The fields are now set for the third leg of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series, which will take place at MGM Yonkers Raceway on Monday, April 1. A total of 22 horses were entered and were split into a trio of $50,000 USD divisions.
Desperate Man (post three) and Rocknroll Runa (post seven, pictured above) improved to two-for-two in the series last night (March 25) and will meet for the first time in the event in the featured third section (race nine). They'll be joined by Whats Stanley Got A (post four), one of the other leg two victors, and round one winner Covered Bridge (post six).
Linedrive Hanover (post six) has a win and a second thus far in the MGM Borgata Pacing Series and is the headliner back in the first of Monday's tests (race five). The 2022 MGM Borgata Pacing Series champion, Funatthebeach N (post four), was a game second in his race last night and will try to back that up against Linedrive Hanover.
Dunkin (post one) tallied in his split in leg two and will look for another victory in the second of the third round flights (race eight). Defending MGM Borgata Pacing Series champion Hellabalou (post seven) is also in this dash, as is Backstreet Shadow (post six), who will make just his second pari-mutuel appearance of 2024.
A full look at the fields follows:
Division 1 (Race 5)
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Coaches Corner - Jason Bartlett - Per Engblom
2. Leonidas A - Austin Siegelman - Matthew Medeiros
3. Sumomentsomwhere A - Yannick Gingras - Mickey Burke Jr.
4. Funatthebeach N - Jordan Stratton - Jeff Gillis
5. Strengthfromabove - Jordan Stratton - Besim Odza
6. Linedrive Hanover - Scott Zeron - Linda Toscano
7. Magic Four N - Todd McCarthy - Brett Pelling
8. Venturesome Arden N - George Brennan - Ricky Bucci
Division 2 (Race 8)
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Dunkin - Tim Tetrick - Scott Di Domenico
2. Torrid Saint A - Matthew Athearn - Jimmy Nickerson
3. Fourever Boy - Scott Zeron - Linda Toscano
4. I Did It Myway - Tim Tetrick - Chuck Crissman Jr.
5. Naturally Gifted A - Todd McCarthy - Tahnee Camilleri
6. Backstreet Shadow - Matt Kakaley - Travis Alexander
7. Hellabalou - Yannick Gingras - Mickey Burke Jr.
Division 3 (Race 9)
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Thunder Hunter Joe - Tim Tetrick - Andrew Adamczyk
2. Cranbourne N - Austin Siegelman - Matthew Medeiros
3. Desperate Man - Matt Kakaley - Travis Alexander
4. Whats Stanley Got A - George Brennan - Cory Stratton
5. Semi Tough - Yannick Gingras - Mickey Burke Jr.
6. Covered Bridge - Jordan Stratton - Jeff Gillis
7. Rocknroll Runa A - Mark MacDonald - Larry Stalbaum
Preliminary round action in the MGM Borgata Pacing Series continues through Monday, April 15, with the $200,000 USD added final slated to take place on Monday, April 22. This year's MGM Borgata Pacing Series final will also have a "win and you're in" feature for the $125,000 USD Birthday Invitational Pace in May to celebrate 125 years of MGM Yonkers Raceway, the Battle of Lake Erie at MGM Northfield on June 8 and the Aria Invitational at Yonkers scheduled for Sept. 7.
The Friday, March 29 program at MGM Yonkers Raceway will be headlined by a trio of $40,000 USD splits of the third leg of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series for pacing mares and will feature battles between prelim winners Tonys Mom and Lit De Rose in the second flight (Race 10) and Incaseyoudidntknow and Mikala in the finale (Race 11). The opening rounds of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series will continue through Friday, April 12, with the $125,000 USD added final on Monday, April 22.
MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday-Friday live racing schedule with post time each night at 7 p.m. (EDT).
(Yonkers Raceway)