Matchmaker and Borgata Series highlight Grand Circuit

Harness Racing This Week: Blue Chip Matchmaker and MGM Borgata Pacing Series second legs, MGM Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, N.Y. This is the opening event of the 2024 Grand Circuit season.

Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit at Yonkers features three $40,000 divisions on Friday (March 22) in the second round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series for open pacing mares. The Monday (March 25) card at Yonkers will see four $50,000 divisions in the second round of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series for open pacers.

Each series offers five preliminary rounds leading to the finales, both set for Monday (April 22).

Complete entries for the races can be found by clicking on this link.

Last Time: Desperate Man, the 2021 Horse of the Year in Canada, became a millionaire in U.S. dollars after taking the first of four $50,000 flights of the opening leg of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series for older horses and geldings on Monday night (March 18) at MGM Yonkers Raceway. Also taking victories were Rocknroll Runa A, Covered Bridge and Linedrive Hanover.

Driven by Matt Kakaley for trainer Travis Alexander, Desperate Man left from post five and worked his way past Sumomentsomwhere A (Yannick Gingras) for the top spot approaching the :27 opening quarter. Desperate Man was unchallenged from there, which allowed Kakaley to back down the middle-half fractions to :56 and 1:24.2, and a :27.2 final kicker got Desperate Man to the wire a length and a half ahead of Sumomentsomwhere A in a 1:51.4 mile. Venturesome Arden N (Brent Holland) was the third-place finisher.

A 6-year-old Shadow Play gelding, Desperate Man is owned by Kathy Cecchin and was bred by Winbak Farm. This was his 17th career victory; he has now banked $1,014,439 and he paid $3.00 to win as the 1-2 favorite.

Lit De Rose and driver Scott Zeron converted on a pocket trip to victory in the first of three $40,000 first-leg divisions of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series on Friday night (March 15). The veteran Quebec-bred mare has been a constant at Yonkers over the last few years and won for the first time with the combination of Zeron in the bike and Hall of Famer Mike Lachance as the conditioner.

Lit De Rose left from post two at the outset, and Zeron took control of the action late on the opening turn before yielding to Delitfulcatherin N and driver Jordan Stratton off the opening bend. The pace was rapid with an opening panel of :27.3.

Stratton used his advantage to slow the pace to :57.2 by the half, and that prompted George Brennan to guide 1-2 choice Mikala to the outside on a coverless mission. Delitfulcatherin N picked up the bit and the pace in the third quarter, not allowing the favorite to get close enough with a :27.3 sprint to hit three-quarters in 1:25 with a clear edge.

Off the final turn, Mikala weakened enough to give Zeron all the room he would need, and Lit De Rose clearly knew exactly what to do, as she marched on by the pacesetter after angling out to score in 1:53.2. Delitfulcatherin N was a clear second, with Mikala holding off Violets Rainbow for the third spot.

Sent off as the 8-5 second choice, Lit De Rose returned $5.20 to win. Owned by breeder Guy Corbeil, Lit De Rose won for the second time in three starts this year, and with the victory moved within $37,000 of reaching $1 million in career earnings.

Complete recaps of all the races are available at the Grand Circuit website.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2024, the Grand Circuit leaders in three categories (driver, trainer and owner) will once again be tracked on a points system (20-10-5 for the top three finishers in divisions/finals and 10-5-2 for the top three finishers in eliminations/legs). Winbak Farms is the sponsor for the 2024 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders (through the races on 3-18-24):

Drivers: 1t. Yannick Gingras – 25; 1t. Scott Zeron – 25; 3. Jordan Stratton – 17; 4. Matt Kakaley – 12; 5t. Mark MacDonald – 10; 5t. Andrew McCarthy – 10.

Trainers: 1t. Michael Burke – 15; 1t. Per Engblom – 15; 1t. Jeff Gillis – 15; 1t. Cory Stratton – 15; 1t. Linda Toscano – 15.

Owners: 1. Mark Ford – 15; 2t. Kathy Cecchin – 10; 2t. Guy Corbeil – 10; 2t. Larry Stalbaum – 10.

Looking ahead: After this weekend, Grand Circuit action will continue with legs of the Blue Chip Matchmaker and MGM Borgata over the next three weeks. The finals for both events will be held on April 22.

by Paul Ramlow, for the Grand Circuit