The $1 million USD MGM Yonkers International Trot would not be a true international trotting event without at least one French-bred in the mix and the track’s management team announced on Monday, Aug. 26 two additions from the country. Ideal San Leandro and Eclat De Gloire will join the growing list for the 1-1/4-mile event on Sept. 7 at Yonkers Raceway.
Ideal San Leandro will arrive in New York for very familiar connections as the six-year-old is owned and trained by Richard Westerink, who has sent Etonnant, Dreammoko and Timoko to the Yonkers International Trot over the last decade. The 45-year-old’s best finish was in 2015 when Timoko finished second.
“I love New York, that’s for sure,” said Westerink on returning for his third straight Yonkers International experience.
Although Ideal San Leandro lacks the résumé of Westerink’s previous entrants, the son of Timoko comes to town sharp, with a pair of wins and a second in his last three starts while racing at distances of 1.4 to 1.7 miles in France. Most recently, he was second behind the favourite after showing good gate speed and leading the entire mile.
“He's in super form but he was also good in the winter. There were drivers who didn’t trust the horse. I told them the horse was good and they just sat on the inside. I told them to stay on the lead and they wouldn’t do it. He’s really been in good form for almost six months,” said Westerink, who admits he isn’t bringing the same level of horse as in the past. “He's tough and I trust in him but there are faster horses in the race. But when horses are in good shape, there is always a chance.”
In addition to his toughness, Westerink reports that Ideal San Leandro is a smaller horse that has experience on 900 meter tracks (just over a half-mile) with right turns.
“I think he’ll be much better with the turns on the left like at Yonkers. He’s an easy horse that will love the track,” said Westerink, who has secured the services of top Swedish driver Bjorn Goop for the race.
Eclat De Gloire (pictured above) comes to New York with a much different profile than his French compatriot. While the 10-year-old has earnings of over 1 million Euros for trainer Loris Garcia and owner Ecurie du Vieux Chene, he’s had trouble finding the winner’s circle of late, with his last victory coming in November 2023 in an elimination for the Group 1 Paleo di Comuni.
What Eclat De Gloire lacks in 2024 achievements, he makes up for in experience, as the son of Tiego D’Etang has competed throughout Europe and is the most experienced international half-mile-track competitor in the field.
The pair of French horses join Jiggy Jog, Hail Mary and Castor The Star (Sweden), Vernissage Grif (Italy), and Get A Wish (Denmark) as starters in the Sept. 7 event. The previously announced Capital Mail had to drop out of the race. The final three horses for the race will be announced in the coming days and the draw is scheduled for early next week.
The Yonkers International will be the centerpiece of a spectacular afternoon card 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. Post time will be 12:15 p.m EDT.
(Yonkers Raceway)