Matt Kakaley heads into Monday night's third round of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series with three horses on the outside of the top eight in the standings, but each has an inside post position that the driver hopes can be used to pick up big points.

Desperate Man, who won four preliminary rounds in last year’s series for older male pacers before finishing third in the final, is the 2-1 morning line favourite in Monday’s first of four $69,444 Borgata divisions at MGM Yonkers Raceway. The former Canadian Horse of the Year will start from post two as he seeks his first victory in this year’s event. Racing Rampage is the 2-1 favourite in the second division and will leave from post one with Kakaley in the sulky. Why Not Now starts from post one in the fourth split, which features series co-leader Mossdale Ben N and co-third Coaches Corner. Why Not Now is 6-1.

Kakaley, who entered Monday four wins shy of 7,000 in his career, drives all three horses for trainer Travis Alexander. The top eight in the Borgata standings at the end of the event’s five preliminary legs advance to the $200,000 USD added final on May 9 at Yonkers.

Desperate Man enters Monday’s action tied for ninth in the standings. The son of Shadow Play-Dreamlands Latte finished third in his opener, which was won by Mossdale Ben N, and second in his division last week, which was won by Coaches Corner.

“I think everybody was expecting him to come out firing on all cylinders and ready to rock and roll but look who beat him both times, two of the top horses in the series,” said Kakaley. “Coaches Corner is a very good horse and he tripped out on our back. It is what it is, but I thought Desperate Man raced fantastic last week. I was really happy with him.”

A seven-year-old, Desperate Man has won 27 of 73 career races and earned $1.9 million in purses. Last season, the Kathy Cecchin-owned gelding captured 11 of 16 starts and banked $662,774. Following his campaign, he enjoyed several additional weeks off this past winter compared to the previous year.

“He was in Florida living the good life and I think he put on a few extra pounds,” Kakaley said with a laugh. “Travis put three qualifiers in him and we thought he was going to be pretty tight, but he needed those two starts [in the series this year], for sure.

“He’s still got a great attitude. He’s a big, strong horse. He seems just as good as he was last year. He needs to win this week just to make sure everybody remembers who he is and, of course, to get the points. He needs to take care of business.”

Racing Rampage did not compete in the first round of the Borgata and finished fifth last week. The five-year-old son of Racing Hill-Sebring Blue Chip is making his fourth start of the season and his second since a two-race stint on Lasix. Last year, the gelding posted eight wins, three seconds and two thirds over the final 14 races of his 16-start campaign.

“Travis took him off Lasix because ever since he put him on it, he wasn’t quite the same horse finishing his miles. He was a little dull,” said Kakaley. “I was really happy with his race last week. I thought he raced super.

“I think he drew a great spot for this week. He’s got the rail and I’m going to be very aggressive with him. He likes the front, he likes to do the work. I think he’s in a great division for him to kind of step up and show what he’s got.”

Why Not Now finished third in his two Borgata starts this season. The five-year-old stallion, a son of Always A Virgin-Star Of The Show, was nosed out for second last week after circling three-wide from the pocket on the last turn.

“I didn’t want to be trapped in and I kind of lost my momentum, but I thought he raced fantastic,” said Kakaley. “I really like this horse. He obviously drew a very tough division, but he’s a nice horse. He’s got speed off the gate, so I can decide what I want to do with him. He’s handy enough, and it seems like he’s got a high speed to him.

“[Mossdale Ben N and Coaches Corner] have been phenomenal. It looks like that’s going to shape up to be a good race.”

Racing begins at 6:45 p.m. at Yonkers. For free TrackMaster Platinum past performances for Monday's card, click here.

(USTA; photo of Desperate Man winning at Yonkers in 2024)