MINORE; KOKINOS; NAADA TROT WINNERS AT YONKERS

    by john manzi for NAADA

YONKERS, NY-The final leg of the NAADA Trotting Series was contested tonight (May 17) at Yonkers Raceway and when the dust had settled Paul Minore and Dr. John Kokinos each emerged victorious in their respective divisions and both were repeat winners in the series.

Minore and his old war horse Wygant Prince, used the front-end route for a 1:59 victory and “Dr John” used similar tactics to notch a 1:58.3 triumph behind Here Comes Numbers. . However both drivers needed the photo finish camera to verify the decisions.

In his contest Minore set sail from the three-hole with his 11-year old SJ's Photo gelding and cut nearly equal fractions of :29.1; 1:00 and 1:29.4 before turning back his stubborn competition. Still with a solid one length lead as the field turned for home Minore was busy urging his charge as Bobby Ciarvardini and Balimor AS supplied constant pressure but when the photo-finish carmera snapped Wygant Prince had notched his 36^th career triumph which raised the trotter's lifetime earnings to almost $410,000. Fox Valley Steffen took home the show dough for Jennifer Lappe.

The winner is owned by Minore and trained by Taylor Gower.

Employing his usual strategy, Kokinos, who seems to like the front-end, sent the 10 year old altered son of Here Comes Herbie to the lead and played catch me if you can... and nobody could, although his competitors made a race out of it as they headed for paydirt.

Still seemingly comfortable as the field heard for paydirt a hard charge by Master of Excuse and driver Monica Banca nearly made the outcome in question. But Here Comes Numbers gave Dr. John his fourth winning ride in the series as the veteran trotter tripped the camera for a neck triumph in 1:58.3. Lurking closely behind the leaders another neck farther back was third place finisher Soul Train and Joe Lee.

The winner is owned by Patrick Laiso and Jennifer Lappe and trained by Ms Lappe.

Slated next week is the consolation followed by the $15,000 series finale.

BIG M TO SHOWCASE EMPIRE BREEDERS CLASSIC FRIDAY

Meadowlands Media Relations

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – During the course of the live program at the Meadowlands Friday night, the five eliminations for the $500,000 Empire Breeders Classic for both male and female 3-year-old trotters at Vernon Downs will be shown live on the Big M feed, weaved in between Meadowlands events.

“Many top trotters will be racing,” said Jason Settlemoir, the Big M’s chief operating officer and general manager who also serves as Vernon’s regional vice-president, racing and simulcast. “Including a pair of top fillies. One being Plunge Blue Chip, who went nine-for-10 last year and won the Goldsmith Maid. Another is Atlanta, who won last week at the Meadowlands, beating older males and females in 1:52.”

The first EBC elimination is set to be shown at 7:34 p.m., soon after the first Meadowlands race replay is concluded. Thereafter, the elims will be shown after each Meadowlands replay of races 2 through 5.

The Empire Breeders Classic finals are set for Memorial Day, Monday, May 28 at Vernon Downs.

Free program pages for Vernon’s all-EBC Pick-4 (Races 6 through 9, guaranteed pool of $2,500) as well as the Meadowlands’ Pick-4 (Races 7 through 10, guaranteed $50,000), courtesy of Track Master, are available on the handicapping section at www.ustrotting.com.

The Meadowlands’ live racing programs this Friday and Saturday get underway at 7:15 p.m.

SUPER CARRYOVER: Harness racing’s biggest pot of gold will be up for grabs in the Friday finale at the Big M, as the carryover for the Late 20-Cent Jackpot Super High-Five has now grown to $221,892. … Meadowlands chairman Jeff Gural will answer questions about the recent green light for sports betting on Friday night’s “Racing from the Meadowlands” pre-game show at 6:45 p.m.

PREAKNESS DAY: Come on out to the Meadowlands Saturday and see if the Bob Baffert-trained Justify can take the second jewel of Thoroughbred Racing’s Triple Crown when he tries his luck at a mile and 3/16ths in the 143^rd running of the Preakness at Pimlico.

Gates at the Big M will open at 9:30 a.m. The first race at Pimlico is slated for 10:30 a.m. while post time for the Preakness is 6:48 p.m.

ROAD TO THE CRAWFORD FARMS MEADOWLANDS PACE

Week 3 (May 17, 2018)

The Crawford Farms Meadowlands Pace – Saturday, July 14

There were no changes in the Top 10 from last week to this. That's certain to change this time around as all 10 horses will be in action on Saturday.

