Friday Notes

Yannick Gingras will drive Pinkman and Habitat in the two Yonkers Trot eliminations tomorrow night, followed by Bill Popfinger’s Muscle Hill filly, Marion Millionair, in the Hudson Filly and the Well Said filly, Repeat Please, in the Lady Maud. He was originally listed on several horses in the later races at Mohawk, but it now appears that they won’t be beaming him up and sending him to Ontario.

As a result Matt Kakaley will drive Foiled Again for the first time since the Battle Of Lake Erie in mid-June. That was eight races ago and the last time Foiled won. The 11-year-old legend has performed very well in the Canadian Pacing Derby of late: He won the race in 2012 at odds of 14/1; he was third in 1013; and he finished second last year at 6/1, behind upset winner Modern Legend, who crossed first at 65/1.

Ron Pierce, the third place finisher on last year’s money list, thanks to the likes of Sweet Lou and Shake It Cerry, will apparently go under the knife again. His absence leaves a gaping hole, particularly at interview time.

Jeremes Jet, who wore out his welcome in Ontario after standing there for six years, is leading the money and OSS points list for three-year-old colt pacers right now, thanks to the likes of JJ’s Delivery, Drachan Hanover and Robert Hill. All this from his penultimate Ontario crop of 16 registered foals—seven of them colts. His first small offering of Indiana yearlings hit the sales in 2016.

Four-year-old JL Cruze, who has been the top older trotter this year, has really raised the profile of his ten-year-old sire, Crazed. Last year Burke’s Gural Hanover was dominant in the NYSS and this year it’s his Crazy Wow who is turning heads. The latter, who faces Pinkman in a short elimination field for the Yonkers Trot tomorrow night, has an opportunity to be the son of Credit Winner’s first big deal as a colt in the open ranks. His upset win in the Colonial was a game changer. Tetrick drives him again tomorrow night.

Joe FitzGerald