Yonkers elim winners draw five, six

Elimination winners Adrian Chip and Primary As drew post positions five and six, respectively, for Saturday night's $644,770 final of the Yonkers Trot at Yonkers Raceway. The 53rd Trot, second jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown, goes as the sixth race on Yonkers' 10-race  program. First post is 7:40 p.m., with the Yonkers Trot scheduled for approximately 9:20 p.m. Eight 3 year olds--seven  colts and one gelding--shall contest Yonkers' premier trotting event.

Adrian Chip, the Amish-bred, Swedish-owned son of Andover Hall, coasted in his elimination. Helped along by very slow early fractions, "Adrian" won by a length in 2:01.2. He enters Saturday night's final with six wins and two seconds in eight seasonal starts, and his '07 earnings of $562,519 make him by far the richest horse in this field.

Swedish trainer Robert Bergh again does the driving honors behind Adrian Chip, made the 9-5 morning-line favorite.

Primary As, who kept the Scandinavian theme going by winning last week's second Trot elimination in 1:58.2, drew  post six for the final as the 3-1 early second choice. Trainer Trond Smedshammer, a native of Norway, drives the Malabar Man colt, who has won five races in eight '07 tries ($187,125).

Primary As, foaled in Sweden, now races for Norwegian-based Kittlesen Racing Stable, of which Smedshammer is a partner. Smedshammer, who is looking for his third Yonkers Trot training victory--second as a driver--has never won this race at Yonkers.

His two victories (trainer-driver of Trotting Triple Crown winner Windsong's Legacy in 2004; trainer of Strong Yankee in 2005) came when this race was out of town (Hawthorne, Freehold) as Yonkers was readying for the era of video lottery terminals.

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