Hohneck (France) and Gio Cash (Germany) are the first two stars to be invited for this year’s $1,000,000 MGM International Trot

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Yonkers, NY - The $1,000,000 MGM Yonkers International Trot is just two months away on September 13 and track management has been hard at work assembling an all-star field for the 2025 edition. Accepting the first invitation is French superstar Hohneck.

“It's a legendary race,” said owner/trainer Philippe Allaire on the reason he decided to accept the invite.

The famed French trainer won’t be making his first trip to the MGM Yonkers International Trot or the United States, but it has been a long time since he last competed on these shores. He sent out Jeanbat Du Vivier in the 2005 Nat Ray at The Meadowlands and his prior appearances came way back in 1979 and 1980 as a 19- and 20-year-old driver behind Hillion Brillouard back when the International Trot was contested at Roosevelt Raceway.

Hohneck, the 2023 Elitlopp winner, finished third in that marquee race at Solvalla in Sweden on May 25 this year. It was just his fourth on-track appearance of 2025 and Allaire is planning to compete in the Prix Washington on July 12 and Grand Prix de Vitesse at Argentan on August 9 prior to sending his 8-year-old son of Royal Dream to New York.

Hohneck owns a stellar career record of 23 wins in 75 starts and nearly $3 million in earnings. While he has won at the 1 -1/4 mile distance of the MGM Yonkers International Trot, racing on a half-mile track is going to be a new experience.

“He has only been on 1,000 meter tracks but he should handle the 800 meter track at Yonkers perfectly,” said Allaire.

For Allaire, the experience of coming to New York and hopefully coming away victorious could be the perfect ending to the career of his champion trotter as Hohneck is reported to be retiring at the end of the year.

“It's possible, Hohneck will tell us,” said Allaire when asked if the MGM Yonkers International Trot would be the final start of Hohneck’s career.

One idea Allaire wouldn’t rule out was extending his North American tour to the Breeders Crown at Woodbine Mohawk Park if Hohneck were to have success at Yonkers Raceway and was invited. “It’s not impossible,” said the trainer.

The MGM Yonkers International Trot was raced consecutively from 1959 to 1993, again in 1995 and from 2015 to 2024 (no race was held in 2020 and 2021 during COVID). Hohneck will look to become the first French-bred to win the race since Reve d’Udon in 1990. Last year the Swedish-bred Jiggy Jog was victorious with Dexter Dunn driving for the now American-based trainer Ake Svanstedt.

Always hard at work, Yonkers Raceway’s European talent scout Klaus Koch wasted no time in extending a second invitation to the Grade One $1,000,000 MGM Yonkers International Trot following a sparkling performance by Gio Cash in Sweden. The 6-year-old, who is coming off the fastest mile of his career, will be representing Germany for the September 13 event at MGM Yonkers Raceway.

 

“When you have a horse that is able to compete in big races and you have an opportunity to race, you take it,” said Gio Cash’s driver/trainer Daniel Wäjersten. “To be able to race in big races and drive good horses is what I dreamed about when I was 10 years old. It feels really good to have the opportunity.”

 

Not only was Gio Cash’s latest victory in the Arjängs Stora Sprinter on July 12 the fastest of his career, but the 1:08.5 time (1:50.1 mile rate) crushed the previous track record by more than a second. He faced intense pressure throughout the 1640-meter race and ultimately bested the classy 2021 Elitlopp winner Don Fanucci Zet by a narrow margin. The victory by Gio Cash was also his second straight over his rival as he defeated him at 2140 meters on June 14.

 

“This is a horse that has been racing at the top level as a 2-, 3- and 4-year-old, then he had some problems as a 5-year-old. Now he is back in good shape. He has always been a talented horse,” said Wäjersten on Gio Cash’s recent form spree.

 

Gio Cash, a career winner of 15 races in 28 starts and $617,767, came to the Wäjersten barn for his 2025 campaign and is already closing in on the best season ever. The trainer admitted that he really didn’t change anything on the son of Victor Gio to revive him.

 

“He’s a super horse. We just made him the same level as he was when he was young,” said Wäjersten.

 

A question with any International horse arriving at Yonkers Raceway is how they will handle the tighter turns of the half-mile track (800 meters). Wäjersten revealed that both of his horse’s recent wins came over a 1,000-meter surface with tight turns that can be a bit difficult for some horses. He also added that Gio Cash has a very smooth gait that makes it easy for him to trot over any track.

