Driver Todd McCarthy won two of the four $70,423 divisions of the opening leg of the MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series on Monday night (Nov. 24) at MGM Yonkers Raceway after he was victorious with Captain Albano and Spring Inhis Step A. Soho Firestone A (George Brennan) and Coaches Corner (Jason Bartlett) captured the other two splits.
Captain Albano (pictured above) got away fourth in the opening flight while Huntinthelastdolar (Bartlett) forged his way around Jamaican Rock A (Matt Kakaley) to take charge past the 27 second opening quarter. Huntinthelastdolar remained in front to the half in 55.3 and the three-quarters in 1:23.1 as Captain Albano made progress first-over after he was brought to the outside late on the third turn.
Huntinthelastdolar remained ahead of Captain Albano around the last turn and into the lane, but Captain Albano was able to sustain his uncovered brush and wore down the game Huntinthelastdolar late in the mile, prevailing by a neck in 1:50.4. Tip Top Cat (Yannick Gingras) was third, followed by Nandolo N (Lauren Tritton) and Jamaican Rock A.
Noel Daley trains Captain Albano, a four-year-old son of Captaintreacherous bred by Fred Hertrich III, for owners Patricia Stable of Massapequa, NY , L A Express & Sjoblom Inc. of Chesterfield, NJ, Sjoblom Racing Inc. of Delray Beach, FL, and Michael Dolan of Sarasota, FL. A Dan Patch Award winner in 2023 and 2024, Captain Albano now has 24 victories from 42 starts, has earned $2,663,813 and paid $3.26 to win as the favourite. He keyed a $3.72 exacta and a $9.82 trifecta.
McCarthy and Spring Inhis Step A bagged the finale in 1:51.2. 1-5 favourite Miki Shan N (Colin Kelly) was clear on the point through fractions of 27.2, 55.2 and 1:22.2 while Spring Inhis Step A bided his time in third before McCarthy fired him to the outside before three-quarters. Spring Inhis Step A paced into second on the final bend, charged by the tiring leader in the upper part of the stretch and then kicked clear to defeat pocket-sitter The Greek Freak (Kakaley) by two lengths as Miki Shan N wound up third. Captain Moore A (Brennan) and Courts On Fire (Gingras) were fourth and fifth, respectively.
Spring Inhis Step A, conditioned by Jeff Cullipher for owner Pollack Racing LLC. of Venitia, PA, is an eight-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding. He is now a 30-time winner from 99 trips behind the gate, has banked $651,877 and returned $10.02 to win as the 4-1 second choice. The exacta was worth $96.74 and the trifecta kicked back $423.14.
In his section, Soho Firestone A (George Brennan) worked out a pocket trip behind Calicojack Hanover (Daniel Dube) to the 27.2 quarter, 56.1 half and 1:23.3 three-quarters, then out-kicked the pace-setter in the stretch to get the nod by half a length in 1:50.4. Calicojack Hanover, Redwood Hanover (Bartlett), Always A Thrill (Kelly) and Catalpa Rescue A (McCarthy) rounded out the top five.
A six-year-old gelding by American Ideal, Soho Firestone A was sent out by Doug Dilloian Jr. for owners David Linker of Delray Beach, FL, Brian Loman of Champaign, IL, and Robert Venable of Noblesville, IN. Soho Firestone A has a summary of 19-15-8 from 71 appearances, has put away $402,809 and paid $8.64 to win as the 3-1 fourth choice. He led a $37 exacta and a $114.90 trifecta.
Coaches Corner (Bartlett), the runner-up in the final of this series a year ago, was a romping 1:51.2 victor in his tilt. He drove on two-wide to hit the front from Blazing Home N (McCarthy) beyond the 27.3 quarter, and following middle-half stations of 56.2 and 1:24.1, he sprinted home in 27.1 to defeat a second-over Desperate Man (Kakaley) by 6-1/2 lengths. Verdun (Pat Lachance) wound up third following a first-over trip, followed by Blazing Home N and American Dealer N (Dube).
Trained by Per Engblom, Coaches Corner is a five-year-old gelded son of Always A Virgin owned by Jeff Fought Racing of East Bernstadt, KY and Brian Carsey of Cambridge City, IN. Bred in Indiana by Black Creek Farm and Hickory Hollow Stable, Coaches Corner made his 33rd trip to the winner's circle in his 89th effort and he has now pocketed $1,774,474. He returned $2.30 to win as the 1-9 choice and was top a $4.68 exacta and an $8.10 trifecta.
Two more prelims of the MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series will be held, with the second round on Monday, Dec. 1 and the third leg on Monday, Dec. 8. Points for the series will be earned on a 50-25-12-8-5 scale (winner gets 50 points, runner-up gets 25, etc.).
The top 10 point earners get a spot in the $250,000 USD, 1-1/4 mile final on Friday, Dec. 19, while the next 10 point earners go in the $75,000 USD, 1-1/4 mile consolation on the same card. A horse must race in all three legs to be eligible for the final and the consolation for both the MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series and the companion MGM Grand Prix Trotting Series.
Through the end of the meet on Dec. 19, MGM Yonkers Raceway is operating on a Monday through Friday live racing schedule with post time each night at 6:45 p.m. (EST). However, the oval will be dark the remainder of this week following Tuesday night's (Nov. 25) program in honour of Thanksgiving.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)