The 2024 edition of the John Brennan Trotting Series got going on Wednesday night, April 10 at MGM Yonkers Raceway with five $33,784 divisions.
Tachyon (1:54.1), a five-year-old Muscle Hill gelding, won the fastest split with Jason Bartlett at the lines for trainer Ricky Bucci and owner Flatland Racing. Tachyon paid $2.30 to win, led an $8.10 exacta and a $29.60 trifecta. He was victorious for the 13th time in his career.
Royalty Beer (1:56.2) and Warrawee Yang (1:55.3) were also winning favourites in their respective Brennan Series sections. Royalty Beer, a five-year-old gelded son of Royalty For Life who returned $2.80 to win and keyed an $8.60 exacta and an $18 trifecta, had trainer Pat Lachance in the bike for owner Jean-Francois Maguire. Warrawee Yang, a four-year-old son of Trixton, was sent out to his fifth straight victory by trainer Mickey Burke Jr. for owners Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi. Warrawee Yang paid $2.30 to win while the exacta kicked back $7.80 and the trifecta was worth $63.50.
Completing the first leg victors were Resolve To Win (1:56.3) and Optrix (1:56.4). Resolve To Win, trained by Jeff Cullipher for owner Pollack Racing, is a four-year-old Resolve gelding who tallied as the 5-2 second choice and returned $7.40 to win. The exacta and trifecta were $17 and $58. Optrix, a four-year-old gelding by Trixton, is trained by Tom Jackson, who also co-owns with Howard Taylor and Jenna Cornelison. Optrix was the 2-1 second choice, returning $6.50 to win. The exacta paid $32.60 and the trifecta was worth $189.50.
The John Brennan Trotting Series, which has two more prelims prior to the $55,000 USD added final on April 31, is named in honour of the longtime Standardbred Owners Association of New York horsemen's representative who passed away from complications of COVID-19 in March 2020. The series is for three-year-olds and older who were non-winners of six pari-mutuel races or $200,000 USD through Feb. 1, 2024, with winners over $250,000 USD as of that date not eligible.
Coming up on Friday, April 12 and Monday, April 15 are the final rounds of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series for pacing mares and the MGM Borgata Pacing Series for older horses and geldings. After those events are complete, the stage will be set for the $200,000 USD added Borgata final and the $125,000 USD added Matchmaker final, both of which will take place on Monday, April 22.
Live harness racing takes place at Yonkers on a Monday through Friday schedule with post time each night at 7 p.m. (EDT).
(With files from Yonkers Raceway; Photo of Tachyon from a previous win at Pocono Downs)