 

For the 35-year-old Wäjersten, the trip will be his first to New York, though he has been to the now defunct Pompano Park and The Red Mile on previous occasions. It will be a special experience for him as well as the ownership group of Carpe Diem Stable.

 

“I’m looking forward to the race and the experience for all the owners and the groom,” said Wäjersten.

 

Gio Cash will have one more start in Sweden prior to shipping to the United States about a week ahead of the MGM Yonkers International Trot. He joins the previously announced Hohneck as the first two starters for the $1,000,000 event. Additional invitees will be announced in the coming weeks as track officials prepare for the MGM Yonkers International Trot. The special afternoon card will also feature a pair of $200,000 Invitationals for older trotters and pacers.

 

MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday-Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday live racing schedule with post time each night at 6:45 p.m.

Jiggy Jog S dominant in $1 million MGM Yonkers International Trot

September 8, 2024
Yonkers, NY — Jiggy Jog S, a familiar face to the North American racing scene but representing Sweden, where she was bred, improved from second in last year’s MGM Yonkers International Trot to first in this year’s $1 million edition on Saturday (September 7) afternoon, prevailing for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Ake Svanstedt in 2:25 flat for the mile and a quarter distance. Canadian representative Logan Park (Doug McNair), got away well from post five, but Dunn wanted the front with Jiggy Jog S and moved her out of second to take over the lead beyond the :29.3 opening quarter. Jiggy Jog was well-rated and didn’t face any outside pressure through a sensible tempo of :58.2 and 1:27.2 while Hail Mary S (Orjan Kihlstrom), another Swedish representative, went first-up from fifth on the way to three-quarters, giving cover to the United States’ Periculum (Scott Zeron). Hail Mary S couldn’t really make any progress on the rim towards the 1:55.4 mile marker, and that allowed Jiggy Jog to get separation on the others as Periculum went three-wide early on the last turn. There was no catching Jiggy Jog S, though, as she kept clear and allowed Dunn to raise his whip in celebration through the stretch. Periculum, coming off a victory in the Maple Leaf Trot a week ago, was a good second, 3 1/2 lengths behind Jiggy Jog, and France’s Ideal San Leandro (Bjorn Goop) got third. Logan Park held fourth from United States representative It’s Academic (David Miller). “She’s an amazing mare. It’s always a pleasure to sit behind her. For her to win a race like that just adds to her great career,” Dunn said following the race. “She’s been in such great form. I talked to Ake and Sarah before the race, and they were confident that she could go on the front today against these ones, but it was always going to be up to seeing what happened early. There was a bit of speed from outside and a little bit from inside, but she left so well herself. Once the option was there to re-move and go to the front, we took that chance. We got pretty good fractions after that. I was sort of waiting for a bit more pressure the middle of the race, but she was strong. “She was a good and clear second last year, but she was only a 4-year-old mare then. It’s always a big step up when they finish their 3-year-old year and in their 4-year-old year they’ve got to race the open horses. She’s just got so much stronger and bigger and mentally tougher this year. You’ll see she’s been raced pretty lightly so far. Ake and Sarah have been taking their time and not racing her too much to make sure she’s there at the end of the year for the Breeders Crown. It’s a fun ride to be on. It’s always fun to sit behind her, and we’ll be looking forward to that for the rest of the year.” A 5-year-old daughter of Walner bred by Vestmarka AB, Jiggy Jog S is co-owned by Svanstedt in partnership with Steve Stewart, John Lengacher and Hickory Hollow Stables. She has a summary of 23-10-2 from 40 starts, has put away $2,970,391 and paid $3.70 to win as the favorite. She was atop a $16 exacta and a $316 trifecta. “Those races are never easy. She has kind of peaked the last couple of days,” remarked Sarah Svanstedt. “She was a little bit tired after the Cashman and the Pocono race, too, actually. It’s tough when you have those kind of plans you have to follow and you can’t really give a week or two more off – it’s tricky. I was so satisfied with her in the last turn. She’s tremendous. “Maybe the Caesar’s Classic or Lexington (are next). We’ll have to see how she gets out of this race to start with.” While Stewart is known more on the breeding side of the sport through his Hunterton Farms, he said that he hopes Jiggy Jog has plenty of more racing to do before she becomes a broodmare.  “I told Cindy (his wife) that I hope three years from now people come to us and say ‘will you please take that damn filly and breed her?’ I told all of our partners we have enough broodmares. We don’t need another one at the moment, as long as she can compete at this level, and she appears to have a lot of fun with it,” Stewart stated. “Ake and Sarah, I think, don’t own a lot of broodmares, and so I think that their dream is to probably race her for many, many years, and that’s our dream, is to continue racing. What an opportunity and I think it’s good for the sport.”

