YONKERS, NY, Friday, October 7, 2016 – They're here. After soaking up the fun and sun of Newburgh, NY, for a couple of days, the half-dozen harness racing Europeans chosen to compete in the $1 million Yonkers International Trot found their way 'home' Friday afternoon.
The (alphabetically) six Euros-BBS Sugarlight (Norway), Explosive de Vie (Sweden), Jonesy (Finland), Oasis Bi (Italy), On Track Piraten (Sweden), Tano Bork (Denmark)-made the approximately 90-minute trip from their quarantine pit stop to Westchester, getting settled inside Yonkers Raceway's Old Glory Building in preparation for the Saturday, Oct. 15th world-class event.
None of the two or four-legged traveling party seemed any worse for wear in a trip that began in Liège Airport (Belgium) in a nearly-nine hour flight of just over 3,700 miles.
The gang is being acclimated to their new digs, with vets and other support staff at the ready. Guests are given a two-hour, 15-minute training window each day with the racing oval all to themselves.
The race, with 10 trotters and the mile-and-one-quarter distance, is to be drawn Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 11th) at a midtown press luncheon.
Please note again it's a rare Saturday afternoon program, with first post at 1:10 PM and the 38th edition of the International Trot scheduled for approximately 3:20 PM.
Frank Drucker