Vivid Wise As stars in MGM Yonkers International Trot
Yonkers, NY — Vivid Wise As, representing Italy in Saturday’s $1 million MGM Yonkers International Trot at MGM Yonkers Raceway, took advantage of a quick start to get the lead from post one, repelled multiple challengers throughout, and drew off in the closing stages to win the race in 2:23.1 over the distance of 1-1/4 miles.
Driven by Matthieu Abrivard, Vivid Wise As, racing without shoes, stepped out quickly from the pole position but was faced with immediate pressure on the outside from Fashion Frenzie (Louis-Philippe Roy), and they would trot to the quarter like that in :28.3. Meanwhile, Etonnant (Anthony Barrier) had not had a quick beginning from post two and then elected to drive on three-wide to take up the first-over position from Fashion Frenzie prior to the :57.3 half-mile point.
The expected and hoped-for confrontation between Vivid Wise As and Etonnant was on from there, and Vivid Wise As used his rail position to keep Etonnant parked through three-quarters in 1:26.3. Etonnant then began to tire past that pole as It’s Academic (David Miller), hoping to bring the International Trot title to the U.S., made a three-wide charge from fourth-over that carried him into the first-over slot and alongside Vivid Wise As at the mile, which went on the board in 1:55.2.
It’s Academic could not sustain his bid, though, and Vivid Wise As accelerated away from him and pocket-sitter Jiggy Jog S (Dexter Dunn) in the final quarter en route to the victory by 2-3/4 lengths. Jiggy Jog S, who started behind Vivid Wise As in the trailing post nine, was the runner-up, and Bengurion Jet, driven by Vivid Wise As’s trainer Alessandro Gocciadoro, made it a memorable day for that barn by rallying to finish third. It’s Academic had to settle for fourth and Australia’s Aldebaran Zeus collected fifth money.
“He went really fast today. He wanted to see if anyone made any moves and if anyone was going to attack, but nothing really happened, so after the first turn, he really controlled the race and did what he wanted to do all the way,” Abrivard said via interpreter Kristin Riise Ødegård. “On small tracks like this, he’s a horse that’s very difficult to get around. He knew that after he got a good post position and he got a good start that the other horses had to do a lot of work on the outside to catch him. He knew it was going to work out for him pretty quickly.”
Vivid Wise As, a 9-year-old Yankee Glide stallion bred by Atlantic Trot Inc. and owned by Bivans SRL and Bruni Racing Team AB, picked up his 35th win from 86 career starts and has now earned $3,626,865. He paid $7.50 to win as the 5-2 favorite and led a $56 exacta and a $646 trifecta.
“He’s very happy because he’s done this job for a long time and now all of his dreams are coming true,” Gocciadoro stated via Kristin Riise Ødegård.
Trainer Ake Svanstedt was pleased with Jiggy Jog S’s performance as well, saying, “I thought we would have a chance to win coming down the backstretch but when It’s Academic came at the leader the pace accelerated too fast. Still, it’s good to be second in this race.”
