TROTTING Yonkers International Series Opens Today

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29849, 15 June 1962, Page 4

TROTTING Yonkers International Series Opens Today

Twelve months ago Apmat and False Step between them won the three-race international pacing series at Yonkers Raceway, New York. The 1962 series will start today with the running of the 50,000 dollar International Pace over a distance of one mile and a half. The race is timed to start at 2.5 p.m. New Zealand time.

New Zealand will be represented by. the Methven-ovx ned and trained Patchwork, while Australia will be represented ns James Scott. False Step and Apmat will again compete, but they are classed as American representatives. Four other topclass American horses complete the field.

The international pacing series has proved a great drawcard at Yonkers. Last season when the National Championship Pace, the third race of the series, was run, investments through the totalisator amounted to 2,648,007 dollars, a record for the club. Investments on the race, which was won by False Step, were 372,074 dollars, a record for the raceway. This was more than 40,000 dollars more than the previous best in 1959. The longer distances of the races in the international series have proved most popular with the large crowds at Yonkers. When Caduceus contested the first series in 1960, the races were run over distances of 12 furlongs, 10 furlongs and one mile. In the last-named event Caduceus dead-heated for first with the Canadian pacer, Champ Volo, only to be disqualified for causing interference. However, he paid his way by winning 10,000 dollars in the other two races.

Last year the International Pace was run over 12 furlongs, the same distance as today's event, while the Good Time Pace, the second leg of the series, was run over 10 furlongs. Both those races were won by Apmat, with False Step taking second place in the shorter event. He did not start on the first night. This year the Good Time Pace will be run over 10 furlongs for a stake exceeding 65,000 dollars. Last year the total stake was 62.800 dollars.

The National Championship Pace, last year run over 12 furlongs, will this year, on June 28, be run over two miles. This will be the first occasion for 10 years that a two-mile race has been rup at a major course in the United States.

Jhe stake for the National Championship Pace will be

75,000 dollars, compared with 50,000 dollars when It was won by False Step 12 months ago. , Apmat last year won 60,400 dollars in the threerace series, while False Step won 40,700 dollars. Caduceus, which raced in American interests in the series, won 4000 dollars in the series 12 months ago. Caduceus was again considered a likely contender for the series when he paced one mile in Imin 57 2-ssec earlier in the year. Unfortunately he has injured a leg and has been retired. The distances in the threerace series this year again favour New Zealand and Australian pacers, which do most of their racing in their home countries beyond 10 furlongs. However, some of their American rivals have recorded outstanding times up to 12 furlongs and they should be better-conditioned for staying races than in the past. Irvin Paul and Stephan Smith, two of the candidates for the series, are brothers. Irvin Paul, a five-year-old. is a year younger than his brother. They are by Gene Abbe, one of 13 stallions advertised earlier this year by Pickwick Farms, Ohio. Gene Abbe, which took a record of 2min 0 3-ssec for one mile, was advertised at a fee of 1000 dollars in 1959, but he has sired many fine winners and is now fully booked at 2000 dollars. They are out of Edalena, which took a record of 2min 6 l-ssec. She was by Cold Cash, a son of Peter Volo. Cold Cash took a record of Imin 58Jsec for one njile in 1934.

Bargain Horses Stephan Smith is raced by Mr H. McGinnis, a lunchcounter operator in the small town of Franklin, Indiana. Stephan Smith was bought by Mr McGinnis for 1000 dollars. The horse has now won about 120,000 dollars. He obtained a half-share in Irvin Paul in return for training the colt. Later he bought his partner’s halfshare for 1500 dollars and subsequently sold the colt for 35,000 dollars to Messrs A. Wilsker, of New York, and C. King, of Ohio. Royal Rick, which has a record of Imin 56 4-ssec for one mile, has drawn wide in today’s race, but that might not stop him taking part in the finish. Royal Rick impressed New Zealand visitors who saw him racing in America last season.

Royal Rick is a six-year-old stallion by Royal Blackstone, a grandson of Volomite with a record of Imin 58 3-ssec for on * mile. Royal Rick is out of Ann Forbes, by Frisco Forbes. Stormy Dream, a difficult horse to keep sound because of a tendon weakness, returned to form towards the end of last season by winning five races, including the Nassau Pace over 12 furlongs in -3min 9 l-ssec at Roosevelt Raceway. He has also shown outstanding form this term and took a record of Imin 58 2-ssec at Santa Anita a few weeks ago.

Stormy Dream is a six-year-old gelding by the successful sire, Knight Dream, a son of Nibble Hanover, which recorded Imin 58}sec at the trotting gait. His dam. Madam Boussac, is a daughter of Volomite.