They’re here. After soaking up the fun and sun of Newburgh, New York for a couple of days, the half-dozen Europeans chosen to compete in the $1 million Yonkers International Trot found their way ‘home’ Friday afternoon (October 7).
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. 15 world-class event.
None of the two or four-legged travelling 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 (October 11) at a midtown press luncheon.
Please note again, it’s a rare Saturday afternoon program, with first post at 1:10 p.m. and the 38th edition of the International Trot scheduled for approximately 3:20 p.m.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)