2026 MGM Yonkers International Trot field will include Bourbonista S
Yonkers, NY – In just over eight weeks (Sept. 12), some of the best trotters in the world will gather at MGM Yonkers Raceway for the $1 million Grade 1 MGM Yonkers International Trot. While the complete field won’t be known for some time, Bourbonista S will be one of the 10 invitees after her connections accepted an invitation from track management. “We were just happy to get the invitation,” said co-owner Jens Glud Hansen, who races under the banner of Panamera Racing, an homage to the popular Porsche sports car. Hansen is no stranger to racing in the MGM Yonkers International Trot as his Kennedy S finished fifth in the event back in 2022. It will, however, be co-owner Michael Gulotta’s (Deo Volente Farms LLC) first taste of the race. “I feel very blessed to own a horse like her,” said Gulotta. Hansen owns the Selected Sales auction company in Denmark and suggested to Gulotta that Bourbonista S would be a wise purchase. He agreed and the 50/50 partnership was made after purchasing the horse for approximately $200,000 USD. “She was a good horse in Scandinavia and was second and third to Allegiant as a 4-year-old,” said Hansen. “I said to Mike, ‘I think she can go 1:50 or maybe even 1:49 on a good day at the Red Mile.’” As it turns out, Hansen’s prediction fell well short of Bourbonista S’s capability. In the Six Pack on July 4 at The Meadowlands, the 5-year-old daughter of Face Time Bourbon displayed speed at both ends of the mile en route to a 1:48.4 victory with Dexter Dunn in the bike. The final time made her the fastest female trotter in North American history. Trainer Marcus Melander, who got the horse at the start of 2026 after some lackluster results in another U.S. barn, pointed out how he tapped into Bourbonista S’s raw pool of ability. “It took about five or six weeks until she really turned things around and we could start training on the sand track and in the deep sand. When she really turned the corner and started taking to her training well, she got stronger and stronger,” said Melander, who added that the decision to remove her shoes made a huge difference in her performance. Bourbonista S raced without shoes for the first time on May 23 over a sloppy track at the Meadowlands and finished second. Since then, she has won two stakes races ( Six Pack and Armbro Flight), both impressively by more than three lengths. Despite being a big filly according to Melander, Bourbonista S wears very little equipment and he expects her to get around the smaller Yonkers Raceway oval without issue. The trainer also feels that the track surface should be conducive to sticking with the “no shoes” protocol. “I’d say the track’s been good there when I’ve shown up for Sire Stakes and (International Trot) day they usually have the track really good,” said Melander. Bourbonista S, who was bred in Denmark to a Swedish-registered mare, will represent Sweden in the MGM Yonkers International Trot. She owns a 7-3-2-1 record and has earned $158,240 in 2026. Her upcoming schedule includes a leg of the Miss Versatility Series on Aug. 1 and Dr. John R. Steele Memorial on Aug. 8 at the Meadowlands. Invitations are in the works to fill out the 10-horse field for the MGM Yonkers International Trot and more horses will be announced in the coming days and weeks. The race will be the focal point of a stellar card on Sept. 12 that starts at 11:50 a.m. (EDT) and includes the $2.4 million New York Sire Stakes finals for 2- and 3-year-olds as well as a pair of $200,000 Invitationals – the Bob Miecuna Trot and Aria Pace. MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday through Friday racing schedule with post time at 6:45 p.m. (EDT).
Please go to https://www.soaofny.com/yonkers-race-program to pick up yours!
Once again, we’d like to extend a big thanks to Kristin Riise Odegard for providing us with this wonderful video of Hohneck (who will be representing France, and starts from Post 10 in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Yonkers International Trot), along with his caretaker for the last 4 years, Remy Menoret. Learn a bit more about the 8 year old stallion who has earned over $3M during his career, and watch him trot around the Hilltop Oval!