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Ideal San Leandro prepares for the $1M MGM Yonkers International Trot

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An Early Look at the Past Performances for the International Trot

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For all you eager harness racing fans out there: here is an early look at the past performances for all competitors in the upcoming $1M MGM Yonkers International Trot!

Draw for $1 million International Trot is Tuesday, September 3

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French pair join $1,000,000 MGM Yonkers International Trot field

By Yonkers Raceway Media • August 26, 2024
Yonkers, NY – The $1,000,000 MGM Yonkers International Trot would not be a true international trotting event without at least one French-bred in the mix and Monday (Aug. 26) the track’s management team is proud to announce two additions from the country. Ideal San Leandro and Eclat De Gloire will join the growing list for the 1 -1/4 mile event on Sept. 7 at Yonkers Raceway. Ideal San Leandro will arrive in New York for very familiar connections as the 6-year-old is owned and trained by Richard Westerink, who has sent Etonnant, Dreammoko and Timoko to the MGM Yonkers International Trot over the last decade. The 45-year-old’s best finish came in 2015 when Timoko finished second. “I love New York, that’s for sure,” said Westerink on returning for his third straight MGM Yonkers International Trot experience. Although Ideal San Leandro lacks the résumé of Westerink’s previous entrants, the son of Timoko comes to town sharp, with a pair of wins and a second in his last three starts while racing at distances of 1.4 to 1.7 miles in France. Most recently he was second behind the favorite after showing good gate speed and leading the entire mile. “He’s in super form but he was also good in the winter. There were drivers who didn’t trust the horse. I told them the horse was good and they just sat on the inside. I told them to stay on the lead and they wouldn’t do it. He’s really been in good form for almost six months,” said Westerink, who admits he isn’t bringing the same level of horse as in the past. “He’s tough and I trust in him but there are faster horses in the race. But when horses are in good shape there is always a chance.” In addition to his toughness, Westerink reports that Ideal San Leandro is a smaller horse that has experience on 900 meter tracks (just over a half-mile) with right turns. “I think he’ll be much better with the turns on the left like at Yonkers. He’s an easy horse that will love the track,” said Westerink, who has secured the services of top Swedish driver Bjorn Goop for the race. Eclat De Gloire comes to New York with a much different profile than his French compatriot. While the 10-year-old has earnings of over 1 million Euros for trainer Loris Garcia and owner Ecurie du Vieux Chene, he’s had trouble finding the winner’s circle of late, with his last victory coming in November 2023 in an elimination for the Group I-race Paleo di Comuni. What Eclat De Gloire lacks in 2024 achievements, he makes up for in experience, as the son of Tiego D’Etang has competed throughout Europe and is the most experienced international half-mile-track competitor in the field. The pair of French horses join Jiggy Jog, Hail Mary and Castor The Star (Sweden), Vernissage Grif (Italy), and Get A Wish (Denmark) as starters in the Sept. 7 event. The previously announced Capital Mail had to drop out of the race. The final three horses for the $1,000,000 race will be announced in the coming days and the draw is scheduled for early next week. The MGM Yonkers International Trot will be the centerpiece of a spectacular afternoon card (12:15 p.m. EDT post time) that also features a pair of $250,000 Invitationals for older horses and the $1.8 million finals of the New York Sire Stakes. 

