BY FRANK DRUCKER,
Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Tuesday, June 30,
2015—Yonkers Raceway ended the first half of 2015 with its largest win payoff
of the season.
It was big balloons, or gros ballons
for the French audience, when 72-1 Jesse’s Story ($146) overcame post position
No. 12 in the second tier to win the $21,000, eighth-race trot.
Jordan Stratton, or Jordan Stratton for
the French audience, did the honors as “Jesse” won the mile-and-one-quarter
event in 2:28.3. The 5-year-old daughter of Jailhouse Jesse is trained by Mike
Forte for Rags to Riches of PA. She defeated 3-2 favorite Dreamsteeler (Jason
Bartlett) by a neck, with 18-1 Time Will Tell All (Tyler Buter) third.
In addition to the biggest win mutuel of
the season (Hypnotist’s $136.50, also driven by Stratton, was the previous
target), this race produced the largest exacta ($1,394) and what would have
been the largest triple had it required all three finishers to cash. As it
turned it, the 12-2-all combo returned $14,021.
Not surprisingly, the Tuesday Pick 5 went
unclaimed, so Thursday’s gimmick begins with a carryover of $1,984.48 (50-cent
base wager, races 7 through 11).
After a dark Wednesday (Viva Canada Day),
the Raceway’s live season continues Thursday through Saturday (all at 7:10 PM).
Evening simulcasting accompanies all night programs, with afternoon
simulcasting available daily.
