World champion Somebeachsomewhere and Shadow Play, winner of the Adios, Little Brown Jug and Windy City Pace, lead a small - but very select - field of a half-dozen for Yonkers Raceway's $559,070 Messenger Stakes.
The six-pack of pacing colts means the Messenger, final leg of the Pacing Triple Crown, goes as a one-dash-for-the-cash event Saturday, October 25.
In addition to Somebeachsomewhere and Shadow Play, the field for the Messenger includes Brother Ray, Dali, Santanna Blue Chip and Legacy N Diamonds.
For the season, Somebeachsomewhere has won 11 of his dozen races (with that one second in the final of the Meadowlands Pace) and $1,791,163 - the most of any pacer this season.
His 1:46.4 blowout in a division of the Bluegrass at The Red Mile late last month tied Holborn Hanover's all-age race record. He was winner in a time of 1:47.4 in his division of the Tattersalls the following week.
Somebeachsomewhere's three-year-old season has also been highlighted by a dominant performance in the $1.5 million final of North America Cup in mid-June at Mohawk as well as a flawless, two-heat effort in Flamboro Downs' Confederation Cup in mid-August.
The "Beach" has won 17-of-18 career starts and more than $2.6 million in earnings.
Somebeachsomewhere, a Mach Three colt co-owned (as part of Schooner Stables) and trained by Brent MacGrath, attracts regular driver Paul MacDonell for a first Westchester visit in a decade. MacDonell won the '95 edition of the Art Rooney Pace here with Village Connection.
Shadow Play is the lone $60,000 supplemental entrant into this race. For the season, Shadow Play has won a dozen of his 21 starts, with earnings of $727,421.
He hits town after a stirring, first-over victory in Maywood's $275,000 Windy City Pace (stakes-record 1:50.4) this past Friday night. He won the Jug in straight heats, setting a World Record (3:40.1) for the dual dashes.
The son of The Panderosa is co-owned by his trainer, Dr. Ian Moore, along with R G McGroup Ltd. and hockey legend Serge Savard.
The night of the Messenger also includes the companion event, the $381,020 final of the Lady Maud for sophomore fillies and a pair of $100,000 invitationals - the Hudson Valley Pace and Oleg Cassini Trot.
(Yonkers Raceway)