Live racing returns to Yonkers on Monday

The 2024 live harness racing season at MGM Yonkers Raceway is set to begin on Monday, January 22 with an 11-race program.

A $32,000 Winners-Over $30,000 in their last five starts pacing event is the feature on Monday night and is led by Covered Bridge (post eight, Jordan Stratton listed to drive for trainer Jeff Gillis). Covered Bridge is coming off a victory in the Preferred at Woodbine Mohawk Park in his last start, and he earned over $528,000 in 2023.

In addition to the meet getting underway, horsemen and women also have a new floor in the paddock to look forward to on Monday night as MGM repaved it during the break in racing.

To start the 240 race date calendar, MGM Yonkers Raceway will operate on a Monday through Friday schedule with post time at 7 p.m. (eastern) but will switch to a Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday slate beginning the week of April 29. The Monday-Friday docket resumes the week of September 30. There are a few exceptions to the normal order, as the weeks of June 24, August 5 and August 12 will have racing Monday-Saturday, the week of September 2 has action on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday and on the week of Thanksgiving (November 25), the oval will only operate on Monday and Tuesday. Closing day for 2024 is Friday, December 20.

Stakes action at MGM Yonkers Raceway begins on Friday, March 15th with the first of five legs of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series for pacing mares and continues with the opening round of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series for horses and geldings on Monday, March 18. The Matchmaker and Borgata prelims conclude on April 12 and April 15, respectively, with the finals on Monday, April 22. Last year’s edition of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series final went for $511,000, while the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series final had a purse of $328,000.

Grand Circuit racing will then return to MGM Yonkers Raceway in late June with the $300,000 (guaranteed) MGM Yonkers Trot and the $250,000 (est.) MGM Grand Messenger, the first legs of the Trotting and Pacing Triple Crowns for 3-year-olds. Eliminations are on Friday, June 21 with the finals the following Friday.

Saturday, September 7 will be the biggest program of the year at MGM Yonkers Raceway, highlighted by the $1 million MGM Yonkers International Trot. Eight New York Sire Stakes finals will also take place, plus the MGM Aria Pace and Robert Miecuna Invitational Trot. Post time for that loaded card is expected to be noon.

All of us at MGM Yonkers Raceway welcome everybody back to the oval and look forward to another excellent season!

From Yonkers Raceway