Its Academic improved to two-for-two in the inaugural MGM Grand Prix Trotting Series at MGM Yonkers Raceway with a 1:53.4 triumph in the first of two $104,167 splits on Friday night, Nov. 1. Take All Comers took the other division.
Driven by Yannick Gingras, Its Academic tipped out of third heading to the 28-second opening quarter and forged his way around Ari Ferrari J (Jason Bartlett) on the second turn to take over the top spot. From there, Its Academic kept command through a :57.1 half and a 1:25.4 three-quarters, then used a 28-second final kicker to defeat Ari Ferrari J by 2-1/2 lengths. Gaines Hanover (Pat Lachance) got third.
A seven-year-old Uncle Peter stallion trained by Ron Burke and owned by Brad Grant of Milton, Ont., Its Academic won for the 34th time in his career and has now earned $2,882,995. He won a division of the first leg held on Oct. 11 and entered the second leg of the series off a Breeders Crown sixth-place finish.
The Dan Patch Award winner for top older male trotter a year ago, Its Academic paid $2.80 to win as the 2-5 favourite and was atop a $4.50 exacta and an $11.20 trifecta.
In the other section, Take All Comers and driver Jordan Stratton led through fractions of :27.3, :57 and 1:25, then repelled pocket-sitter and round one victor Chapercraz (Gingras) after he tipped out of the two-hole on the final bend to prevail by a length in 1:54.1. Chapercraz wound up second from a gaining Delayed Hanover (Bartlett).
Take All Comers is trained by Jim Campbell and owned by Runthetable Stables of Montvale, New Jersey. The victorious six-year-old Creatine gelding made his 18th appearance in the winner's circle and has put away $985,837 in purse earnings.
He returned $6.90 to win as the 2-1 co-second choice and led a $17 exacta and a $159 trifecta.
The MGM Grand Prix Trotting Series prelims will conclude next Friday, Nov. 8 and the $250,000 USD final is set for Nov. 15. The third leg and the final will be conducted at the distance of a mile and a sixteenth.
On Monday night, Nov. 4, the companion MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series will commence with a trio of $75,000 USD flights in races five, seven and nine. Entrants include MGM Borgata Pacing Series champion Hellabalou, Breeders Crown Open Pace third-place finisher El Rey, Breeders Crown Open Pace runner-up Seven Colors, Coaches Corner, who was second in the MGM Borgata Pacing Series final, Dan Patch Stakes winner Dunkin and Verdun, who has won six straight editions of the local Open Pace for three to five-year-olds.
Leg two of the MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series is scheduled for Nov. 11 and then the event takes a break until round three on Dec. 9. The $250,000 USD final is on Dec. 16, and like in the MGM Grand Prix Trotting Series, leg three and the final are a mile and a sixteenth.
Yonkers is currently operating on a Monday through Friday live racing schedule with post time each night at 7 p.m. (EDT).
(With files from Yonkers Raceway; Photo of Its Academic winning on Nov. 1)