Notes - Nov 16

- NYRA's Bill Nader told Newsday of the Aqueduct casino:

"Once we do get approval, the revenue going to New York State from these machines will be the same revenue as all the Atlantic City gambling combined provides the state of New Jersey."

- Yonkers Raceway opens on Friday, but on next Saturday, Nov 25, the track will show off just how lucrative the racing there promises to be. The Yonkers Trot will return to Old Hilltop after being run at Freehold and Hawthorne for the last two years, and will sport a record purse of $728,000! And that folks, is more than the purses of the Cigar Mile, the Remsen, and the Demoiselle, to be run earlier in the day at the Big A, combined. You can look that up here (NYRA's stakes page restored).

On the same night, they'll also have the $546,830 Messenger Stakes (the first leg of the pacing Triple Crown, and a former fixture at Roosevelt), the $291,456 Lady Maud Pace and the $330,476 final of the Hudson Filly Trot. Harness racing is back in the NYC area, and in a big way; though I'll again take this opportunity to lament the fact that, despite all the money spent on renovations, and the 16 month break in racing, they did not endeavor to expand the track from its present half-mile oval. If they really gave half a hoot about conducting top-class racing and truly competing with the Meadowlands, they would have done just that.

The Yonkers Trot is the third leg of the Triple Crown for 3-year old trotters, and Hambletonian winner Glidemaster is going for the sweep in his final race before retiring to stud in Pennsylvania. It's not just us thoroughbred fans that see our stars retired even before they reach their prime.