Vernissage Grif joins MGM Yonkers International Trot field

By Yonkers Raceway media • August 19, 2024
Yonkers, NY — The field for the $1 million MGM Yonkers International Trot continues to take shape and Monday (Aug. 19) Yonkers Raceway officially announced the addition of Vernissage Grif as a second Italian representative. Vernissage Grif is a very accomplished son of Varenne with 43 wins from 133 career starts and earnings of over 1.5 million Euros. The 10-year-old has competed in many of Europe’s most prestigious races in recent years versus the best trotters of his era. Most recently on Aug. 15, Vernissage Grif easily won an elimination of the Gran Premio Citta di Monticatini but was disqualified due to interference in the first turn and did not get an opportunity to compete in the final. Prior to that in early May, the Alessandro Gocciadoro trainee won an elimination for the Gran Premio Lotteria at Agnano in Naples only to make a break in the final, which was won by fellow MGM Yonkers International Trot participant Capital Mail. Gocciadoro finished third in the 2023 MGM Yonkers International Trot driving Bengurion Jet and also won as a trainer with stablemate Vivid Wise As, who will be unable to defend his title due to health concerns. The Italian driver will be in the bike behind Vernissage Grif for owner Gennaro Riccio. Vernissage Grif joins Jiggy Jog, Hail Mary and Castor The Star (Sweden), Capital Mail (Italy), and Get A Wish (Denmark) as starters in the Sept. 7 event. Additional horses for the 1-1/4 mile race will be announced in the coming days. The MGM Yonkers International Trot will be the centerpiece of a spectacular afternoon card (12:15 p.m. EDT post time) that also features a pair of $250,000 Invitationals for older horses and the $1.8 million finals of the New York Sire Stakes. 

Jiggy Jog and Castor The Star join MGM Yonkers International Trot field

By Yonkers Raceway media • August 16, 2024
Yonkers, NY — A pair of Swedish breds — Jiggy Jog and Castor The Star — have received the fourth and fifth invitations for the $1 million MGM Yonkers International Trot. The 1-1/4 mile event is slated for Sept. 7 over the historic oval at Yonkers Raceway. Jiggy Jog, of course, needs no introduction to those in North America as she is the reigning Dan Patch Older Trotting Mare of the Year in the United States and is currently undefeated in three 2024 starts. Her recent 1:49.2 victory at The Meadowlands in the John Cashman Memorial versus male competition was the fourth-fastest mile ever by a mare trotter. Bred in Sweden but exported to the U.S. to race, Jiggy Jog has accumulated 21 wins in 38 career starts while earning north of $2.4 million. In 2023 she finished second behind Vivid Wise As in the MGM Yonkers International Trot and went on to win the Breeders Crown a month later. Earlier this year Jiggy Jog was sold, but she remains under the care of trainer Ake Svanstedt, who co-owns with Steve Stewart, John Lengacher and Hickory Hollow Stables. The 5-year-old daughter of Walner is scheduled to compete Saturday in the $100,000 Sebastian K invitational at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania with regular driver Dexter Dunn. Unlike her fellow Swedish flag carrier, Castor The Star has been racing in his homeland and is riding a two-race winning streak. Most recently on Aug. 10, the 6-year-old son of Maharajah captured the Åby Sprint Grand Prix at the distance of 1,640 meters (just over one mile). Trained by Jörgen Westholm for owner Team Westholm AB, Castor The Star has three victories in nine tries this year and a strong 14 wins from 46 starts for his career. Jiggy Jog and Castor The Star join Capital Mail (Italy), Get A Wish (Denmark) and Hail Mary (Sweden) as starters in the MGM Yonkers International Trot. Further starters will be announced in the coming days. The $1 million MGM Yonkers International Trot will be the centerpiece of a spectacular afternoon card (12:15 p.m. EDT post time) on Sept. 7 that also features a pair of $250,000 Invitationals for older horses and the $1.8 million finals of the New York Sire Stakes.

Denmark standout Get A Wish back for 2024 MGM Yonkers International Trot

By Yonkers Raceway media • August 15, 2024
Yonkers, NY — Get A Wish made the long journey to compete in the $1 million MGM Yonkers International Trot in 2023 only to fall victim to a bad trip. His connections are hoping for better luck after receiving the third invitation to the Sept. 7 event. Representing Denmark, Get A Wish raced in the outer flow for the entire 1-1/4 mile race last year and was badly backed into in the final three-eighths of the contest, costing him at least four lengths by the time the field hit the final turn. The now 6-year-old then made a break, but his fate was already sealed. Get A Wish comes into the MGM Yonkers International Trot this year off a fifth-place finish behind European star Horsy Dream in the prestigious ABY World Grand Prix raced at just under two miles for a purse of approximately US$961,000. His prior start saw him finish second in the Grade I Hugo Abergs Memorial behind Borups Victory. Now trained by Johan Untersteiner for Stall My Little Pony, Get A Wish will join Capital Mail and Hail Mary in the MGM Yonkers International Trot. Additional starters will be announced in the coming days. The MGM Yonkers International Trot will be the centerpiece of a spectacular afternoon card (12:15 p.m. EDT post time) on Sept. 7 that also features a pair of $250,000 Invitationals for older horses and the $1.8 million finals of the New York Sire Stakes.