Soho Firestone A, Huntinthelastdolar and Donegal Luther N improved to two-for-two in the MGM Borgata Pacing Series with victories in their respective $69,444 splits on Monday, April 6 at Yonkers Raceway, while Captain Albano, who was third in his race a week ago, took the remaining test.

The showdown of the night between opening-round winners Donegal Luther N (Yannick Gingras) and Chase H Hanover (Anthony Napolitano) came in the final section. In the battle, the former parked out the latter through fractions of :26.4, :55.2 and 1:23.4, then withstood a bid by pocket-sitter Ima Perfect Choice (Matt Kakaley) in the stretch to prevail by three-quarters of a length in 1:52.2. Heza Charttopper A (Scott Zeron) finished in the third spot.

Donegal Luther N is an eight-year-old gelded son of Bettors Creek-Donegal Lucy trained by Jared Bako for the ownership group of Kap Singh Racing Stable, Stephen Klunowski and Earl Hill Jr. He has 13 wins, nine seconds and four thirds from 49 starts and has earned $228,414. He returned $2.76 to win as the 1-5 choice. 

In the first flight, Soho Firestone A (Jason Bartlett) won by a head in 1:51.3 after he led at the :27.3 quarter, :56.3 half and 1:24 three-quarters. Howlenthehills (Kakaley) found room on the inside in the stretch from the two-hole but just came up short, while Matai Phil N (Lauren Tritton) angled out in the lane after an inside trip and closed with pace for third.

A seven-year-old gelding by American Ideal-Soho Margaux, Soho Firestone A was sent out by Doug Dilloian Jr. for owners David Linker, Brian Loman and Robert Venable. Soho Firestone A has a summary of 21-17-8 from 76 appearances and has put away $524,097. He paid $2.60 to win as the 1-5 choice.

Huntinthelastdolar and Bartlett took the front early in the second split, but they were overtaken by Celtic Spirit N (Joe Bongiorno) at the quarter, which went on the board in :28. From there, Celtic Spirit N went on to the half in :57 and the three-quarters in 1:25 while Huntinthelastdolar sat in the pocket, Always A Thrill (Kakaley) went first-up from third and defending series champion Mossdale Ben N (Jim Marohn Jr.) worked out a second-over journey. In the lane, Celtic Spirit N dug in gamely while Huntinthelastdolar rallied on the inside and Mossdale Ben N surged on the outside, and at the wire it was Huntinthelastdolar in front by a head over Mossdale Ben N in a 1:52.4 mile. Celtic Spirit N was third, just a neck behind.

Per Engblom trains Huntinthelastdolar, a six-year-old gelded son of Huntsville-Eighthunrdolarbill, for owners E Five Racing and John Fielding. Huntinthelastdolar made his 25th stop in the winner's circle from 73 trips behind the gate. He has also finished second 10 times and third seven times and has banked $1,462,702. The win price was $4.36.

Redwood Hanover and Bartlett nearly made it four repeat wins by last week's winners but came up a half-length short to Captain Albano (Todd McCarthy) in the third grouping. Redwood Hanover went to the outside from the pocket before the :27.1 quarter and took command away from Sweet Beach Life (Kakaley) prior to that marker. Once he was on the point, Redwood Hanover paced to the half in :56.1 and the three-quarters in 1:23.4. McCarthy wheeled Captain Albano first-up from fourth on the third turn, and the stallion grinded his way into contention while uncovered. He sustained his bid in the lane, wearing down Redwood Hanover late in the 1:51.4 effort. Sweet Beach Life had space on the inside in the stretch and grabbed the third spot.

A two-time Dan Patch Award recipient, the Noel Daley-trained Captain Albano is a five-year-old Captaintreacherous-Angelou stallion owned by Patricia Stables LLC, L. A. Express Stable LLC, Sjoblom Racing Inc. and Michael Dolan. He is a 27-time victor from 47 outings with eight seconds and fourth thirds and has pocketed $2,861,927. He returned $7.46 to win as the 5-2 second choice.

MGM Borgata Pacing Series prelims continue through Monday, April 27 before a $200,000 (added) USD final and a $100,000 (guaranteed) USD consolation on Friday, May 8.

A 1:54.3 win with Lucapelo A in the ninth race gave Jordan Stratton the 6,000th victory of his driving career.

Trained by Jordan's brother Cory, Lucapelo A took command past the quarter-mile marker and never looked back, holding off challengers in the stretch to prevail by a neck. Earlier on the program, the Strattons also teamed up with Whats Stanley Got A, who prevailed in 1:53.2 for Jordan Stratton's 5,999th victory.

The leading driver in 2021 at Yonkers, Stratton is fifth in the standings thus far in 2026 with 42 triumphs. His best overall year for victories was 2008, when he won 630 times, and his top year in terms of money was 2017 as he recorded earnings of $9,044,548. Stratton is also a member of the $100 million club as his drives have pocketed over $115.8 million.

Earlier on the card, Shine A Light kept on rolling to his fifth straight victory at the $20,833 claiming level. The nine-year-old son of Captaintreacherous-Countryview Miss went all the way in the event sporting a purse identical to the tag, setting fractions of :28, :57 and 1:25.2 on the way to a 4-1/2-length victory in 1:53.4. Long Shot Buckets (Bongiorno) was second, followed by Diamondbeach (Todd McCarthy). Shine A Light, claimed last week by Maria Alvarez and George Dremonas, changed hands again via a claim by William Hartt. Bartlett drove and Alvarez trained the gelding to his 33rd career win in 175 starts, which raised his earnings to $458,628. He paid $2.24 to win.

Stakes action continues at Yonkers this week on Wednesday and Friday with the second leg of the John Brennan Trotting Series and the third round of the MGM Ursula McIntyre Pacing Series, respectively. There are a pair of $30,000 USD divisions of the Brennan while the McIntyre was split into four $50,000 USD races.

(With files from Yonkers Raceway; photo of Donegal Luther N winning on April 6)