MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series opening round drawn

Yonkers, NY — Four $50,000 first-round splits of the MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series will headline Monday’s (Nov. 24) program at MGM Yonkers Raceway.

Two-time Dan Patch Award recipient Captain Albano headlines the first grouping (race 3) with Todd McCarthy listed to drive the Noel Daley trainee from post 4. In an appearance at Yonkers earlier this year, he was the winner of the Aria Invitational Pace on International Trot Day. His competition includes Huntinthelastdolar (post 3, Jason Bartlett listed to drive for trainer Per Engblom), who won two legs and was fourth in the MGM Borgata Pacing Series final in the spring at Yonkers.

Mossdale Ben N (post 7, Jordan Stratton listed to drive for Peter Tritton), the 2025 MGM Borgata Pacing Series champion, is the big name in the second division (race 5). Calicojack Hanover (post 1, Daniel Dubé listed to drive for trainer Luc Blais) ships south from Canada, and he was the winner of the Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup over the half-mile oval at Flamboro Downs in May.

Coaches Corner, who was second in the final of this series a year ago, returns to Yonkers in the third flight (race 7). He’ll face the likes of $1.8 million earner Desperate Man (post 5, Matt Kakaley listed to drive for trainer Travis Alexander) and Verdun (post 3, trainer Pat Lachance listed to drive), who was third in the Borgata final.

The last section has the likes of Miki Shan N (post 1, Colin Kelly listed to drive for trainer Deborah Daguet), who raced in the Borgata Series earlier this year and then had a successful run through the Canadian Maritimes, including a victory in the Gold Cup & Saucer, and a 3-year-old in New York Sire Stakes runner-up Courts On Fire (post 6, Yannick Gingras listed to drive). Courts On Fire is making his first start for trainer Ron Burke.

Here are the full fields, with listed drivers and trainers, for Monday’s MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series action:

Division 1 — Race 3

1. Tip Top Cat (Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke)
2. Jamaican Rock A (Todd McCarthy, Scott Blackler)
3. Huntinthelastdolar (Jason Bartlett, Per Engblom)
4. Captain Albano (Todd McCarthy, Noel Daley)
5. Nandolo N (Lauren Tritton, Shane Tritton)
6. Whats Stanley Got A (Jordan Stratton, Cory Stratton)
7. Funtime Bayama (Jason Bartlett, Andrew Harris)
8. Soho Dow Jones A (George Brennan, Doug Dilloian Jr.)

Division 2 — Race 5

1. Calicojack Hanover (Daniel Dubé, Luc Blais)
2. Soho Firestone A (George Brennan, Doug Dilloian Jr.)
3. Catalpa Rescue A (Todd McCarthy, Scott Blackler)
4. Always A Thrill (Colin Kelly, Nick DeVita)
5. Racing Rebel (Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke)
6. Racing Rampage (Ridge Warren, Travis Alexander)
7. Mossdale Ben N (Jordan Stratton, Peter Tritton)
8. Redwood Hanover (Jason Bartlett, Per Engblom)

Division 3 — Race 7

1. Tenzing Bromac N (Ron Cushing, Heidi Cushing)
2. Coaches Corner (Jason Bartlett, Per Engblom)
3. Verdun (Pat Lachance, Pat Lachance)
4. Blazing Home N (Mark MacDonald, Larry Stalbaum)
5. Desperate Man (Matt Kakaley, Travis Alexander)
6. American Dealer N (Daniel Dubé, Linda Toscano)
7. Sherlock N (Jim Marohn Jr., Peter Tritton)
8. Endofstory (Jason Bartlett, Doug Dilloian Jr.)

Division 4 — Race 9

1. Miki Shan N (Colin Kelly, Deborah Daguet)
2. El Rey (Jason Bartlett, Andrew Harris)
3. The Greek Freak (Matt Kakaley, Travis Alexander)
4. Aye Aye Captain N (Brent Holland, Ricky Bucci)
5. Spring Inhis Step A (Todd McCarthy, Jeff Cullipher)
6. Courts On Fire (Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke)
7. Captain Moore A (Matt Kakaley, Scott Blackler)
8. Hemsworth N (Austin Siegelman, Jared Bako)

Monday will be the first of three MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series prelims, with the second round on Monday, Dec. 1, and the third leg on Monday, Dec. 8. Points for the series will be earned on a 50-25-12-8-5 scale (winner gets 50 points, runner-up gets 25, etc.).

The top 10 point earners get a spot in the $250,000, 1-1/4-mile final on Friday, Dec. 19, while the next 10 point earners go in the $75,000, 1-1/4-mile consolation on the same card. A horse must race in all three legs to be eligible for the final and the consolation for both the Trot and the Pace.

MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday-through-Friday live racing schedule with post time each night at 6:45 p.m. (EST).