Favorites dominate Grand Prix Trotting Series Leg 3

Favorites cleaned up in the third and final leg of the MGM Grand Prix Trotting Series on Friday night (Dec 12) at MGM Yonkers Raceway as Sir Pinocchio, Antognoni S and Dribbling Bi were victorious in their respective $50,000 harness racing divisions.

Sir Pinocchio (Jason Bartlett) will have a chance at a series sweep in next Friday’s final after he captured the first grouping in 1:54.3. Sir Pinocchio showed speed and overcame the outside post six with little difficulty as he cleared Southwind Coors (Yannick Gingras) well before the 28 second opening quarter.

From there, Sir Pinocchio continued to show the way to the half in 57.3 and three-quarters in 1:26.1 before he came home in 28.2 to defeat Southwind Coors by 2 1/2 lengths. Blackhawk Zette (Brent Holland) was third, followed by Security Protected (Cory Stratton) and Big Box Hanover (Todd McCarthy).

By Met’s Hall, the 4-year-old gelding Sir Pinocchio is trained by Ed Hart for owner/breeder Carolyn Atherton. This was his 21st career victory, he has now pocketed $936,934 and paid $2.10 to win as the 1-5 choice. The exacta was $3.28 and the trifecta $10.54.

SIR PINOCCHIO GRAND PRIX LEG THREE REPLAY

Antognoni S (Gingras) put up fractions of 27.4, 57.3 and 1:26.2 in the next split and went on to tally by a length and a half in 1:54.2. Take All Comers (McCarthy), who was looking to go three-for-three in the prelims, had to settle for second from the pocket and Asteroid (Colin Kelly) was third. Escaper (Jim Marohn Jr.) and Ari Ferrari J (Bartlett) completed the top five.

Gingras also co-owns the Ron Burke-trained Antognoni S with partners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC. and FAC Racing LLC. Antognoni S, a 5-year-old Father Patrick gelding bred by Pellpac AB, has a summary of 21-5-6 from 43 starts, has earned $417,861 and returned $2.36 to win as the 1-9 favorite. He led a $4.64 exacta and a $15.50 trifecta.

Dribbling Bi (Bartlett) picked up his initial triumph in the series in 1:55 in the final flight. Away second, Bartlett tipped him off the pylons before the 28.2 quarter and wrestled command away from Cecil Hanover (Gingras) beyond that marker. Dribbling Bi remained in command through middle-half panels of 58 and 1:26.1, then held off a gaining Cecil Hanover through the lane and to the wire, scoring by a neck. Hot Flash Kimmy (Stratton) was third from Dire Straits (Matt Kakaley) and Khaosan Road (Daniel Dube).

DRIBBLING BI  GRAND PRIX LEG THREE REPLAY

Ron Coyne Jr. trains Dribbling Bi, a 6-year-old gelded son of Cantab Hall, for owner Windermere Stables LLC. Bred by M Biasuzzi Stable Inc., Dribbling Bi has 25 victories, 28 seconds and 20 thirds from 140 efforts, has banked $424,782 and paid $4.42 to win as the 6-5 favorite. He was atop a $9.02 exacta and a $53.60 trifecta.

Unofficially, the ten horses that advanced to next Friday’s (December 19) $250,000 MGM Grand Prix Trotting Series final are:

Sir Pinocchio (150 points)

Take All Comers (125 points)

Antognoni S (125 points)

Dribbling Bi (75 points)

Southwind Coors (62 points)

Asteroid (62 points)

Ari Ferrari J (55 points)

Ultion Face S (37 points)

Cecil Hanover (37 points)

Blackhawk Zette (25 points)

Points for the series were earned on a 50-25-12-8-5 scale (winner gets 50 points, runner-up gets 25, etc.), and a horse had to race in all three legs to be eligible for the final and the $75,000 consolation, which will also take place on that December 19 program. These same conditions applied to the companion MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series.

With the conclusion of tonight’s card, MGM Yonkers Raceway will begin the final week of its 2025 meet on Monday (December 15). Post time Monday through Thursday is at 6:45 p.m. (EST), while Friday’s (December 19) program will kick off at 2:15 p.m. (EST).

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

From Yonkers Raceway