Trotters take center stage at Yonkers

Six aged trotters make up a very competitive harness racing field in Yonkers $35,000 Invitational Trot on Thursday night (May 2nd).

Hillexotic dominated in this class the past two weeks. With him gone, this race looks like it could go to any one of the sextet.

Nows The Moment (Credit Winner) might be the one most likely to benefit from Hillexotic not being part of the Invitational field. He has taken back in two straight starts at that level when starting from outside posts in races where Hillexotic made it clear he was taking the lead and that discouraged all starters that were lined up outside of him on the gate.

Nows The Moment is drawn much better this time, starting from post three for trainer Allison Macdonald. The gelded nine-year-old 4 to 1 morning line choice will surely be sent forward this time by driver Jordan Stratton.

Lined up to Nows The Moment’s direct right is 5 to 2 morning line favorite Credit Con (Credit Winner). Trained by Jenn Bongiorno and driven by her brother Joe, the altered six-year-old finished second to Hillexotic on April 18th when he started from post four and it’s very possible that he could make the first move and lead the outer flow this time.

Swan In Motion (Swan For All) shipped in from Delaware last week and produced a strong closing effort to finish second to Hillexotic. The seven-year-old Dylan Davis trained stallion has hit the board in six straight starts showing versatility and toughness. The veteran has won 35 times in 114 starts and finished in the exacta 58 times. Scott Zeron drives the 9 to 2 morning line choice.

Highland Mowgli (Archangel) starts from the rail and notably gets Yannick Gingras back in the bike. Two starts back they teamed up for a second-place finish after leaving from the rail, leading the field through the first three quarters of the mile before getting passed by first-over Credit Con. The altered six-year-old 7 to 2 morning line choice is sent out by Ron Burke.

P L Oscar (Archangel), starting from post two is another trotter that typically shows speed and aggressive teamster Brent Holland will likely be blasting off the gate looking for position near the front. P L Oscar has tried the Invitational level twice recently, taking fourth and fifth place checks. The Ricky Bucci trainee is 5 to 1 in the morning line.

The final entrant in the Invitational trot is 64-time winner I Get It (Dontyouforgetit) who starts from the widest post for trainer Scott Di Domenico. I Get It has raced at this level in all his last five starts and has finished first through fifth once in those starts. The one win came on March 28th when he rallied for a 1:56.0 win in the slop. Most recently he finished third behind Hillexotic and Swan In Motion.

Matt Kakaley, who drove I Get It in his past five starts again takes the lines for trainer Scott Di Domenico, and the six-year-old gelding is quoted at 6 to 1 in the morning line.

Here is the field for the $35,000 Invitational Trot that is scheduled to go at 8 p.m. as race 4 of 12

1. Highland Mowgli (Archangel) – Yannick Gingras – 7/2
2. P L Oscar (Archangel) – Brent Holland – 5/1
3. Nows The Moment (Credit Winner) Jordan Stratton 4/1
4. Credit Con (Credit Winner) – Joe Bongiorno – 5/2
5. Swan In Motion (Swan For All) – Scott Zeron – 9/2
6. I Get It (Dontyouforgetit) – Matt Kakaley – 6/1

Race 8 on the card is the $78,000 John Brennan Trotting Series Final where Warrawee Yang (Trixton) shoots for a sweep of the series and an eighth straight win for trainer Ron Burke. Yannick Gingras, who steered the four-year-old to all three preliminary leg wins, will again be at the controls. Warrawee Yang lines up from post six in the eight-horse field and he has been installed as the 9 to 5 morning line favorite.

Here is the field for the Brennan Final, which is scheduled to go at 9:20 p.m.

1. By The Book (Chapter Seven) – Jay Randall – 8/1
2. Tachyon (Muscle Hill) – Jason Bartlett – 5/2
3. Optrix (Trixton) – Mark Macdonald – 20/1
4. Ferretti (Creatine) – Matt Kakaley – 5/1
5. Resolve To Win (Resolve) – Tyler Buter – 6/1
6. Warrawee Yang (Trixton) – Yannick Gingras – 9/5
7. Crazy Brother Jim (Crazy Wow) – Jim Marohn Jr. – 20/1
8. Royalty Beer (Royalty For Life) – Pat Lachance – 15/1

Race 10 is the $35,000 Fillies and Mares Invitational Trot which is wide open with dominant mare Tipsy Moni not in the class this week.

Here is the field for the Fillies and Mares Open which is scheduled to go at 10 p.m.

1. Perfect Vixen (Muscles Yankee) – Matt Kakaley – 2/1
2. No Mas Drama (Muscles Yankee) – Joe Bongiorno – 3/1
3. Lady Jeter (Muscles Yankee)– Brent Holland – 15/1
4. Ima Diamond Babe (Guccio) – Braxten Boyd – 9/2
5. Pariso (Creatine) – Jason Bartlett – 6/1
6. P L Notsonice (Kadabra) – Scott Zeron – 3/1

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

by Garnet Barnsdale, for Harnesslink