Yonkers, NY (My Sportsbook) - Napoleon, driven by Stephane Bouchard, took advantage of a late break by the leader to capture Saturday night's $605,854 Yonkers Trot Final. The three-year-old covered the one-mile in 1:57 1/5 on the half-mile track.
The Yonkers Trot is the first jewel in Trotting's Triple Crown series. It is followed by the Hambletonian and the Kentucky Futurity.
Setting the initial pace in the Yonkers Trot was Velocity Hall from the inside post. Napoleon quickly took the lead up the backstretch followed by Velocity Hall, Di Manggio and Over Ruled.
As the field crossed the finishline for the first time Napoleon continued on the lead with Over Ruled in second and Velocity Hall in third with Holiday Credit advancing to fourth. Driver Ron Pierce and 8-5 favorite Holiday Credit took the lead entering the final turn as Napoleon dropped into second and Over Ruled in third.
Holiday Credit appeared well on his way to victory down the stretch until he broke stride a matter of yards from the finish. Napoleon and Make it Happen surged to the lead with 2-1 second choice Napoleon posting a nose win over Make It Happen. Holiday Credit was awarded sixth in the eight horse field,
Big Apple Deli, second in last week's elimination race, finished third followed by Over Ruled, Ace High Hall, Holiday Credit, Di Manggio and Velocity Hall.
Trained by Noel Daley, Napoleon picked up his eighth career win in 13 starts with lifetime earnings of more than $531,000. The colt was coming off a fifth place finish in the elimination race a week ago.
Napoleon paid $6.00, $3.70 and $3.00. Make It Happen returned $4.30 and $3.60, and Big Apple Deli paid $3.90 to show.
Friday night at The Meadowlands, Deweycheatumnhowe kept his perfect record intact as he won the $79,100 Dickerson Cup in 1:53 3/5. Deweycheatumnhowe, the 2007 two-year-old trotting champion, is the early favorite for the Hambletonian, the second jewel in Trotting's Triple Crown, on Saturday, August 2.
The Trotting Triple Crown concludes with the Kentucky Futurity on Saturday, October 4 at The Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky.
