On Tuesday afternoon (March 15), the draw took place for Monday's (March 21) opening round of the MGM Borgata Series for free-for-all pacers at Yonkers Raceway. When all was said and done, 38 horses were entered, resulting in five $50,000 divisions (races three through seven) being carded.
As was the case in the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series, the defending champion drew in the first grouping. This Is The Plan, who turned in a tour-de-force 1:50.4 decision from post eight in last year's $514,000 final, will start from post five with Yannick Gingras in the bike for trainer Ron Burke. A winner of over $2.6 million lifetime, This Is The Plan prepped for this race with two qualifiers at the Meadowlands, finishing second on March 5 and winning by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:51.2 on March 11. American History (post seven, Todd McCarthy/Tony Alagna), who owns a piece of the overall Yonkers track record with a 1:49.3 mile back in 2019, will also compete in this tilt.
The second flight contains the likes of another Yonkers track record holder in Dragon Said (Joe Bongiorno/Jenn Bongiorno, post five), the invading Elver Hanover (post four, George Brennan/Ron Burke) and former Borgata Series participant and stakes winner None Bettor A (post six, Tim Tetrick/Andrew Harris).
Western Joe (post one, Dexter Dunn/Chris Choate) is back for another try in the MGM Borgata Series and leads the third section. Western Joe won two legs of last year's event and was the favourite in the final, but he couldn't get involved in the fast pace set by This Is The Plan and ended up eighth. He'll take on the likes of stakes winner Nicholas Beach (post four, Joe Bongiorno/Jenn Bongiorno), another Burke entrant in Covered Bridge (post six, Yannick Gingras) and the impressive-looking New Zealand import American Dealer N (post seven, Scott Zeron/Linda Toscano).
Another horse who had a great deal of success in the MGM Borgata Series in 2021 was Leonidas A, and he has the pole position in the fourth section for driver Austin Siegelman and trainer Sheena Cohen. Leonidas A went four-for-four in the prelims he entered a year ago, but an outside draw and being looped by This Is The Plan at the start forced him far off-the-pace in the final, and he had to settle for fifth. Tattoo Artist (post seven, Dexter Dunn/Chris Ryder), another member of the 1:49.3 track record club at Yonkers, is also in this race.
Lyons Steel, who raced in the Borgata in both 2019 and 2021, has post six for driver Jason Bartlett and trainer Dennis Watson in the last division. Lyons Steel, who was fourth in the final last year, will take on the likes of Nandolo N (post one, Bartlett also listed for trainer Shane Tritton), Pat Stanley N (post two, Jordan Stratton/Cory Stratton) and Im Sir Blake A (post five, Marcus Miller/Erv Miller).
The MGM Borgata Series will be contested over five preliminary legs, concluding on Monday, April 18. The final will take place on April 25. That card will also have the final of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series, along with consolation events for both the Borgata and the Matchmaker.
Monday's card at Yonkers has 12 races in total and will get underway at 6:55 p.m. (EDT).
(Yonkers Raceway)
Woodmere Stealdeal drew post 2 in the 5th race, the 3rd division
I think this is the first time in the history of The Borgata, and previously The George Morton Levy, that a horse from The Maritime Provinces has been entered into the event.