Over the years, trainer Anette Lorentzon has named some of her family’s homebred horses after songs, but Iwon’t Backdown As is more than a nod to a Tom Petty hit. It fits her 4-year-old trotter to a T. On Saturday, Iwon’t Backdown As returns to The Big M for the third-and-final preliminary round of the Graduate.
Category: Grand Circuit News
Engblom hopes for ‘Trendy’ result in Graduate
When it comes to his style on the racetrack, Trendy Teen is with it. A 4-year-old gelding, Trendy Teen has jumped up to Grand Circuit action this season and held his own in the first two rounds of the Graduate Pacing Series, putting himself in position to reach the July 8 final with another strong performance this Saturday (June 24) at The Meadowlands.
A change in philosophy and Kierkegaard K
Swedish-born trotter Gone Baby Gone never had the opportunity to fulfill the potential trainer Åke Svanstedt saw in the filly at the age of 2. Five years later, though, she is making her presence known through the performances of her first foal, Kierkegaard K. Three-year-old colt Kierkegaard K, the No. 4-ranked horse on the most recent “Road to the Hambletonian” produced by Meadowlands announcer/analyst Ken Warkentin, is 2-for-2 this season and coming off equaling the fastest trotting mile ever at Vernon Downs as he heads to Friday’s second of two eliminations of the MGM Yonkers Trot.
Confederate takes over top spot in Little’s Road to the Meadowlands Pace
The harness racing world is waiting to see if owners Richard and Joanne Young will supplement their North America Cup-winning gelding It’s My Show to The Meadowlands Pace.
Volume Eight remains top contender in Warkentin’s Road to the Hambletonian
Volume Eight retains the top spot in Week Four of Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Hambletonian.
Get A Wish first to join MGM Yonkers International Trot field
With just 11 weeks remaining before the $1 million MGM Yonkers International Trot, the management at MGM Yonkers Raceway is already extending invitations and has its eyes open for potential additions to the trotting classic. MGM Yonkers Raceway will host the 1-1/4 mile event for some of the world’s best older trotters on Saturday (Sept. 9). Each week a new contender for the race will be unveiled and first up is the Danish representative Get A Wish.
MGM Yonkers Trot elims set, MGM Grand Messenger goes right to the final
Eliminations for the MGM Yonkers Trot — the first leg of the Trotting Triple Crown — and Park MGM Pace will take place on Friday night (June 23) at MGM Yonkers Raceway. The MGM Grand Messenger Stakes, the opening leg of the Pacing Triple Crown; and the New York New York Mile, for 3-year-old filly trotters, didn’t require eliminations and will go straight to their respective finals on June 30.
Tetrick, McCarthy eye more Cup glory
Tim Tetrick will head to Saturday’s C$1 million Pepsi North America Cup for 3-year-old pacers at Woodbine Mohawk Park with morning-line favorite Confederate, and a win would make him only the third driver to capture the race at least three times as well as increase his total number of victories in million-dollar races to nine. Of course, nine foes stand in the way of Confederate and Tetrick. Among them is Christchurch and Todd McCarthy, who with a triumph would become the first driver to win the Cup in his first two appearances in the race while also becoming only the third driver ever to hoist the trophy in consecutive years.
Morgan sends Grace Hill and Refined into Mohawk stakes
Virgil Morgan Jr. has nothing but good things to say about female pacer Grace Hill and female trotter Refined heading into Saturday’s stakes action at Woodbine Mohawk Park, and it is easy to understand why.
King hopes surf’s up in NA Cup
The King Stable knows the thrill of winning the Pepsi North America Cup, having captured the 2015 edition of the million-dollar race for 3-year-old pacers with Wakizashi Hanover in an upset over Wiggle It Jiggleit. On Saturday, the stable will return to Woodbine Mohawk Park for a North America Cup final for the first time since that memorable day, hoping to spring another surprise with Lyons Surfing.