Lochinvar Art, Jimmy Freight headline Borgata opener

The 2023 edition of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series for free-for-allers will begin on Monday night (March 20) at MGM Yonkers Raceway with four $50,000 harness racing divisions on the 12-race program.

Australia’s Lochinvar Art A (Modern Art) tops the first grouping (race three) and drew post five for the wife/husband, driver/trainer tandem of Lauren and Shane Tritton. Lochinvar Art, who earned over $1 million Down Under, has been victorious in all three of his U.S. appearances thus far, including a 1:51 win at Yonkers on March 6. He’ll take on a field that includes an MGM Borgata Pacing Series finalist from a year ago in Jack’s Legend N (Bettor’s Delight, post seven, Matt Kakaley/Travis Alexander).

Jimmy Freight (Sportswriter, post two, Scott Zeron/Brett Pelling) a track record holder at Yonkers, returns to Westchester in the second flight (race four). Jimmy Freight, who boasts lifetime earnings of over $1.6 million, won his 2018 Messenger Stakes elimination in 1:50.3, which still stands as the quickest mile by a 3-year-old colt pacer in the oval’s history, and has a victory and a third in two prep races at the Meadowlands so far this year. His competition includes former Adios champion Hellabalou (Sweet Lou, post one, Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke) and Backstreet Shadow (Shadow Play, post five, Matt Kakaley/Travis Alexander), who won two legs and made the MGM Borgata Pacing Series final in 2021.

As was the case in the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series, the top two finishers from last year’s final drew in the same first leg tilt (race six), with champion Funatthebeach N (Somebeachsomewhere, post five, Jordan Stratton/Jeff Gillis) and runner-up Leonidas A (Mach Three, post seven, Austin Siegelman/Matthew Medeiros) among the eight horses.

Funatthebeach N has won four of his seven starts so far in 2023, and Leonidas A has taken back-to-back editions of the Open Handicap Pace at Yonkers. It’s not just a two-horse race, though, as they will meet millionaires None Bettor A (Bettors Delight, post three, Matt Kakaley/Travis Alexander) and Tattoo Artist (Hes Watching, post four, Dexter Dunn/Chris Ryder), and 2021 MGM Borgata Pacing Series victor and $2.9 million earner This Is The Plan (Somebeachsomewhere, post eight, Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke).

Nandolo N (Betterthancheddar, post four, Jason Bartlett/Shane Tritton) is harness racing’s fastest performer to date this year by virtue of his 1:48.3 tally at the Meadowlands on January 22, and he competes in the last section on Monday night (race nine). Nandolo N was also an MGM Borgata Pacing Series finalist in 2022 after winning two preliminary legs. He’ll lock horns with the likes of 2021 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes champion American Courage (American Ideal, post two, Matt Kakaley/Travis Alexander), and Semi Tough (Somebeachsomewhere, post three, Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke), who was third in the MGM Borgata Pacing Series final a year ago.

The MGM Borgata Pacing Series continues for five consecutive weeks before a $200,000-added final estimated to boost the purse to $500,000 on April 24. That card will also include the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series final and consolation events for both races.

MGM Yonkers Raceway will also offer the MGM Borgata Pacing Series champion a win-and-you’re-in opportunity to both the $200,000 Battle of Lake Erie at MGM Northfield Park on June 10 and the $200,000 MGM Aria Pace at Yonkers on MGM Yonkers International Trot Day (September 23).

To complement the MGM Borgata Pacing Series, the Empire Terrace dining room will be open 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Mondays from March 20 to April 24. Owners and fans are invited to attend the races and enjoy food from an ala carte menu. No reservations are required.

MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday through Friday live racing schedule with post time at 7 p.m. (EST).

The full fields for Monday’s four MGM Borgata Pacing Series races are as follows with listed drivers and trainers.

Division 1 – Race 3
1-Soaring Now (Jk Endofanera, Andy McCarthy/Noel Daley)
2-Bad Tothe Bone N (Bettors Delight, Jason Bartlett/Hunter Oakes)
3-Rockin Withelvis A (Rock N Roll Heaven, Yannick Gingras/Jared Bako)
4-Casual Cool (American Ideal, Dexter Dunn/Daniel Renaud)
5-Lochinvar Art A (Modern Art, Lauren Tritton/Shane Tritton)
6-Dean B Hanover (Betting Line, Jordan Stratton/Jeff Gillis)
7-Jack’s Legend N (Bettor’s Delight, Matt Kakaley/Travis Alexander)
8-Bee Two Bee (Sunshine Beach, Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke)

Division 2 – Race 4
1-Hellabalou (Sweet Lou, Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke)
2-Jimmy Freight (Sportswriter, Scott Zeron/Brett Pelling)
3-Diamondbeach (Somebeachsomewhere, Braxten Boyd/Ricky Bucci)
4-Belmont Royale N (Betterthancheddar, David Miller/Nifty Norman)
5-Backstreet Shadow (Shadow Play, Matt Kakaley/Travis Alexander)
6-Oakwoodnitownit IR (Foreclosure N, Scott Zeron/Jared Bako)
7-Anothrmastrpiece N (Bettors Delight, Jason Bartlett/Shane Tritton)
8-The Ideal Dancer N (American Ideal, Andy McCarthy/Andrew Harris)

Division 3 – Race 6
1-Priceless Beach (Sunshine Beach, Matt Kakaley/Jared Bako)
2-Im Sir Blake A (Alta Christiano N, Marcus Miller/Marvin Aguilar)
3-None Bettor A (Bettors Delight, Matt Kakaley/Travis Alexander)
4-Tattoo Artist (Hes Watching, Dexter Dunn/Chris Ryder)
5-Funatthebeach N (Somebeachsomewhere, Jordan Stratton/Jeff Gillis)
6-American Dealer N (American Ideal, Joe Bongiorno/Linda Toscano)
7-Leonidas A (Mach Three, Austin Siegelman/Matthew Medeiros)
8-This Is The Plan (Somebeachsomewhere, Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke)

Division 4 – Race 9
1-Burnham Boy N (Bettors Delight, Dexter Dunn/Chris Ryder)
2-American Courage (American Ideal, Matt Kakaley/Travis Alexander)
3-Semi Tough (Somebeachsomewhere, Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke)
4-Nandolo N (Betterthancheddar, Jason Bartlett/Shane Tritton)
5-Idealsomemagic A (American Ideal, Jordan Stratton/Cory Stratton)
6-Hemsworth N (Sweet Lou, Matt Kakaley/Jared Bako)
7-Covered Bridge (American Ideal, Jordan Stratton/Jeff Gillis)
8-Undrthsouthrnsun N (Somebeachsomewhere, Joe Bongiorno/Jenn Bongiorno)

For complete Monday race entries, click here.

From Yonkers Raceway