Yonkers, NY – The final preliminary round of the John Brennan Trotting Series on Wednesday (April 15) at MGM Yonkers Raceway went just like the second leg did as Ma Isabelle and Kazio DK both won for the second straight week.
The John Brennan Trotting Series is named in honor of the longtime Standardbred Owners Association of New York horsemen’s representative who passed away from complications of COVID-19 in March 2020.
In the first division, Ma Isabelle (Pat Lachance) tracked Green Mel (Yannick Gingras) from the two-hole through stations of 28.3, 57.3 and 1:26.2, and when Green Mel tired late, Ma Isabelle pounced on the inside, rallying for the victory by a neck in 1:55.2. 1-5 favorite Zenmeister S (Jason Bartlett), who went first-up from third nearing three-quarters, gained ground in the lane but had to settle for second, while Green Mel faded to third.
Lachance trains the victorious 5-year-old daughter of Alarm Detector for owners/breeders Tom and Elizabeth Rankin. Ma Isabelle has 11 wins, 14 seconds and 11 thirds from 67 starts, has earned $193,892 and paid $35.94 to win as a 16-1 shot. She led a $59.66 exacta and an $105.18 trifecta.
Commodus A (Bartlett) clicked off opening-half panels of 29.1 and 58.3 in the second section and then got separation on pocket-sitting Kazio DK (Gingras) on the way to the 1:26.2 three-quarters. However, Kazio DK was able to reel Commodus A back in on the last turn, and when Gingras sent Kazio DK two-wide in the lane, he went right by Commodus A and on to a 2 1/2 length victory in 1:54.3. Exquisite Taste (Lachance) checked in third.
Gingras also co-owns the Ron Burke-trained Kazio DK, a 5-year-old gelding by Muscle Massive, with partners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC. and Fac Racing LLC. Kazio DK has a summary of 8-11-4 from 36 appearances, has banked $122,099 and returned $4.38 to win as the even-money second choice. He was atop an $8.14 exacta and a $12.40 trifecta.
This year’s John Brennan Trotting Series concludes next Wednesday (April 22) with the $100,000 (guaranteed) final and $50,000 (guaranteed) consolation. After being contested at the distance of a mile and a quarter in 2025, the final and consolation will go back to the standard mile distance this year.
Stakes action continues at MGM Yonkers Raceway on Friday (April 17) and Monday (April 20) with the fourth leg of the MGM Ursula McIntyre Pacing Series and MGM Borgata Pacing Series, respectively. The McIntyre has three $50,000 splits, as does the Borgata.
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).