Yonkers, NY – Lexus Kody, representing Canada, led throughout and won the 2025 edition of the $1 million Grade 1 MGM Yonkers International Trot on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 13) at MGM Yonkers Raceway. Lexus Kody, driven by Yannick Gingras for trainer Ron Burke, completed the mile and a quarter in 2:24.4.
Starting from post one and coming in off a Canadian-record 1:49.1 victory in the Maple Leaf Trot final at Woodbine Mohawk Park most recently, Lexus Kody made the lead with little dispute as Germany’s Gio Cash, who went off as the favorite, showed some early speed from post three but elected to sit in the pocket for trainer-driver Daniel Wajersten. Behind them, Aetos Kronos S (Dexter Dunn) ended up parked from post five as Periculum (Scott Zeron) drove through to fill the inside from the trailing post nine.
The quarter was put up in :28.1 and past that marker Double Deceiver (Orjan Kihlstrom) swept up three-wide from near the back of the pack and would clear Aetos Kronos S to take over the first-up position. Also in the outer tier were France’s Hohneck (Gabriele Gelormini), Southwind Coors (Jason Bartlett) and Italian starter Diva EK (Alessandro Gocciadoro).
Things remained unchanged on both the front and back in the pack through the :57.2 half, 1:27.1 three-quarters and 1:56 mile as Lexus Kody continued to show the way while Double Deceiver remained to his outside. Aetos Kronos S did make a three-wide move before the mile went on the board, and he was followed by Hohneck as Southwind Coors went on a break, briefly bothering Diva EK.
In the stretch, Lexus Kody managed to keep the pylon path closed, which kept Gio Cash and Periculum hopelessly boxed in. However, Gocciadoro had swung Diva EK out widest from the tail of the field, and the lone mare in the field closed quickly. The finish line came up in time for Lexus Kody, though, as he scored by a half-length. Norway’s Powwow (Bjorn Goop) also finished with trot from towards the rear of the group to get third, followed by Gio Cash and Double Deceiver.
“Honestly, this horse was not even close to being 100 percent today. In the last turn, if he was 100 percent, I think he would have just taken off and won by five. A win’s a win, I’ll take the win,” Gingras stated. “He was perfect (manners-wise). As long as he’s relaxed in the post parade, that’s when he’s usually at his best. He was really chill. They’ve done a tremendous job with him. It was a lot work, not just for me but Joe-Joe (groom Joseph Tosies) at the farm and then Ronnie and everybody else. It wasn’t something that was easy. We always knew the potential was there, it was trying to get it out of him. That’s what they do best. I have all the respect in the world for the Burke Brigade. Their horses come back year after year after year and they improve. All credit to them.
“I did rate it enough but I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t loaded turning for home. I did want the wire. I didn’t kick the earplugs, but he was giving me what he could.”
Ron Burke trains Lexus Kody, a 7-year-old gelding by Archangel, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, and Phil Collura. Lexus Kody has 33 wins, 20 seconds and 11 thirds from 85 career starts, has earned $1.47 million.
Sent off as the 3-1 second choice behind 2-1 favorite Gio Cash, he returned $8.76 to win. He led a $166.12 exacta and a $3,182.52 trifecta.
“He’s a different horse right now, a couple different changes with him and now he’s able to be used in a different way,” Burke said, while he also credited Tosies for the work he’s done with Lexus Kody. “It was nice to draw inside. We’ve been in a couple of times in this race before where we drew in the wrong spot. I said to Yannick ‘I don’t know if they’ll beat him to the turn. He gets through the turns really fast now.’ He warmed up great and Yannick did a good job. Kind of everything fell the right way for him. The right horses were parked, and the right horses were locked in, and that’s what you need to do sometimes to go the whole way on the lead. This is big, this is a million (dollars) American.
“I trained the sire at the end so it’s nice for me, too. I loved his sire, and a lot of our horses come and they’re great from the get-go. This horse has been a growing thing, and we’ve learned with him. I’m really impressed with him and happy for him and the whole barn.”
Burke added that Lexus Kody will be right back in action on Friday (Sept. 19) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park in the Caesars Trotting Classic.