Rank	Horse	Driver, Trainer, Owner(s)	Dave Little’s Comments
1	Lost In Time ($608,112 – 1:50.1)	S. Zeron, J. Takter Diamond Creek Racing, J&T Silva, W. Rufenacht, Team S Racing	What’s different about this colt from age 2 to 3? Zeron: “his gait has become more efficient and he’s a little smarter. He doesn’t seem like he ever gets tired. He has no bottom to him. let’s hope it stays that way.” Makes his debut this Saturday night at Pocono against three other RTTMP rivals. He has drawn post 6 and is 3-1 on the morning line. Last Race: 5/5 – M1 – Qualifier – 1st (1:51)
2	Stay Hungry ($535,742 – 1:50.2)	D. McNair, T. Alagna B. Grant, I. Samelman	Will take on his arch-rival Lost In Time on Saturday and will start out as the 5-2 favorite from post 3 with Doug McNair at the controls. Alagna: “He’s coming along well. We trained him Tuesday and he was very sharp. We are ready to go.” Last Race: 5/5 – M1 – Qualifier – 4th (1:51.2)
3	This Is The Plan ($222,971 – 1:50.2)	T. Tetrick, C. Ryder C. Ryder, R. Mondillo	the 5-2 morning-line choice will start from post 3 in another Pennsylvania Sire Stakes division Saturday at Pocono that will feature four members of the RTTMP Top 10. Last Race: 5/5 – Mea – PaSS – 1st (1:53)
4	Dorsoduro Hanover ($117,566 – 1:50.3)	M. Kakaley, R. Burke Burke Racing, Silva, Purnel & Libby, Weaver Bruscemi, Wingfield Five	Back after two months on the shelf after being in a bad spill at Yonkers, driver Matt Kakaley makes his return to the races Saturday at Pocono. Kakaley: “I can’t wait. Seeing my name on the entries, it was a good feeling.” Dorsoduro leaves from post 6 and will start out at 3-1. Last Race: 5/5 – Mea – PaSS – 1st (1:50.3)
5	Pedro Hanover ($317,188 – 1:51)	A. McCarthy, A. Harris B. Gray, D. Guerriero	Will look to get back on track Saturday at Pocono after a sixth-place finish in his seasonal debut. Listed at 9-2 from the rail in the second of three divisions of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes. Last Race: 5/5 – Mea – PaSS – 6th (1:52)
6	Babes Dig Me ($66,647 – 1:52.3Q)	B. Miller, T. Alagna B.J. Grant, J. Sbrocco, J. Leblanc, In The Gym Partners	Heading to Yonkers Saturday for an elimination of the $380,000 Art Rooney after crushing a weak field at the Meadowlands as the 1-9 public choice. Alagna: “rather than take everything to Pennsylvania, we figured we’d take a shot going to Yonkers. I think he’ll get around a half well.” Last Race: 5/12 – M1 – Escort – 1st (1:53.4)
7	Captain Deo ($18,257 – 1:51.2Q)	D. McNair, T. Alagna Alagna Racing, J. Sbrocco, In The Gym Partners, Captain Deo Partners	The 7-2 third choice on the morning line from post 5 Saturday in a stacked second division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes. Alagna: “He trained Tuesday with Stay Hungry. We had a little bit of a rigging issue in his last start, so we made some adjustments. He was a very big colt at 2 and had some issues that he had to grow out of, which is why he had so few starts (four) last year.” Last Race: 5/5 – Mea – PaSS – 3rd (1:51)
8	Nutcracker Sweet ($168,909 – 1:50.2)	T. Tetrick, J. Takter H. Taylor, Order By Stable, R. Lombardo	Has been saddled with post 8 in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes division (6-1 on the morning line) that features Lost In Time and Stay Hungry. Takter: “He was super in his qualifier. He looked strong. He drew poorly in his race Saturday and there are some of the best colts in there. He’ll just come from behind. This horse is real.” Last Race: 5/12 – M1 – Qualifier – 1st (1:50.2)
9	Hayden Hanover ($289,092 – 1:50)	A. Miller, J. Miller Pinske Stables, J. Simpson	Leaves from the rail at 4-1 in the toughest division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes on Saturday. Julie Miller: “Oh my! When I saw the entries, it looked like the Breeders Crown race.” There are many questions that will be answered Saturday in the Pocono Mountains. Last Race: 5/5 – M1 – Qualifier – 5th (1:51.4)
10	American History ($60,683 – 1:52.2)	Y. Gingras, T. Alagna Brittany Farms, M. Katz, American History Racing	Will take on older conditioned foes at the Meadowlands Saturday. Alagna: “The most important thing is to get a start in him. And, yes, he is a Meadowlands Pace-type of horse.” Last Race: 5/5 – M1 – Qualifier – 3rd (1:52.2)

KEY PREP RACES

MEADOWLANDS PACE ELIGIBLES IN CAPS – Supplements are permitted per the conditions of the race

Date	Stakes	Site	Winner	Trainer	Driver	2nd Horse	3rd Horse	Time
5/5	PA Sire Stakes	Mea	THIS IS THE PLAN	C. Ryder	D. Palone	BABES DIG ME	Record Machine	1:53
	PA Sire Stakes	Mea	DORSODURO HANOVER	R. Burke	J. Pantaleano	Wes Delight	CAPTAIN DEO	1:50.3
5/19	PA Sire Stakes	PcD
	PA Sire Stakes	PcD
	PA Sire Stakes	PcD