The field for the $1 million USD MGM Yonkers International Trot continues to take shape and on Monday, Aug. 19, Yonkers Raceway officially announced the addition of Vernissage Grif as a second Italian representative.
Vernissage Grif is a very accomplished son of Varenne with 43 wins from 133 career starts and earnings of more than 1.5 million Euros. The 10-year-old has competed in many of Europe’s most prestigious races in recent years versus the best trotters of his era.
Most recently on Aug. 15, Vernissage Grif easily won an elimination of the Gran Premio Citta di Monticatini but was disqualified due to interference in the first turn and did not get an opportunity to compete in the final. Prior to that in early May, the Alessandro Gocciadoro trainee won an elimination for the Gran Premio Lotteria at Agnano in Naples only to make a break in the final, which was won by fellow MGM Yonkers International Trot participant Capital Mail.
Gocciadoro finished third in the 2023 MGM Yonkers International Trot driving Bengurion Jet and also won as a trainer with stablemate Vivid Wise As, who will be unable to defend his title due to health concerns. The Italian driver will be in the bike behind Vernissage Grif for owner Gennaro Riccio.
Vernissage Grif joins Jiggy Jog S, Hail Mary and Castor The Star (Sweden), Capital Mail (Italy) and Get A Wish (Denmark) as starters in the Sept. 7 event. Additional horses for the 1-1/4-mile race will be announced in the coming days.
The Yonkers International Trot will be the centerpiece of a spectacular afternoon card (12:15 p.m. EDT post time) that also features a pair of $250,000 USD Invitationals for older horses and the $1.8 million USD finals of the New York Sire Stakes.
(Yonkers Raceway)