Yonkers, NY — Warrawee Yang will be the only horse with a chance to sweep the 2024 edition of the John Brennan Trotting Series at MGM Yonkers Raceway as he took the first of three $25,000 divisions of the final preliminary round on Wednesday night (April 24).

Warrawee Yang sprinted home in :28.2 to defeat Royalty Beer by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:56.1. Mike Lizzi photo.

Facing off against Royalty Beer (Pat Lachance), who was also two-for-two in the series coming in, Warrawee Yang cleared him for the top before the :28.1 opening quarter, backed down the tempo to :58.3 at the half and 1:27.4 at three-quarters, and sprinted home in :28.2 to defeat Royalty Beer by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:56.1. Bontoni Degato S (George Brennan) collected third.

A 4-year-old son of Trixton, Warrawee Yang scored his seventh straight victory overall for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi. He is a 15-time winner overall, has pocketed $168,926 and paid $4.10 to win as the even-money second choice. The exacta was $5.60 and the trifecta kicked back $17.40.

Gingras and Burke also won the second split with Sea Can in 1:55.2. He made his way to the top from post three, carved out fractions of :28.1, :58.1 and 1:26.3 and trotted a :28.4 final panel to tally by 1-3/4 lengths over By The Book (Jay Randall). Coventry Hall (Jason Bartlett) checked in third.

Also owned by Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi, Sea Can is a 5-year-old Muscle Mass gelding. He has a summary of 12-11-3 from 49 trips behind the gate, has earned $206,149 and returned $3.60 to win as the 4-5 favorite. He was atop a $10.60 exacta and a $42.20 trifecta.

Tachyon was the 1-5 favorite in the final flight as Gingras looked for the sweep, but he came up empty in the lane off panels of :28, :57 and 1:25.3, paving the way for 41-1 shot Crazy Brother Jim (Jim Marohn Jr.) to rally off cover in the lane and prevail by a neck in 1:56.2. Ferretti (Matt Kakaley) was next, followed by Deadline Hall (Tyler Buter).

Rock Vinci owns and trains Crazy Brother Jim, a 3-year-old gelded son of Crazy Wow. He made his third appearance in the winner’s circle, has put away $38,990 and paid $85.00 to win. Crazy Brother Jim led a $1,170 exacta and a $13,122 trifecta.

The John Brennan Trotting Series concludes next Thursday (May 2) with a $78,000 final and $35,000 consolation. The John Brennan Trotting Series is named in honor of the longtime SOA of NY horsemen’s representative who passed away from complications of COVID-19 in March 2020. The series is for 3-year-olds and older who were non-winners of six pari-mutuel races or $200,000 through Feb. 1, 2024, with winners over $250,000 as of that date not eligible.

Live racing resumes Thursday night (April 25) with post time at 7 p.m. (EDT).