The 2024 live harness racing season at MGM Yonkers Raceway is set to begin on Monday, Jan. 22 with an 11-race program.
A pacing event for winners over $30,000 USD in their last five starts, with a purse of $32,000 USD, will be the feature on Monday night and the field will be led by Covered Bridge from post eight with Jordan Stratton listed to drive for trainer Jeff Gillis. Covered Bridge, a winner of more than $566,000 in 2023, is coming off a victory in the Preferred at Woodbine Mohawk Park in his last start.
To start the 240 race date calendar, Yonkers Raceway will operate on a Monday through Friday schedule with post time at 7 p.m. (Eastern), but will switch to a Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-
Stakes action at Yonkers Raceway will begin on Friday, March 15, with the first of five legs of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series for pacing mares, and continue with the opening round of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series for horses and geldings on Monday, March 18. The Matchmaker and Borgata prelims will conclude on April 12 and April 15, respectively, with the finals on Monday, April 22. Last year's edition of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series final went for $511,000, while the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series final had a purse of $328,000.
Grand Circuit racing will then return to Yonkers in late June with the $300,000 USD (guaranteed) MGM Yonkers Trot and the $250,000 USD (estimated) MGM Grand Messenger, the first legs of the Trotting and Pacing Triple Crowns for three-year-olds. Eliminations will be on Friday, June 21 with the finals the following Friday.
On Saturday, Sept. 7, Yonkers will host its biggest program of the year, highlighted by the $1 million USD MGM Yonkers International Trot. Eight New York Sire Stakes finals will also take place, plus the MGM Aria Pace and Robert Miecuna Invitational Trot. Post time for that loaded card is expected to be noon.
Yonkers has also reported that during the break in racing, MGM repaved the floor in the paddock.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)