| Founded in 1899, historic Yonkers Raceway has been | | | | The Messenger Stakes is the third leg in the Pacing |
| bringing the excitement of racing to the public for | | | | Triple Crown. It is also held at Yonkers Raceway. |
| over a hundred years. Thoroughbred racing was held | | | | Named after Messenger, a gray English horse foaled |
| on the track from 1907 to 1943, and many famous | | | | in 1780 and imported to the United States, it honors |
| horses like Seabiscuit raced here. Harness racing | | | | one of the four original stallions that helped contribute |
| returned after 1943 and has since been the primary | | | | to the U. S. racing bloodlines. The other two legs of |
| focus of the track, although recently gaming | | | | this venerable Triple Crown include the Cane Pace, |
| machines have been added to the facility. The | | | | which is held at Freehold Raceway, and the Little |
| renovation in 2005 added over 2,000 video gaming | | | | Brown Jug, hosted at the Delaware County Fair in |
| machines and restaurants to serve its patrons. | | | | Ohio. The Pacing Triple Crown has been won ten |
| Yonkers Raceway holds a singular distinction over all | | | | times since 1956, most recently in 2003 by No Pan |
| other harness tracks... it is home to one leg of the | | | | Intended. |
| Trotting Triple Crown and one leg of the Pacing | | | | The first winner of the Messenger Stakes was Belle |
| Triple Crown. Yonkers Raceway hosts the Yonkers | | | | Acton, in 1956. Other winners of merit have included |
| Trot, the third leg of the Trotters Triple Crown. The | | | | Bret Hanover in 1965, Niatross in 1980, Gryffindor in |
| other two legs include the Hambletonian, hosted at | | | | 2005, and Somebeachsomewhere in 2008. The |
| the Meadowlands, and the Kentucky Futurity, held at | | | | Messenger Stakes began its history at Roosevelt |
| The Red Mile. To date, there have only been eight | | | | Raceway in Westbury, New York. When that track |
| horses to win the Trotting Triple Crown, the most | | | | closed in 1988, the race was shuffled from Rosecroft |
| recent when Glidemaster won the honors in 2006. | | | | Raceway to Freestate Raceway to Yonkers |
| The Yonkers Trot was first run in 1955. The length | | | | Raceway back and forth until 1995, when it moved |
| of the race was shortened to a mile in 1963, when | | | | to the Meadows Racetrack. Although it was due to |
| the name was also changed from the Yonkers | | | | return to Yonkers in 2004, the track was undergoing |
| Futurity to the Yonkers Trot. It has been run at | | | | extensive renovations at the time, so it did not |
| Yonkers Raceway every year with the exception of | | | | return to Yonkers until 2006. Like the Little Brown |
| 2004 and 2005, when it was run at Hawthorne | | | | Jug, the Messenger Stakes is run in several heats, so |
| Racecourse and Freehold Raceway, respectively, due | | | | the ultimate winner had to prove his stamina by |
| to renovations at Yonkers. In 1992, the race ended in | | | | winning both an elimination and the final race on the |
| a dead heat, much to the excitement of the crowd. | | | | same day to declared the winner. In 2006, however, |
| Magic Lobell and McCluckey both took home the win | | | | the elimination heats were held a week before the |
| that year. | | | | final, and that is how it is currently run to this day. |