Horses trained by Ron Burke or Per Engblom were the winners of all three $30,000 divisions of the final preliminary round of the John Brennan Trotting Series on Wednesday night (April 16) at MGM Yonkers Raceway.
Burke's Antognoni S will go for a series sweep after he won his split in 1:56.1. Away third from post five, Antognoni S took control from first-up heading to the 1:28 three-quarters and opened up from there to defeat Lucky Mum N (Brent Holland) by 10 lengths. A 5-year-old Father Patrick gelding, Antognoni S (paid $2.10 to win) is co-owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., Fac Racing LLC. and driver Yannick Gingras.
The other victor for Burke was Busy Making Moni, who got up at the wire after he tipped out of the pocket before three-quarters, to defeat Engblom-trained Bellissimo Face S (Jason Bartlett) by a nose in 1:57.2. It was the second straight win in the series for Busy Making Moni (paid $3.70 to win), a 5-year-old gelded son of International Moni owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Engblom got the better of Burke back in the night's first section as Green Pastures, a 4-year-old gelding by Greenshoe, vaulted into the lead on the last turn from second-over and held off Blockchain (Gingras) by a length in 1:58.1. Green Pastures (paid $9.40 to win), who won in the opening leg and then took last week off, is owned by VIP Internet Stable LLC., Engblom Stable LLC., R A W Equine Inc. and Marco Greico.
► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter
As far as next Wednesday's (April 23) $100,000 (guaranteed) final goes, Engblom and Burke wound up qualifying seven of the eight horses eligible to the event, but by rule in the stakes conditions, they are limited to two starters each. The final will be drawn on Thursday (April 17), providing clarity on which horses they elect to enter in the final and which ones end up in the $50,000 (guaranteed) consolation.
The John Brennan Trotting Series is named in honor of the longtime SOA of NY horsemen's representative who passed away from complications of COVID-19 in March 2020.
FOURTH ROUNDS OF MATCHMAKER & BORGATA SERIES SET: The penultimate leg of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series will occur on Friday night (April 18) and will have three $50,000 divisions. Aardie B Miki N, who is three-for-three in the Matchmaker so far, is taking the week off, giving mares who have been chasing her a chance at valuable points towards the May 9 final.
Four $50,000 MGM Borgata Pacing Series tests will then go behind the gate on Monday (April 21). Mossdale Ben N (post five, race three) goes for his third win in the event, as do Verdun (post two, race seven), For Once Inmy Life (post three, race eight) and Coaches Corner (post six, race eight).
PICK 5 GUARANTEED POOL BOOSTED ON MONDAYS & FRIDAYS: Continuing for every Monday and Friday card during the legs of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series and Blue Chip Matchmaker Series, MGM Yonkers Raceway, in conjunction with the SOA of NY, will offer a $20,000 guaranteed Pick 5 pool in race five.
The guaranteed Pick 5 pool on Mondays is also a part of the United States Trotting Association's Strategic Wagering Program.
MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday through Friday live racing schedule with post time each night at 6:45 p.m. (EDT).
--press release (Yonkers)--