Yonkers, NY – On Monday afternoon (June 24) at MGM Yonkers Raceway, the post position draws took place for Friday night’s (June 28) $300,000 MGM Yonkers Trot and $225,000 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes finals, the opening legs of the Trotting and Pacing Triple Crowns.

Bargain held on to defeat Fly By narrowly in the MGM Yonkers Trot elimination. Mike Lizzi photo.

Elimination winner Bargain landed post three in the MGM Yonkers Trot final for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Nancy Takter. Trainer Ake Svanstedt, in search of his fourth MGM Yonkers Trot title, sends out Flying Kronos S and Situationship from posts five and eight, respectively, and Marcus Melander, a two-time winning trainer in the MGM Yonkers Trot (2021 and 2023), has Security Protected from the coveted post one starting position.

The full field for the MGM Yonkers Trot is as follows:

$300,000 MGM Yonkers Trot – Race 8
Post Position-Horse-Listed Driver-Listed Trainer
1-Security Protected-Tim Tetrick-Marcus Melander
2-Sir Pinocchio-Jason Bartlett-Ed Hart
3-Bargain-Yannick Gingras-Nancy Takter
4-Duke Of Walner-Matt Kakaley-Lucas Wallin
5-Flying Kronos S-David Miller-Ake Svanstedt
6-I’m Out-Marcus Miller-Scott Di Domenico
7-Fly By-Scott Zeron-Tony Alagna
8-Situationship-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt

Janelle Granny put the field away at the top of the lane to win one of two MGM Grand Messenger Stakes eliminations. Mike Lizzi photo.

Howlenthehills and Janelle Granny were the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes elimination victors, and they landed posts four and six, respectively, in the final. Janelle Granny was driven by Tim Tetrick in the elimination, but he has elected to go with Armada Hanover from post one in the final, putting George Brennan on Janelle Granny. Trainer Travis Alexander, who won the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes finals in 2021 and 2022, has two horses in the final in Howlenthehills, who will be driven by Matt Kakaley – the winning driver with Alexander trainees American Courage and Pleaseletmeknow in those MGM Grand Messenger finals – and Sweet Beach Life (post five), who will be driven by Tyler Buter.

The full field for the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes is as follows:

$225,000 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes – Race 7
Post Position-Horse-Listed Driver-Listed Trainer
1-Armada Hanover-Tim Tetrick-Brett Pelling
2-Escape To America-Jason Bartlett-Deborah Daguet
3-Lou’s World-Todd McCarthy-Garry Merner Jr.
4-Howlenthehills-Matt Kakaley-Travis Alexander
5-Sweet Beach Life-Tyler Buter-Travis Alexander
6-Janelle Granny-George Brennan-Scott Di Domenico
7-Wish You Well-David Miller-Nifty Norman
8-Mr Three O Five-Yannick Gingras-Nancy Takter

In addition, there are companion events for 3-year-old fillies, a single $90,000 Park MGM Pace contest and two $55,000 divisions of the New York New York Mile for trotters. The Park MGM Pace is race ten on the 12-race program, while the New York New York splits go as races two and 11.

Fans attending the races live on Friday will be treated to an outdoor market on the track apron. An integration of the casino and track worlds will take place as patrons from both sides of the gambling world will be welcomed to enjoy special food stands, live music and other promotional items as part of a Triple Crown Fan Fest.

MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday live racing schedule with post time each night at 7 p.m., but the oval will play host to a Wednesday (June 26) program this week.