Yonkers, NY – On Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 9) at Zero Otto Nove restaurant in Tuckahoe, N.Y., post positions were drawn for Saturday’s $1 million Grade 1 MGM Yonkers International Trot, the $200,000 Grade 2 Aria Invitational Pace and the $200,000 Grade 2 Bob Miecuna Invitational Trot. All three events will take place Saturday (Sept. 13) at MGM Yonkers Raceway and will be raced over the distance of a mile and a quarter. Post time for the 10-race program is 12:20 p.m. (EDT). Coming off a Canadian-record 1:49.1 win in the Maple Leaf Trot at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Aug. 30, Canadian representative Lexus Kody drew post one for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke. Behind him in a trailing post nine is Maple Leaf Trot runner-up and last year’s MGM Yonkers International Trot second-place finisher Periculum, who is set to be driven by Scott Zeron for trainer Marcus Melander, while 2023 Elitlopp champion Hohneck will be next to Periculum in the second tier in post 10 for driver Gabriele Gelormini and trainer Philippe Allaire. Periculum is one of two horses representing the United States in the event, while Hohneck heads a French trio. Here is the full field with the country they’re representing, the listed driver and trainer: $1 million Grade 1 MGM Yonkers International Trot – Race 6 PP-Horse-Country-Driver-Trainer 1-Lexus Kody-Canada-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke 2-Gamin Jaba-France-Daniel Reden drives/trains 3-Gio Cash-Germany-Daniel Wajersten drives/trains 4-Powwow-Norway-Bjorn Goop-Jan Waaler 5-Aetos Kronos S-Sweden-Dexter Dunn-Marcus Melander 6-Double Deceiver-United States-Orjan Kihlstrom-Daniel Reden 7-Ideal Ligneries-France-Jean-Philippe Monclin drives/trains 8-Diva EK-Italy-Alessandro Gocciadoro drives/trains 9-Periculum-United States-Scott Zeron-Marcus Melander 10-Hohneck-France-Gabriele Gelormini-Philippe Allaire Both of last year’s champions in the Aria Invitational Pace and Bob Miecuna Invitational Trot, Desperate Man and Ari Ferrari J, are back to defend their titles. Desperate Man will depart from a trailing post 10 in the Aria and will face the likes of 2025 MGM Borgata Pacing Series winner Mossdale Ben N, 2024 Aria runner-up Coaches Corner and two-time Dan Patch Award winner Captain Albano. Ari Ferrari J will also be in the second tier from post nine and will meet 2024 MGM Yonkers Trot champion Sir Pinocchio, 2023 MGM Yonkers Trot and 2025 Spirit of Massachusetts winner Up Your Deo and this year’s John Brennan Memorial Series victor Antognoni S. The full draws for the Aria and Miecuna are as follows with listed driver and trainer: $200,000 Grade 2 Aria Invitational Pace – Race 5 PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer 1-Mossdale Ben N-Jordan Stratton-Peter Tritton 2-Racing Rebel-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke 3-Coaches Corner-Jason Bartlett-Per Engblom 4-Dunkin’-George Brennan-Scott DiDomenico 5-Chase H Hanover-Jordan Stratton-Cory Stratton 6-Captain Albano-Todd McCarthy-Noel Daley 7-Soho Firestone A-Dexter Dunn-Doug Dilloian Jr. 8-Jamaican Rock A-Scott Zeron-Scott Blackler 9-Verdun-Pat Lachance drives/trains 10-Desperate Man-Matt Kakaley-Travis Alexander $200,000 Grade 2 Bob Miecuna Invitational Trot – Race 7 PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer 1-Sir Pinocchio-Jason Bartlett-Ed Hart 2-Security Protected-Andy McCarthy-Marcus Melander 3-Up Your Deo-Ake Svanstedt drives/trains 4-Queen Of All-Austin Siegelman-Lance Hudson 5-Little Expensive-Tyler Miller-Julie Miller 6-Ferretti-Matt Kakaley-Travis Alexander 7-Resolve To Win-Tim Tetrick-Jeff Cullipher 8-Antognoni S-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke 9-Ari Ferrari J-Jason Bartlett-Tony Alagna 10-Ghostly Casper-Jordan Stratton-Jared Bako The MGM Yonkers International Trot, which has an estimated post time of 3 p.m. (EDT), will be shown on FOX Sports 2 as part of America’s Day at the Races. On The wagering front, the MGM Yonkers International Trot will also be part of a Cross Country Pick 5 with races from Aqueduct and Los Alamitos, and there will be a $20,000 guaranteed Pick 5 pool beginning in Race 5 and a $10,000 guaranteed Pick 4 pool starting in Race 7 done in partnership with the United States Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering Program. In addition, a lunch buffet will be open to the public in the Empire Terrace dining room. The cost is $80 per person plus tax and gratuity. MGM Yonkers Raceway’s normal Monday/Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday live racing schedule will have some deviations over the new two weeks. This week, Yonkers will have a program on Wednesday (Sept. 10) and will be dark Friday (Sept. 12) in preparation for the MGM Yonkers International Trot program on Saturday the 13th. Wednesday racing will also take place on Sept. 17 as part of a Monday-Saturday six-day slate next week.
Special thanks to Kristin Riise Odegard for sharing with us this beautiful video with Ragnhild Diesen, caretaker for Powwow (who drew Post 4 in Saturday’s Yonkers International Trot, representing Norway). Ragnhild is no stranger to Yonkers or this race, as she was here 10 years ago with Norway’s Papagayo E....who was the 2015 International Trot winner (and also the SIRE of Powwow)!
