Yonkers International Trot - Post Positions Drawn

Oasis Bi returns to Yonkers to make his second attempt at the Yonkers International Trot this Saturday Photo by Brandon Valvo

NEW YORK – Racing officials drew post positions for the $1 million Yonkers International Trot during a press conference at Gallagher’s Steakhouse in New York City Tuesday afternoon.

Ten trotters – three from the United States, two from Sweden, and one each from Canada, Denmark, Finland, Italy, and Norway – will contest the second edition of the famed International Trot since its revival from a 20-year absence last fall and the 38th edition overall. The 1 1/4-mile stakes will be contested at Yonkers Raceway Saturday, October 15.

Three trotters who raced in last year’s International Trot return to the Yonkers oval this time around. B.B.S.Sugarlight (Norway), who finished fifth last year, will start from post 7 Saturday. A winner of 22 races from 81 starts and $913,689, the 7-year-old by Super Light out of the Sugarcane Hanover mare Sugarsweet Sid captured two Group 1 victories last year. He beat International rivals Oasis Bi and On Track Piraten in the Olympiatravet Final at Åby in April and again bested Oasis Bi in the Oslo Grand Prix at Bjerke in June. He enters the International Trot off a victory in a Gold Division at Hagmyren September 10. Top Norwegian driver Vidar Hop will drive B.B.S.Sugarlight for the first time in the International.

Stefan Pettersson trainee Oasis Bi (Italy), fourth in last year’s International from post 10, will start from the 5 hole this time around. The 8-year-old by Toss Out is in the midst of a career year. He finished third behind Bold Eagle and Timoko in the Group 1 Grand Prix d’Amérique at Vincennes in January before scoring his first Group 1 victory in the two-heat Gran Premio Lotteria in Naples this May. Although Erik Adielsson drove On Track Piraten in last year’s International, he’ll take the lines behind Oasis Bi this weekend. Adielsson first drove Oasis Bi last time out when finishing second to Nuncio in the Group I UET Trotting Masters Series Final. Oasis Bi is a 17-time winner and an earner of $1,544,094.

On Track Piraten (Sweden) has the most room for improvement off last year’s performance, having finished seventh in the International after enduring a tough trip. The 8-year-old gelding by Kool de Caux spoiled a string of on-the-board finishes by making a rare break in stride in his most recent outing, the UET Trotting Masters Final. While Oasis Bi claimed last year’s driver, Erik Adielsson, On Track Piraten returned the favor by picking up Oasis Bi’s old pilot, Örjan Kihlström. On Track Piraten is 27-for-94 in his career, good for $1,373,478 for trainer Hans Strömberg. He will start from post 8.

Flanagan Memory (Canada) is one of two horses entering the International Trot off six days rest. He raced at The Red Mile Sunday (October 9), winning the Allerage Farms Championship Series Open Trot in 1:51.2 while beating International rival Obrigado. Rene Dion trains the 7-year-old son of Kadabra who sports earnings of $1,112,570. Yonkers regular Brian Sears, who drove Flanagan Memory to victory Sunday, will take the lines in the International Trot. Flanagan Memory landed post 4 Saturday.

Trainer Jim Oscarsson will hand the lines off to his 21-year-old son Kevin when Sweden’s Explosive de Vie steps onto the track Saturday. The 5-year-old gelded son of Explosive Matter was a $50,000 buy for Oscarsson from the Lexington Selected Sale in 2012 and has earned eight wins and $328,717 in 49 starts since. Explosive de Vie finished second to Nuncio in the Group 1 Jubileumspokalen at Solvalla in August. He will start from post 10 in the International.

Tano Bork landed post 9 and looks to give Denmark its second International Trot victory. Trained by Christian Lindhardt, Tano Bork is 6-for-13 this season and is 3-for-3 in monte, or under saddle, races. While Tano Bork has raced primarily in Germany this year, he’s ventured as far as France and Sweden and finished fourth in the Group 3 Prix de l’Union de la Presse Hippique at Enghein August 17. John Campbell will drive the $219,518-earned for the first time in the International.

While Denmark seeks its second International Trot title, Finland seeks its first and places its hopes in the hooves of Jonesy. Tuomas Korvenoja trains Jonesy and has driven the 6-year-old son of Muscles Yankee in all 45 of his starts. After going 0-for-10 last year while racing abroad in several of those starts, Jonesy returned to Finland for all eight of his starts this season and racked up five victories and another three seconds and thirds. Jonesy’s biggest win came in 2014 when he captured the Finnish Derby. He will start from post position 3in the International.

While trotters from the United States have finished first and second, first and third, or second and third in the International Trot 13 times since the race’s inception in 1959, they have never swept the trifecta. Hannelore Hanover, Obrigado, and Resolve have a chance to do it this year.

Resolve will start his International Trot bid from post 2. The 5-year-old trained and driven by Åke Svanstedt wore down a tenacious Hannelore Hanover in the Maple Leaf Trot at Mohawk Racetrack September 17 to earn his International Trot invitation. The son of Muscle Hill also earned a second place finish to Nuncio in this year’s Elitlopp Final. The 14-time winner has earnings of $1,610,638 and a mark of 1:50.2 to his credit.

North America’s leading trainer Ron Burke sends out Hannelore Hanover from post position 1. The lone mare in the field is also the youngest at age 4. She suffered a narrow loss to Resolve in the Maple Leaf Trot, but most recently added her 15th seasonal victory in the Centaur Trotting Classic at Hoosier Park September 24. Eight mares have won the International Trot: Armbro Flight (U.S. – 1966), Roquepine (France – 1967, 1968), Fresh Yankee (Canada – 1970), Delmonica Hanover (U.S. – 1973, 1974), Classical Way (U.S. – 1980), Kit Lobell (U.S. – 1989), and Peace Corps (U.S. – 1991). Yannick Gingras will drive Hannelore Hanover.

For 6-year-old Obrigado, a start in the International Trot has been years in the making. He finished fourth in the International Trot Preview in 2014 and trainer Paul Kelley has made every move since then with intentions of earning a place in the $1 million stakes. This year, Obrigado posted wins in the Maxie Lee Memorial, Charlie Hill Memorial, Cleveland Trotting Classic, Crawford Farms Open Trot, and the Dayton Trotting Derby, good for $614,320 in seasonal earnings. Regular reinsman Mark MacDonald will drive from post position 6.

The full field is listed below in post position order.