Yonkers, NY — Coaches Corner, Chase H Hanover and Desperate Man posted victories on the front-end in the trio of $50,000 divisions of the last leg of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series on Monday night (April 28) at MGM Yonkers Raceway.
In the opening split Coaches Corner (Jason Bartlett) laid down fractions of :28.1, :56.4 and 1:25, turned away a first-over bid from Dunkin’ (Tim Tetrick) and then kept pocket-sitter Binge On Yankee (Scott Zeron) at bay as well to the wire, defeating him by a head in a 1:52.1 mile. Sherlock N (George Brennan) was the third-place finisher.
Sent out by Per Engblom for owners Jeff Fought Racing and Brian Carsey, Coaches Corner is a 5-year-old gelding by Always A Virgin. Coaches Corner is now a 30-time winner, has earned $889,694 and paid $2.20 to win as the 1-9 favorite. He keyed a $5.10 exacta and a $23.00 trifecta.
There was a 1-9 favorite in the second flight as well, that being Mossdale Ben N (Jordan Stratton). Mossdale Ben N, seeking his fourth win in the prelims, got going first-up from third before pacesetter Chase H Hanover (Anthony Napolitano) got to three-quarters in 1:23.3. But Chase H Hanover, who also put up the quarter in :28 and the half in :56.1, was resolute to the finish line and wouldn’t let Mossdale Ben N reach him, prevailing by a length in 1:51. Miki Shan N (Yannick Gingras) worked out the pocket trip and ended up third.
Chase H Hanover is a 7-year-old gelded son of Captaintreacherous trained by Cory Stratton for owners El Dorado Stables and Robert Weinstein. Chase H Hanover made his 34th appearance in the winner’s circle, has pocketed $1,170,766 and returned $11.20 to win as the 9-2 second choice. He was atop a $15.40 exacta and a $71.50 trifecta.
Desperate Man (Matt Kakaley) sped out from post four in the final section and worked his way past Huntinthelastdolar (Bartlett) prior to the :27 quarter-mile mark. It was all Desperate Man after that as he sailed through a :56.1 half and a 1:24 three-quarters, then came home in :27.1 to defeat a closing Verdun (Pat Lachance) by a length and a half in 1:51.1. Huntinthelastdolar had to settle for third.
A 7-year-old Shadow Play gelding, Desperate Man hails from the stable of Travis Alexander and is owned by Kathy Cecchin. This was his 29th career victory, he has now banked $1,550,779 and he paid $3.60 to win as the 4-5 choice. The exacta was $5.60 and the trifecta $8.40.
Unofficially, the eight horses who have advanced to the $516,000 MGM Borgata Pacing Series final are:
Coaches Corner (325 points)
Mossdale Ben N (325 points)
Verdun (287 points)
Huntinthelastdolar (274 points)
Desperate Man (274 points)
For Once Inmy Life (250 points)
Binge On Yankee (237 points)
Chase H Hanover (237 points)
The MGM Borgata Pacing Series final and the $490,000 Blue Chip Matchmaker Series final, both of which will take place on Friday (May 9), will be the first two Grade 1 harness racing events in North America under the graded stakes system that begins this year.
The Blue Chip Matchmaker Series finalists are:
Rocket Deo (312 points)
Walkin On Sunshine (300 points)
Aardie B Miki N (300 points)
Silk Cloud A (274 points)
Turn The Page N (224 points)
Seaside Diva (221 points)
Beautiful Seaside (217 points)
Talk Curdy To Me (217 points)
MGM Yonkers Raceway will host live racing every night this week through Saturday (May 3). Post time is 6:45 p.m. (EDT).