Zero Otto Nove to host draw for 2025 International Trot and invitationals on Tuesday
Lexus Cody and Periculum round out the 2025 MGM Yonkers International Trot field
The field for the upcoming MGM Yonkers International Trot grows to 8 with latest round of invites Yonkers, NY — The field for the $1,000,000 MGM Yonkers International Trot is almost complete after a handful of invitations were accepted this week for the September 13 event at MGM Yonkers Raceway. Six nations are now represented in the international affair that will bring together drivers, trainers and horses from all over Europe and North America. Already announced for the MGM Yonkers International Trot were Hohneck (France), Gio Cash (Germany) and Double Deceiver (United States but racing in Sweden). They will be joined by Aetos Kronos (Sweden but racing in the U.S.), Diva EK (Italy), Gamin Jaba (France), Ideal Ligneries (France) and Powwow (Norway). Despite competing mostly in Europe, Aetos Kronos is very familiar to those in North America who have watched him excel here as a 9-year-old this year for owners Jeffrey and Michael Snyder. The son of Bold Eagle has won six of nine starts in 2025 and recently recorded a 1:49 4/5 victory in the elimination round for the Maple Leaf Trot, establishing a new mark as the fastest trotter ever on Canadian soil. Marcus Melander trains Aetos Kronos, a career winner of $1.5 million who will seek to increase that total dramatically in Saturday’s C$630,000 Maple Leaf Trot final at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Diva EK is a daughter of North American-based stallion Trixton and comes to the MGM Yonkers International Trot by way of Italy for trainer Alessandro Gocciadoro and owners Antonio Nucera and Effebi Srl. The 6-year-old owns a stellar record of 20 wins in 40 career starts and was a G1 winner back on May 12 in the Menhammar Copenhagen Cup. Gamin Jaba is the second of the entrants from the barn of trainer Daniel Reden, joining the previously announced Double Deceiver in the field. A 9-year-old with $661,745 in earnings, he has 21 career wins in 81 starts despite scoring just one victory in seven tries this year. Another French entrant is Ideal Ligneries. Winless in eight starts this year, the 7-year-old has finished second three times, including in the G II Criterium De Vitesse De Basse-Normandie on August 9 (Hohneck won) and G II Grand Prix Du Department Des Alpes on August 23 (Hohneck was sixth) for trainer/driver Jean-Phillippe Monclin. For his career Ideal Ligneries has won eight times in 59 starts and earned $879,455. Bringing youth to the field is Powwow for trainer Jan Kristian Whaaler. The 5-year-old from Norway is a son of 2015 MGM Yonkers International Trot winner Papagayo E. He recently was a fast-closing third after a ground-saving trip in the $300,000 Margareta Wallenius-Klebergs Pokal exclusively for his age group at Solvalla at 2140 meters. Owned by Tom Andersen, Powwow sports a 15-2-5-3 career record. The eight horses above will be joined by two more trotters originating from either the U.S. or Canada and that announcement will occur prior to the draw on Monday, September 8. The $1,000,000 MGM Yonkers International Trot will be part of a huge card on September 13 that also includes the $200,000 MGM Aria Invitational Pace and $200,000 Robert Miecuna Invitational Trot. Post time is set for 12:00 PM (EDT) and the Empire Terrace dining room with be open for a buffet lunch. 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. (EDT). Exceptions to that schedule include the addition of live racing on Wednesdays, September 3 and 10. There will be no live racing on Friday, September 12.
With this year’s Yonkers International Trot less than three weeks away (Saturday, September 13th), a third participant has been announced – joining Hohneck and Gio Cash will be Swedish owned (and American bred) Double Deceiver! Local fans might remember this son of Cantab Hall as he was a 2nd place finisher in the 2022 MGM Yonkers Trot (behind the outstanding mare, Joviality S) – he ended the year with a 2nd in the Breeders Crown and a win in the Matron Stakes, then was purchased by Swedish connections and has been racing there ever since. He’s having an outstanding 2025 season in Sweden, having won the Sweden Cup in Solvalla in May, then the St. Michel Ajo in Mikkeli, and just two weeks ago, the Jamtland Stora Pris. Hopefully regular pilot Orjan Kihlstrom will be here to drive him, as he is one of the most successful European drivers ever (he’s won big races in the U.S as well, and has competed in the International Trot three times in the past). Pictured above is Double Deceiver taking the Jamtland Stora Pris, with fellow International invitee Gio Cash finishing just behind him!