Yonkers, NY — Antognoni S scored his first win in the event while Take All Comers and Sir Pinocchio doubled up in Friday night’s (Dec. 5) trio of $50,000 second-leg divisions of the MGM Grand Prix Trotting Series at MGM Yonkers Raceway.
In the first flight, opening-round victor Ari Ferrari J (Jason Bartlett) fired out from the outside post 7 but made a break on the first turn. With Ari Ferrari J no longer in contention, that put Antognoni S (Yannick Gingras) on the point, and he carved out fractions of :28.2, :57.1 and 1:25.4.
He gained separation on the rest of the field going to three-quarters and continued to pour it on through the :28.1 final station en route to a 10-length triumph from a second-over Dribbling Bi (Daniel Dubé) in 1:54, with a first-over Amigo Volo (George Brennan) third. Mississippi Storm (Brent Holland) and Security Protected (Jordan Stratton) rounded out the top five.
Gingras also co-owns the Ron Burke-trained Antognoni S with partners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and FAC Racing. Antognoni S, a 5-year-old Father Patrick gelding bred by Pellpac AB, has a summary of 20-5-6 from 42 starts, has earned $392,861, and paid $2.22 to win as the 1-9 favorite. He led a $9.60 exacta and a $19.80 trifecta.
Take All Comers (Todd McCarthy), the defending champion of this series, showed speed from the outside post 7 in the second split and worked his way past Cecil Hanover (Gingras) beyond the :27.2 quarter. Take All Comers remained on the engine through middle-half stations of :56.1 and 1:24.4, and his :29.4 final quarter was enough to hold off a first-over Asteroid (Colin Kelly) by a half length in 1:54.3. Southwind Coors (Bartlett), Keg Stand (Matt Kakaley) and Blackhawk Zette (Brennan) were third through fifth.
Jim Campbell sent out Take All Comers, a 7-year-old gelded son of Creatine, for owner/breeder Runthetable Stables. Take All Comers has 24 wins, 14 seconds and 11 thirds from 78 starts, has banked $1,189,801, and returned $28.04 to win as a 13-1 offering. He keyed a $124.92 exacta and a $262.86 trifecta.
Sir Pinocchio (Bartlett) bagged the final section in 1:54.1. Sir Pinocchio, who put up a track-record mile in winning his grouping in the opening round, had command at the :27.4 quarter, :57.1 half and 1:25.3 three-quarters as even-money second choice Periculum (Scott Zeron) made a first-over move out of third as they raced in the backstretch for the final time.
Unfortunately, just as he did two weeks ago, Periculum went off-stride on the final bend, which allowed Sir Pinocchio to cruise to a 2-1/2-length decision over pocket sitter Ultion Face S (Tyler Buter). Khaosan Road (Dubé) was next, followed by Benny J (Jim Marohn Jr.) and Escaper (Holland).
By Met’s Hall, the 4-year-old gelding Sir Pinocchio is trained by Ed Hart for owner/breeder Carolyn Atherton. This was his 20th career victory, he has now pocketed $911,934, and he paid $3.62 to win as the 4-5 choice. The exacta was $12.90 and the trifecta $41.70.
The MGM Grand Prix Trotting Series prelims conclude next Friday (Dec. 12). Points for the series are 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 MGM Grand Prix Trotting Series and the companion MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series.
MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series action resumes on Monday (Dec. 8) at MGM Yonkers Raceway with four $50,000 divisions of the third and final preliminary round, in races 2, 4, 5 and 8. Captain Albano will look to complete a three-for-three run through the series when he lines up from post 2 in the opening split.
Through the end of the meet, on Dec. 19, MGM Yonkers Raceway is operating on a Monday-through-Friday live racing schedule with post time each night at 6:45 p.m. (EST).