Yonkers 1996 race makes the Tonight Show

Harness racing got a plug on national TV on Monday night, Jan. 7, but in a strange sort of way. A race that was contested 16 years ago at Yonkers received play as part of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno's "Headlines" feature.

 

In the segment, Leno displays an assortment of material, including advertisements with typos or words that are suggestive. Usually those headlines are current, but on Monday Leno showed a race chart from a race that was contested at Yonkers on Dec. 30, 1996, noting that the name of the last-place horse was "Emphysema," who was driven by Ray Schnittker. Leno also noted that the horse who finished just ahead of Emphysema was named "Fudgesundae."

 

To see the video, please click here. Headlines is part of the second segment of the video clip of the entire one-hour show.

 

Interestingly, in the $3,000 race, the winner was Play Money, driven by Mike Stevenson, with the 1989 Breeders Crown champion Delray Lobell finishing second as the betting favorite with driver Luc Ouellette.

 

It is unknown whether Leno and his producers were aware that the race chart shown was from a Yonkers race contested 16 years ago. If anyone knows how Leno received the chart, please email editorial@harnessracing.com.