Draw held for MGM Borgata Pacing Series opener

A total of 38 horses were dropped into the entry box for Monday’s (March 31) opening round of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series at MGM Yonkers Raceway, meaning there will be five $50,000 harness racing divisions on the 12-race program.

Back-to-back series champion Hellabalou (Sweet Lou) starts his quest for a three-peat from post seven for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke in the first split (race five). His competition includes Chase H Hanover (post three, Anthony Napolitano listed to drive for trainer Cory Stratton), who has been racing well in the top class over at Pocono and $2.2 million earner Charlie May (post four, David Miller listed to drive for trainer Heidi Cushing). Charlie May invades from Pocono off a 1:49 1/5 win in his last outing.

The second section goes in race six and Coaches Corner (Always A Virgin) (post seven, Jason Bartlett listed to drive for trainer Per Engblom) is the headliner. Coaches Corner was second in the MGM Borgata Pacing Series final and also the MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series final in 2024 at Yonkers and makes his second appearance of 2025 in Monday’s tilt. He’ll face the likes of Dunkin’ (post two, Tim Tetrick listed to drive for trainer Scott Di Domenico), who won two legs and was fifth in the series final a year ago, and the razor-sharp For Once Inmy Life (post three, Jordan Stratton listed to driver for trainer Cory Stratton).

Venturesome Arden N (Captaintreacherous) (post seven, Bartlett listed to drive for trainer Ricky Bucci) is among the horses entered in the third flight (race seven). Venturesome Arden N took a leg of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series last year and then came back to capture the consolation as well. Another horse to watch is Humble A (post eight, Bartlett listed to drive for trainer Scott Blackler) as he went eight-for-eight in the U.S. last fall and enters off a victorious qualifier at Pocono.

Desperate Man (post three, Matt Kakaley listed to drive for trainer Travis Alexander), who went four-for-four in the MGM Borgata Pacing Series prelims but then got caught up in a duel and had to settle for third in the final, starts his 7-year-old campaign in the fourth showdown (race eight). He gets to face off against horses such as the four-for-four in 2025 Mossdale Ben N (post six, Jordan Stratton listed to drive for trainer Peter Tritton) and stakes winner Combustion (post seven, Jason Bartlett listed to drive for trainer Doug Dilloian Jr.).

Veteran campaigner Rocknroll Runa A (post six, Matthew Athearn listed to drive for trainer Larry Stalbaum) is back in the MGM Borgata Pacing Series in Monday’s final tilt (race nine). Rocknroll Runa A captured two legs and was sixth in the final a year ago. He’ll take on 2024 MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series champion Typhoon Banner N (post one, trainer Joe Bongiorno listed to drive) and stakes winner Admiral Hill (post four, Yannick Gingras listed to drive for trainer Per Engblom).

The full MGM Borgata Pacing Series fields, with listed drivers and trainers, are as follows:

Division #1 (Race 5)

1-Huntinthelastdolar (Jason Bartlett/Per Engblom)

2-Sherlock N (George Brennan/Peter Tritton)

3-Chase H Hanover (Anthony Napolitano/Cory Stratton)

4-Charlie May (David Miller/Heidi Cushing)

5-Janelle Granny (Tim Tetrick/Scott Di Domenico)

6-Verdun (Pat Lachance drives/trains)

7-Hellabalou (Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke)

8-Carabao A (Anthony Napolitano/Lance Hudson)

Division #2 (Race 6)

1-Finvarra A (Brent Holland/Doug Dilloian Jr.)

2-Dunkin’ (Tim Tetrick/Scott Di Domenico)

3-Pleaseletmeknow (Matt Kakaley/Travis Alexander)

4-For Once Inmy Life (Jordan Stratton/Cory Stratton)

5-Hemsworth N (Scott Zeron/Jared Bako)

6-Lyons Steel (Brent Holland/Jose Ramos)

7-Coaches Corner (Jason Bartlett/Per Engblom)

Division #3 (Race 7)

1-Act Fast (Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke)

2-Wish You Well (David Miller/Nifty Norman)

3-Aardies Flash N (Jason Bartlett/Per Engblom)

4-Himself N (Anthony Napolitano/Lance Hudson)

5-Camara Moment (Scott Zeron/Michael Fiumenero)

6-Churchviewfrankl IR (Brent Holland/Paul Stafford)

7-Venturesome Arden N (Jason Bartlett/Ricky Bucci)

8-Humble A (Jason Bartlett/Scott Blackler)

Division #4 (Race 8)

1-My Ultimate Byron A (Yannick Gingras/Ricky Bucci)

2-Ammo (Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke)

3-Desperate Man (Matt Kakaley/Travis Alexander)

4-Its A Me Mario (Jason Bartlett/Shane Tritton)

5-Blazing Home N (Matthew Athearn/Larry Stalbaum)

6-Mossdale Ben (Jordan Stratton/Peter Tritton)

7-Combustion (Jason Bartlett/Doug Dilloian Jr.)

Division #5 (Race 9)

1-Typhoon Banner N (Joe Bongiorno drives/trains)

2-Hungry Angel Boy (Jason Bartlett/Nick Devita)

3-Birthday (Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke)

4-Admiral Hill (Yannick Gingras/Per Engblom)

5-Why Not Now (Matt Kakaley/Travis Alexander)

6-Rocknroll Runa A (Matthew Athearn/Larry Stalbaum)

7-Binge On Yankee (Scott Zeron/Jeff Gillis)

8-Miki Shan N (Jason Bartlett/Hunter Oakes)

The MGM Borgata Pacing Series prelims run through Monday, April 28, with the $200,000 (added) final and $100,000 (guaranteed) consolation on Friday, May 9 where they will be joined by the $200,000 (added) final and $100,000 (guaranteed) consolation of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Pacing Series. The Matchmaker kicks off on Friday (March 28) with four $50,000 divisions.

Additionally, in addition to those two Grand Circuit events kicking off, and in conjunction with the SOA of New York, purses at MGM Yonkers Raceway will increase by 10 percent starting on March 31.

MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday-Friday live racing schedule with post time each night at 6:45 p.m. (EDT).

For complete race entries, click here: US Trotting entries.

From Yonkers Raceway