Johan Palema and driver Yannick Gingras captured the $500,000 MGM Yonkers Trot, the first jewel in the Trotting Triple Crown for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters, on Friday night with a virtuoso wire-to-wire performance, winning in 1:55 over a rain-soaked surface at Yonkers Raceway.

Johan Palema, one of three finalists from the Ake Svanstedt stable, worked his way to the top from stablemate Ambassador Hanover off the first turn, as second choice Ahundreddollarbill settled in third, with Mon Amour and In Range following the top three to the :28.2 opening quarter.

Gingras rated the pace nicely but shortly before the half of :58, Johan Palema took off from the pocket-sitter, as well as the rest of the field. Ahundreddollarbill was forced to pull from third and go without cover, but he found the sledding a bit too tough as Johan Palema blitzed the third quarter in :27.2. The third quarter sprint kept In Range from gaining second-over, but driver Tim Tetrick was able to get his horse to make up ground inside as Mon Amour made a miscue.

Gingras hardly moved a muscle through the final turn as the others battled for minor honours, and the son of Bar Hopping cruised across the wire with a :29.3 final quarter. In Range skimmed the pylons but fell a nose short of second, with Ambassador Hanover and Svanstedt holding the place spot. Ahundreddollarbill faded to fourth, with Ethan T Hanover the final check-getter.

"I got an easy front," said Gingras following the race. "They let me steal a half in :58 seconds. At that point, come and get me."

Seven tried but none were up to the task.

Owned by Bender Sweden Inc, Johan Palema, one of four horses in the field sired by first-cropper Bar Hopping, won for the third time in four starts in 2021, adding the win to his elimination score seven days earlier. As the favourite, Johan Palema returned $3.90, to win.

Johan Palema is a Hambletonian eligible.

"He can go with the top horses," said Gingras. "I'm not sure if he can cut it on the big track, but he's very handy."

The $1 million Hambletonian is slated for August 7 at the Meadowlands.

American Courage picked up the most significant win of his career to date by scoring a 1:51.4 decision in Friday night’s $500,000 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes final, the first leg of the Triple Crown of Pacing for three-year-old colts and geldings.

Starting from post six over a Yonkers Raceway surface left sloppy by persistent, steady rainfall, American Courage pressed on two-wide under the direction of Matt Kakaley and forged his way by early leader Charlie May (Brett Miller) past the :27 second opening quarter. After working to get command, Kakaley was able to get American Courage a nice breather in the second quarter, as the half went on the board in :56.3.

As the colts and geldings passed the half-mile point, driver Brian Sears sent Chase H Hanover first-over from the fourth spot, and that would give a second-over trip to Abuckabett Hanover (Andrew McCarthy), who was able to tuck into fifth after floating away from post eight. Chase H Hanover was able to get into second on the rim racing to the 1:24.1 three-quarters, but that was as far as he could go as American Courage repelled his bid.

On the far turn Abuckabett Hanover made a break, ending any chance he had, and then in the lane Chase H Hanover faded, giving Charlie May the path to the outside he was looking for. After getting clear, Charlie May did rally and gain, but it wasn’t enough as American Courage held sway to win by half a length. Chase H Hanover did save third, with Simon Says Hanover (Scott Zeron) and Ill Drink To That (Dexter Dunn) completing the top-five finishers.

"He's a special colt. If they were going to duke it out a little bit, I would have just laid in there and waited, but Brett got a pretty easy lead, so I didn't want him to get soft fractions,” remarked Kakaley. “I moved to the front, and he was so strong. I kicked the plugs at the top of the stretch, and he just exploded. That's the first time I pulled the plugs all year. (Charlie May) was coming close, but I wasn't that worried."

An American Ideal colt trained by Travis Alexander for owner-breeder Fiddlers Creek Stables LLC., American Courage won for the 11th time in 12 career starts, and he has now put away $468,633. The 6-5 favourite, American Courage paid $4.50 to win.

