Yonkers, NY – Defending champion Mossdale Ben N served notice to the rest of the competition in this year’s MGM Borgata Pacing Series with a sizzling 1:50.1 mile in the third and final $50,000 division on Monday night (April 13) at MGM Yonkers Raceway. Jason Bartlett-driven and Per Engblom-trained Redwood Hanover and Coaches Corner won the other splits.
Driven by Jim Marohn Jr., Mossdale Ben N went right to the front from post 3 and led his six foes through fractions of :26.4, :55 and 1:22.4. Behind the pacesetter, Huntinthelastdolar (driven by Bartlett) landed in the pocket, while Captain Moore A (Yannick Gingras) went first-up from third before three-quarters, giving cover to slight favorite Captain Albano (Todd McCarthy).
There was no catching Mossdale Ben N on this night, though, as he tacked on a :27.2 final kicker to defeat Huntinthelastdolar by a length and a half. Captain Moore A wound up third and Captain Albano had to settle for fourth. There was a judges’ inquiry following the race as Mossdale Ben N and Captain Moore A got in tight quarters late on the last turn, but they found no infraction was committed by Mossdale Ben N and the result stood.
An 8-year-old gelding by A Rocknroll Dance, Mossdale Ben N is trained by Peter Tritton for owner PJT Investments LLC. Mossdale Ben N has 20 wins, 14 seconds and seven thirds from 72 starts, has pocketed $676,329 and paid $6.48 to win as the 2-1 second choice. He led a $20.52 exacta and a $65.90 trifecta.
Back in the first flight it was Redwood Hanover winning in 1:51.3.
Sweet Beach Life (Matt Kakaley) showed the way early on in the race, but Bartlett sent Redwood Hanover out of the two-hole before the :27.2 quarter and took command past that station. From there, Redwood Hanover hit the half in :56.2 and the three-quarters in 1:23.4, then held off a rally by Sweet Beach Life in the lane to defeat him by a nose. Chase H Hanover (Gingras) followed the cover of Celtic Spirit N (Joe Bongiorno) from second-over and wound up third.
The victorious 6-year-old Stay Hungry stallion is trained by Engblom and is owned by Evans Nation with Engblom Farm LLC. and Hickory Hollow Stables. He is an 18-time winner from 69 outings, has banked $584,554 and returned $2.26 to win as the 1-9 favorite. He was atop a $6.04 exacta and an $11.60 trifecta.
Coaches Corner, who captured the final of the 2025 MGM Grand Prix Series at Yonkers, had to miss last week’s Borgata Series action as he went on the Lasix program after a fourth-place effort in the first round, but showed no rust in Monday’s second section in a 1:51 romp.
Much like his stablemate, he was out of the pocket to get around Soho Firestone A (Gingras) beyond the :27.4 quarter, then paced middle-half panels of :56.2 and 1:23.4 before he closed in :27.1 to defeat Soho Firestone A by a length and a quarter. Howlenthehills (Kakaley) grabbed third after a first-over trip.
Engblom sent out Coaches Corner, a 6-year-old gelded son of Always A Virgin, for owners Jeff Fought Racing and Brian Carsey. Coaches Corner has a summary of 36-20-10 from 94 appearances, has earned $1.51 million and paid $2.66 to win as the 1-5 favorite. He keyed a $4.72 exacta and a $9.62 trifecta.
Two more prelims remain in the MGM Borgata Pacing Series on April 20 and April 27 before the $200,000 (added) final and $100,000 (guaranteed) consolation on Friday, May 8.
Stakes action continues at Yonkers on Wednesday (April 15) with the third round of the John Brennan Trotting Series and Friday (April 17) with the fourth leg of the MGM Ursula McIntyre Pacing Series. The Brennan was divided into a pair of $30,000 divisions, while there are a trio of $50,000 splits in the McIntyre.
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).