through Empire City Bets, is a one dollar minimum wager and an 18.5 percent takeout rate.

With Aqueduct having moved up the start of its Sunday program, Yonkers’ mutuel windows shall now open at 10:30 AM.

Frank Drucker