"To me, it was unbelievable just because the track is horrendous and to have to work like that through the first turn to make the front. Matt had it under control - all the confidence in Matt and what he did, and the horse responded. It was a great race. Charlie May raced unbelievable,” said Alexander. “I knew (he had it) in the last turn because I saw what Matt was doing; he was jamming, making it a sprint, and I know my horse is quicker than people give him credit for. It worked out. He needed to do that with the half-mile racing, that strategy, and that's the way it went.

"It feels good. I’m happy for the owner. He puts so much money into the game and deserves this win. This will probably be his last start at Yonkers for a while. Now we move on to bigger things. Meadowlands Pace elims next, and then away we go."

Iteration, with driver Brian Sears, kept her footing throughout over a sloppy surface to capture the $150,000 New York New York Mile for sophomore filly trotters.

The three-year-old daughter of Chapter Seven kept it in the family, so to speak, capturing the filly companion to the MGM Yonkers Trot, a race won by her older brother Gimpanzee in 2019.

Sent off as the 3-5 public choice, Iteration, leaving from post two, got some help in the early stages, as Presto, to her inside, broke before the outset. Once the gate sprung Sears had Iteration away smoothly, but Sweeping Rainbow, Contested Hanover, and 4-1 shot Mazzarati all left the gate with purpose. While Sweeping Rainbow and David Miller were able to work into the pocket, Contested Hanover, with Scott Zeron, miscued into the turn. Tim Tetrick, aboard Mazzarati, tried to make it three-deep through the first turn, but his filly also lost her gait late on the bend and dropped out of it.

Sears had Iteration in control through a :28.4 opening quarter, but with many of the top contenders out of the picture, strolled to the half in :59, giving the Marcus Melander-trained filly all the breather she would need for the mile. Iteration cut three quarters in 1:28 and was in control into the stretch, with Sweeping Rainbow taking a brief shot at her but falling a length short in the 1:56.4 mile. Rebel Girl followed the top pair around the track in third and took the show dough, while the winner's stablemate Imhatra Am S held on to fourth after a mild uncovered bid.

"It was pretty windy out there," said Sears after the victory. "The field made breaks, and it worked out good."

Owned by Courant Inc, Iteration returned $3.20 to win.

Iteration is now undefeated in three sophomore starts, all stakes victories.

Test Of Faith had little difficulty in improving her record to four-for-four in 2021 and 12-for-13 lifetime, as she front-stepped her way to a 1:53.2 win in Friday night’s $150,000 Park MGM Pace for three-year-old fillies.

Driven by David Miller over the sloppy oval, Test Of Faith went to the lead from post three and was well-rated through opening-half fractions of :28 and :58.2. Business picked up after the half as second choice Marsala Hanover (Scott Zeron) tried a first-over move out of third, but her advance stalled as Test Of Faith picked up the tempo to 1:26.1 at three-quarters.

Things remained unchanged around the final bend, and in the stretch Test Of Faith opened up on her rivals in an instant despite Miller sitting like a statue in the bike, winning by 3-1/4 lengths. Heart Of Mine (Jason Bartlett) followed in the pocket throughout and held second, with Darby Hanover (Andy Miller) up for third. Classicist (Todd McCarthy) checked in fourth from second-over, and Marsala Hanover faded to fifth.

"She raced great. She was a little bit wild. I don't know if it was the night or the weather, whatever it was, but usually she's very, very calm, and tonight she was on it, so I knew it was game on,” said winning trainer Brett Pelling. “She comes back here for the sire stakes on (June 16). That'll be good. Another run around Yonkers will do her well.

"She's sound, she's healthy, she's just a beautiful horse."

A daughter of Art Major, bred by Fred Hertrich and owned by Mel Segal, Kentuckiana Racing Stable, and Eddie Gran, Test Of Faith has now earned $637,700. She was the 1-9 favourite and paid $2.10 to win.

(Yonkers)