Borgata, Matchmaker Series head Grand Circuit action

Harness Racing This Week: Blue Chip Matchmaker and MGM Borgata Pacing series fourth 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 two $40,000 divisions on Friday (April 5) in the fourth round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker series for open pacing mares. The Monday (April 8) card at Yonkers will see three $50,000 divisions in the fourth round of the MGM Borgata Pacing series for open pacers.

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

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

Last Time: Desperate Man improved to three-for-three while Linedrive Hanover and Dunkin’ both collected their second victories in the prelims in a trio of $50,000 divisions of the third leg of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series on Monday night (April 1) at MGM Yonkers Raceway.

Racing in the night’s final Borgata battle, Desperate Man (Shadow Play) and driver Matt Kakaley got away in the sixth position from post three, but rather than take a tuck on the opening turn, Kakaley elected to drive on two-wide. Whats Stanley Got A (George Brennan), who pulled a 7-1 upset in one of last week’s Borgata races, cut the quarter in :27, but Desperate Man was moving quickly on the rim and forged his way to the front-end on the second bend.

From there, Desperate Man got to the half in :55.4 and the three-quarters in 1:23.3, with Covered Bridge (Jordan Stratton) making some headway first-over while tracked by Rocknroll Runa A (Mark MacDonald), who was two-for-two in the Borgata Series coming into the action.

Desperate Man wasn’t about to lose his own unblemished status, though, as he had a :28 last quarter in the tank and kept clear to prevail by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:51.3. Whats Stanley Got A held second over Rocknroll Runa A.

Trained by Travis Alexander for owner Kathy Cecchin, Desperate Man, who was bred by Winbak Farm, is a 6-year-old gelding. He made his 19th trip to the winner’s circle, has now banked $1,064,439 and paid $2.20 to win as the 1-9 favorite.

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 4-1-24):

Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 48.5; 2t. Jordan Stratton – 48; 2t. Matt Kakaley – 48; 4. Scott Zeron – 40; 5. George Brennan – 37.

Trainers: 1. Cory Stratton – 39; 2. Michael Burke – 38.5; 3. Travis Alexander – 38; 4. Jeff Gillis – 37; 5. Linda Toscano –30.

Owners: 1. Mark Ford – 37; 2. Kathy Cecchin – 30; 3t. Larry Stalbaum – 22; 3t. Betty Clegg – 22; 3t. Goy Corbeil – 22.

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

by Paul Ramlow, for the Grand Circuit