NEW YORK NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS RACES DRAWN

BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway

YONKERS, NY, Tuesday, September 20, 2016—Post positions have been drawn for Saturday’s $1.8 million New York Night of Champions, with Yonkers Raceway again hosting the Empire State’s richest night of racing.

Eight, $225,000 sire stakes finals, each sponsored by a prominent breeding farm, feature the best 2- and 3-year-olds of both sexes and gaits.

Here’s a hot-off-the-presses thumbnail of the divisions, which go as the first eight in the baker’s dozen worth of races. First post is the usual 7:10 PM.

1^st race (Winbak Farm 2-Year-Old Filly Pace) – These races aren’t handicapped, but this one certainly appears that way. Planet Rock (Tim Tetrick, post 7) and the late-starting Tequila Monday (Dave Miller, post 8) are arguably the best the class her to offer, with the latter setting the local track record (1:53.1) for frosh lasses. Roaring to Go (Brett Miller, post 5) was a 1:53.2 winner here.

2^nd race (Allerage Farm 3-Year-Old Filly Trot) – Last season’s division champ, Non Stick (Ake Svanstedt, post 2), has enjoyed another solid summer, though she does enter off a break in her latest try. Fad Finance (Jim Morrill Jr., post 5) has hit the board in 10 of her 11 ’16 tries, Both these ladies have earned more than $200,000 this season.

3^rd race (Genesee Valley Farm 2-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Pace) – Funknwaffles (Morrill Jr., post 4) has been nearly perfect, with seven wins and a second in eight tries ($144,784), while Miso Fast (Matt Kakaley, post 2) is 5-for-7 (both are 2-for-2 here). Pointomygranson (Marcus Miller, post 8) has a pair of open-lengths wins leading to this race.

4^th race (Majestic View Farms International 2-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trot) – Julie and Andy Miller have a potent pair in Devious Man (Andy Miller, post 4) and Money Macintosh (Brian Sears, post 7), a combined 9-for-17 this season. Despite common ownership, they go uncoupled (the horses, not the Millers). Zack’s Zoomer (Marcus Miller, post 5) has a win and a pair off seconds since adding the straps.

5^th race (Cameo Hills Farm 3-Year-Old Filly Pace) – As evenly-matched a final as the Night of Champions offers, with Wishy Washy Girl (Morrill Jr., post 4) the one entering off a win. Last season’s frosh champ, Dime a Dance (Kakaley, post 5), has 10 board finishes in her dozen seasonal tries, while Soft Idea (Scott Zeron, post 3) has a pair of wins here.

6^th race (Crawford Farms 2-Year-Old Filly Trot) – Division points leader Mamora Bay (Sam Schillaci, post 5) has been the money all season (8 starts, 5 wins [2 here], 2 seconds, 1 third), Barn Bella (Jeff Gregory, post 3), a scratched-sick in her last scheduled start (here), is 5-for-8 and won her last three races in open-distance fashion. Amber Ella (John Campbell, post 8) has learned her job lately, having won her last four tries.

7^th race (Blue Chip Farms, 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Pace) – Art Rooney Pace winner Missile J (Tetrick, post 3), unraced at 2, enters 8-for-18 with more than $313,000 in the till. Roll Away Joe (Morrill Jr, post 5) has banked more than $200,000, stringing together four consecutive wins at one point. Manny (Brett Miller, post 6) gets a barn change entering the final.

8^th race (Morrisville College Equine Institute 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trot) – Yonkers Trot runner-up Smalltownthrowdown (Dan Daley, post 2) blitzed his statebred rivals here in his subsequent start. He has six wins and more than $333,000 in reserve this season, Dante (Svanstedt, post 4) has been oh so consistent this season (9 wins, 4 wins, 3 seconds), while Dayson (Sears, post 8) is 8-for-13 this summer, though he ran like a deer here in his latest appearance