The New York Sire Stakes circuit was at MGM Yonkers Raceway for the first time in 2026 on Monday night (June 29), and Cowboy Candy and Fendilicious won their respective sections of the opening leg for two-year-old pacing fillies.

In the first division, which went for a purse of $112,429, Cowboy Candy (Andy McCarthy) led early after showing speed from post one, but she released a two-wide Hollys Choice (Matt Kakaley) to the top just after the :28.2 opening quarter. Hollys Choice then backed down the half to :58 seconds before favourite Too Pink To Pass (Lauren Tritton) went first-over out of the three-hole on the third turn.

Too Pink To Pass advanced into second before Hollys Choice reached three-quarters in 1:27.2 and sustained her uncovered charge to hit the front coming off the final bend. However, as Hollys Choice and Too Pink To Pass had been battling, Cowboy Candy had room to get off the pylons when Annie O (Jason Bartlett) gapped from second-over, and McCarthy then tipped Cowboy Candy to the outside of Too Pink To Pass in the lane. Too Pink To Pass dug in gamely, but she couldn't stave off Cowboy Candy, who got up to win by half a length in 1:56.4. Huntrix (Scott Zeron) advanced from fifth to third in the final quarter.

Aaron Lambert trains Cowboy Candy, a daughter of So Surreal-Caviart Elena bred by Eric Taddeo, for owner Chain Lightning Stables of Beach Haven, NJ. She won in her second start and paid $13.38 to win as the 5-1 fourth choice. The exacta was worth $45.52 and the trifecta kicked back $258.32.

The second $110,429 split went to Fendilicious (Bartlett), who cut fractions of :30, :59.4 and 1:28.3 en route to a 1:57.1 victory in her pari-mutuel debut. Hurrikane Schmazy (Yannick Gingras) pulled out of the pocket going to three-quarters but couldn't make any headway until deep stretch when she closed to within a length of Fendilicious, and Wine Down Wensday (Tyler Buter) finished in third.

A filly by Huntsville, Fendilicious was sent out by Deborah Daguet for owners Michael Rosenthal of Las Vegas, NV, Kareo Stable of Las Vegas, NV, and Donald MacRae of Vernon Bridge, P.E.I. The Crawford Farms-bred returned $9.62 as a 7-2 offering and keyed a $32.22 exacta and a $171.76 trifecta.

Winning a trio of $28,571 Excelsior Series events were:

-Huntsvilles Honey (by Huntsville and bred by owner Joseph Trice of Hampden, ME, paid $2.70 to win) in 1:57.1 for driver Matt Kakaley and trainer George Ducharme;

-Spider Claire (by So Surreal and bred by co-owner/trainer Paul Roy with co-owner Ersilia Roy of Mount Bethel, PA, paid $42.44 to win) in 1:59 for driver Yannick Gingras;

-Clear Choice (by Courtly Choice and bred by Winbak Farm, paid $4.48 to win) in 1:59.3 for driver Matt Kakaley, co-owner/trainer Blake Macintosh of St. George, Ont.,  and co-owner Glenn Dyke of Townsend, DE.

MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday through Friday live racing schedule with post time each night at 6:45 p.m. (EDT), though the oval will be dark this coming Friday night (July 3).

(With files from Yonkers Raceway; Photo of Cowboy Candy)