Yonkers, NY — For the first time in 2023, the New York Sire Stakes circuit paid a visit to MGM Yonkers Raceway on Thursday night (June 22) with a couple of $77,300 divisions for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters on the 12-race program.

In the first grouping, Bargain, driven by Yannick Gingras, blasted right to the front from post seven and put up fractions of :29.3, 1:00.3 and 1:30.2. When pocket-sitter Wild Ticket (Brian Sears) broke and Mister Mellby (Åke Svanstedt) was unable to threaten from first-over, Bargain drew off to an 8-1/2-length victory in 1:59.1. Mister Mellby wound up second and Wild Ticket got back on stride to finish third.

Bargain drew clear for a dominant debut victory in Thursday’s New York Sire Stakes for rookie trotters at MGM Yonkers Raceway. Mike Lizzi photo.

Nancy Takter trains Bargain, a Chapter Seven colt bred by Steve Stewart and Michael Andrew, for owners Christinatakter&Anderberg, Nancy Takter & Jaf Racing, Joe Sbrocco and R A W Equine Inc. Making his debut off a fifth-place finish in a baby race at the Meadowlands on June 3, Bargain paid $51.50 to win as a 24-1 offering and led a $234.50 exacta and a $908.00 trifecta.

Chaplind, with trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer at the controls, minded his manners while the rest of the field didn’t, had a loose lead through stations of :30.2, 1:00.2 and 1:30, and came home in 29.3 to win the other section by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:59.3. Keep Asking (Gingras) and Thinker Monkey (Sears) overcame their early miscues to grab second and third, respectively.

Purple Haze Stables LLC owns Chaplind, another colt by Chapter Seven, and he was bred by Eli Miller and Peter Barbato. Chaplind, who was second at New Jersey’s Magical Acres in his lone qualifier on June 14, returned $14.60 to win after being sent off at 6-1 and was atop a $72.00 exacta and a $164.00 trifecta.

There were a pair of $20,000 New York Excelsior “A” Series splits as well. Crazy Wow gelding Tobern, steered by owner/trainer John Stark Jr., won the test on the pari-mutuel program on the engine in 2:00.2; and Whiskey Double, a gelding by Chapter Seven, captured the flight held as a non-betting event on the front end in 2:04 for driver Jason Bartlett, co-owner/trainer David Dewhurst, and co-owner Philip Hale. Tobern was bred by Bernard White and Kristie Leigh Farm Inc., and Fred Hertrich III bred Whiskey Double.

Stakes action at Yonkers continues Friday night (June 23) with two $40,000 MGM Yonkers Trot eliminations, in races six and seven, and a pair of $20,000 Park MGM Pace eliminations, in races one and two. The top four finishers from each of those dashes will advance to their respective finals on June 30. No eliminations were required for the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes or the New York New York Mile.

MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday live racing schedule with post time at 7 p.m. (EDT).