This Week: Blue Chip Matchmaker and MGM Borgata Pacing series third legs, MGM Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, N.Y. This is the opening event of the 2024 Grand Circuit season.

Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit at Yonkers features three $40,000 divisions on Friday (March 29) in the third round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker series for open pacing mares. The Monday (April 1) card at Yonkers will see three $50,000 divisions in the third round of the MGM Borgata Pacing series for open pacers.

Each series offers five preliminary rounds leading to the finales, both set for Monday (April 22).

Complete entries for the races can be found by clicking on this link.

Last Time: Desperate Man and Rocknroll Runa A improved to two-for-two in this year’s MGM Borgata Pacing Series by taking their respective $50,000 divisions of the second leg on Monday night (March 25) at MGM Yonkers Raceway. Collecting wins in the other sections were Dunkin’ and Whats Stanley Got A.

Desperate Man won one of four $50,000 divisions of the second leg of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series at Yonkers Raceway. Mike Lizzi photo.

The big showdown of the program came in the second section as round one victors Linedrive Hanover, Covered Bridge and Desperate Man were all entered. Covered Bridge (Jordan Stratton) got to the lead on the first turn, but he was looped by Linedrive Hanover (Scott Zeron), who would then yield to sit in the pocket behind Desperate Man (Matt Kakaley) after the :27.1 opening quarter. Desperate Man was then able to back down the half to :56 before Covered Bridge tried a first-over move out of third coming to the 1:23.4 three-quarters.

On the last turn, Covered Bridge’s bid stalled out, and then he faded in the stretch, giving Zeron clearance to angle out with Linedrive Hanover. They did gain to the wire, but it wasn’t enough, as Desperate Man, the 2021 Horse of the Year in Canada, stayed three-quarters of a length in front. Covered Bridge was third.

“He was scary good again. He was super last week and even more impressive tonight,” remarked Kakaley. “I was outside of the other two, so I kind of just played how the first turn was looking. Jordan got around Scotty pretty easy, so I didn’t want them to get down there too cheap and be first-up into a big back-half. I wanted to be aggressive. Scotty re-moved and then I got around him. My horse was very, very good.”

Trained by Travis Alexander for owner Kathy Cecchin, Desperate Man, who was bred by Winbak Farm, is a 6-year-old gelded son of Shadow Play. He made his 18th trip to the winner’s circle, has now banked $1,039,439 and he returned $4.20 to win as the even-money second choice.

Rocknroll Runa A (Mark MacDonald) went right to the front from post four in the third Borgata battle and got away with soft opening-half panels of :27.3 and :56.4 before he stepped up the pace to three-quarters in 1:24.3. Behind Rocknroll Runa A, Pleaseletmeknow (Kakaley) pulled out of the pocket past three-quarters, giving cover to Semi Tough (Yannick Gingras) and Strengthfromabove (Stratton), but none of them were a match for Rocknroll Runa A to the wire, as he used a :27.2 final kicker to slam the door to triumph by a length and a half. Coaches Corner (Jason Bartlett) closed well on the inside to get second from Pleaseletmeknow.

Rocknroll Runa A, owned by trainer Larry Stalbaum, is a 7-year-old gelding by Rock N Roll Heaven. He is now a 29-time winner in his life, sent his earnings to $397,092 and paid $13 to win as a 5-1 offering.

Complete recaps of all the races are available at the Grand Circuit website.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2024, the Grand Circuit leaders in three categories (driver, trainer and owner) will once again be tracked on a points system (20-10-5 for the top three finishers in divisions/finals and 10-5-2 for the top three finishers in eliminations/legs). Winbak Farms is the sponsor for the 2024 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders (through the races on 3-25-24):

Drivers: 1t. Jordan Stratton – 36; 1t. Matt Kakaley – 36; 3. Yannick Gingras – 35; 4. Scott Zeron – 30; 5. George Brennan – 27.

Trainers: 1. Cory Stratton – 29; 2. Jeff Gillis – 27; 3. Travis Alexander – 26; 4. Michael Burke – 25; 5. Larry Stalbaum – 20.

Owners: 1. Mark Ford – 27; 2t. Kathy Cecchin – 20; 2t. Larry Stalbaum – 20; 4t. Betty Clegg – 12; 4t. Goy Corbeil – 12.

Looking ahead: After this weekend, Grand Circuit action will continue with legs of the Blue Chip Matchmaker and MGM Borgata over the next two weeks. The finals for both events will be held on April 22.