BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Tuesday, October 1, 2019—“She
passed.”
That was driver Yannick Gingras’ post
mortem after the mare Atlanta worked out over Yonkers Raceway for the
first time.
The world champion 4-year-old trotter went
through her paces prior to Tuesday night’s (Oct. 1st)
regularly-scheduled program, doing so in preparation for $1 million
International here a week from Saturday (Oct. 12th).
“I was very happy with her,” Gingras said,
adding Atlanta’s negotiated her mile-and-a-quarter International Trot distance
“in 2:26 or so”.
“She did everything I wanted, especially
around the turns. I made sure to buzz her around the turns.”
The statebred daughter of Chapter Seven,
who has never raced over a half-mile oval, has seven wins and three seconds in
11 seasonal starts ($658,400). Her last purse try was a win in the $220,000
Charlie Hill Memorial at Scioto (1:51.4) about four weeks ago.
Gingras and trainer Ron Burke took Atlanta
to Westchester in part having learned from not-too-ancient history.
“We didn’t bring Hannelore Hanover here
before the (2016) International, and that was a mistake,” Gingras said of the
fast miss who broke in the turns.
“I know (the International) is going to be
tough, but (Atlanta) has held her own against some very good older horses.
“At the end of the day, there aren’t many
million-dollar races in the sport,” Gingras said. “I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t
want to win it.”
Post time for the International Trot
matinee card is 1 PM. Post positions for 10-horse, nine-nation field shall be
drawn Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 8th.
