BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY,
Thursday, November 6, 2014—Yonkers Raceway is readying for the international intrigue
that comes with the debut of Sunday simulcasting to France.
The first of the
Raceway’s six Sunday matinee racing programs—post time 11 AM—goes this weekend,
offering any number of handicapping variables.
The
Sunday cards are going to be front-loaded with trotters, with the overseas
audience wagering on the first five races. Those events are all added-distance
(1¼ miles) with higher purses and oversized fields (12, 12, 10, 10 and 10
horses, respectively).
Included in that quintet is a dozen-horse Open, which goes as the second race
during the 12-race dossier.
The half-dozen
Sundays, running through Dec. 14th, inclusive, replace five Tuesday
nights (Nov. 11th through Dec. 9th).
The
overseas pool cannot be comingled, so the French betting won’t be included
here. Toward that end, Yonkers is altering (at least for the first Sunday) the
wagering format for some of the early Sunday races.
Race 1 – no
triple
Race 2 – no
triple, no Pick 3
Race 3 – no
superfecta, no Pick 4
Race 4 – no Pick
3.
“We’re
optimistic our Sundays are going to prove popular,” Raceway COO Bob Galterio
said. “None of this works without the help of any number of groups, including
our horsemen, the New York State Gaming Commission,
the French PMU and simulcast partners who have
accommodated our schedule change.”
As mentioned
earlier, Yonkers is enticing both its evening regulars and the Sunday early
risers with any number of freebies, including…
…a free Sunday
live program with the purchase of a Saturday live program
(advance wagering for YR’s Sunday races is available all day Saturday)
…free Sunday
breakfast (egg sandwich and coffee) trackside between 10 AM-12 Noon (mutuel
windows open at 10:30 AM)
…free
Sunday bets--a $2 daily double (races 1 & 2) and $1 exacta box (races 2, 3,
4 & 5)--to the first 200 existing (or newly-enrolled) Empire Club members
between 10 AM-11 AM (all tickets are “quick picks”). Also, there’s a free
promotional gift (while supplies last) and a chance to win dinner for two at
any of restaurants on premises.
All
Empire City members receive a free, dollar-box triple wager (not a “quick
pick”) for Sunday’s third race, while selected ECB members are eligible for a
$10 bet/get for wagers made on the first five “French” races.
In
addition to Empire City Bets, there are several other ADW’s which are offering
special incentives for those wagering on these Sunday matinees.
