(Editor’s Note: Story updated with driver changes and morning-line odds added)
Yonkers, NY – The fields are set for the Grade 2 $250,000 MGM Yonkers Trot and the Grade 2 $200,000 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes for 3-year-old males on Friday night (June 26) at MGM Yonkers Raceway.
Spencer Hanover, who is four-for-four thus far in 2026, will start from a trailing post nine for driver Jason Bartlett and trainer Marcus Melander in the MGM Yonkers Trot, the opening leg of the Trotting Triple Crown. His competition includes last year’s New York Sire Stakes champion AI from post seven for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke, along with 2025 William Wellwood Memorial champion Ardonne from post eight for driver Scott Zeron and trainer Megan Scran.
Additionally, the powerful trotting stable of Ake Svanstedt has three entants in Create Escape (post two), Secured (post six) and Nordic Dancer S (post ten), and Matthew Burkholder ships in with the strong duo of Requiem (post three) and Silverstein (post four).
Here is the draw in full with driver changes and morning-line odds for the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes (Race 8) and MGM Yonkers Trot (Race 9) on the 10-race program.
Grade 2 $200,000 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes – Race 8
Post-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Morning Line
1-Mighty Matt-Braxten Boyd-Cameron Capone 4-1
2-Fragment-Jason Bartlett-Per Engblom 8-5
3-Al Papi-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke 7-2
4-Frantic Hanover-Tim Tetrick-Ron Burke 9-2
5-Hunt Off The Press-Scott Zeron-Jared Bako 20-1
6-Apocalypsebluechip-Todd McCarthy-Joe Bongiorno 20-1
7-Melillo-Ronnie Wrenn Jr.-Ron Burke 5-1
Fragment, who had plenty of stakes success last year in both New York and on the Grand Circuit, landed post two for driver Jason Bartlett and trainer Per Engblom in the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes, the first leg of the Pacing Triple Crown. He’ll meet up with two Ron Burke trainees exiting the North America Cup in Al Papi (post three) and Melillo (post seven), plus another member of the Burke Brigade in Frantic Hanover (post four).
Grade 2 $250,000 MGM Yonkers Trot – Race 9
Post-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Morning Line
1-Kingmen-Dexter Dunn-Per Engblom 6-1
2-Create Escape-Johnathan Ahle-Ake Svanstedt 9-2
3-Requiem-Ronnie Wrenn Jr.-Matthew Burkholder 5-1
4-Silverstein-Matt Kakaley-Matthew Burkholder 3-1
5-Inexpressable-Tim Tetrick-Lucas Wallin 6-1
6-Secured-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt 9-2
7-AI-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke 20-1
8-Ardonne-Scott Zeron-Megan Scran 20-1
9-Spencer Hanover-Jason Bartlett-Marcus Melander 5-2
10-Nordic Dancer S-Tyler Buter-Ake Svanstedt 9-2
(Svanstedt horses are a 2/2A/2B entry)
3-year-old fillies will also be in action on Friday night in divisions of the New York New York Mile for trotters in Races 1 and 3 and Park MGM Pace in races two and four.
MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday through Friday live racing schedule with post time each night at 6:45 p.m.