Driver Jason Bartlett won three of the five $69,444 divisions of the first round of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series on Monday night (March 30) at MGM Yonkers Raceway with Soho Firestone A, Redwood Hanover and Huntinthelastdolar. Donegal Luther N and Chase H Hanover won the remaining splits.
Soho Firestone A sat the pocket behind Always A Thrill (Matt Kakaley) through fractions of :27, :55.2 and 1:23 in the first flight and then rallied up the inside in the lane to defeat a second-over Aye Aye Captain N (Brent Holland) by a nose in 1:51.2. Sherlock N (Jim Morrill Jr.) was game from first-over and was third, just a neck behind the top two.
A seven-year-old gelding by American Ideal out of Soho Margaux, Soho Firestone A was sent out by trainer Doug Dilloian Jr. for owners David Linker of Delray Beach, Florida, Brian Loman of Champaign, Illinois and Robert Venable of Noblesville, Indiana. Soho Firestone A now has a summary of 20-17-8 from 75 appearances and has put away $489,375 in purse earnings.
Soho Firestone A paid $2.60 to win as the 1-5 choice. He led a $23.04 exacta and a $63.04 trifecta.
Redwood Hanover and Bartlett led their four foes to the :28.4 quarter, :57.3 half and 1:25.3 three-quarters in the next grouping and then came home in :27 flat to defeat pocket-sitter Dele Row A (Holland) by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:52.3. Twisted Destiny (Dexter Dunn) couldn't gain from first-over and had to settle for third.
The victorious six-year-old Stay Hungry-Rockingcam Park stallion is trained by Per Engblom and is owned by Engblom Stable LLC along with Evans Nation of Seaford, New York and Hickory Hollow Stables of Spencerville, Indiana. He is a 17-time winner from 67 outings and has pocketed $701,476 in his career.
Redwood Hanover returned $2.10 to win as the 1-9 favourite. He was atop a $27.28 exacta and a $73.44 trifecta.
Bartlett and Engblom also connected with Huntinthelastdolar in 1:52.1 in the third section after he put up fractions of :27.4, :56.3 and 1:24.4. Verdun (Pat Lachance) held second after a pocket trip and Catalpa Rescue A (Scott Zeron) put in a first-over grind out of fifth in the final three-eighths of the mile to get third.
Engblom sent out Huntinthelastdolar, a six-year-old gelded son of Huntsville and Eighthunrdolarbill, for owners John Fielding of Scarborough, Ont., and E Five Racing of Boca Raton, Florida. Huntinthelastdolar made his 24th stop in the winner's circle from 72 trips behind the gate and has now banked $1,427,980 lifetime.
Huntinthelastdolar paid $2.96 to win as the 2-5 favourite. He led a $7.14 exacta and a $15.76 trifecta.
Donegal Luther N and Yannick Gingras pressed on to the top beyond the :27 opening quarter in the fourth Borgata battle, and after a :56 half and a 1:24.1 three-quarters, he closed in :27.4 to down defending series champion Mossdale Ben N (Morrill Jr.), who had led early and then yielded to sit in the two-hole, by a length and a quarter in 1:52. Race favourite at 1-5, Captain Albano (Todd McCarthy), was unable to rally from second-over and had to settle for third in his 2026 debut.
Donegal Luther N is an eight-year-old gelded son of Bettors Creek and Donegal Lucy, trained by Jared Bako for the ownership group of Kap Singh Racing Stable of Yorktown Heights, New York, Stephen Klunowski of North York, Ont., and Earl Hill Jr. of Ohsweken, Ont. He has 12 wins, nine seconds and four thirds from 48 starts and has earned $193,692 lifetime.
Donegal Luther N returned $7.18 to win as the 5-2 second choice. The exacta was $52.38 and the trifecta kicked back $112.12.
In the final Borgata showdown, Chase H Hanover, the runner-up in last year's final, drove on two-wide for Anthony Napolitano and got the lead away from Aroda N (Lauren Tritton) after a :27.3 quarter. Chase H Hanover then hit the half in :56.2 and the three-quarters in 1:23.4 as Captain Moore A (Gingras) moved up first-over from third. Chase H Hanover and Captain Moore A battled around the last turn and into the lane, with Captain Moore on a narrow advantage on the outside, but Chase H Hanover wouldn't be denied and fought back to prevail by a nose in 1:52. Howlenthehills (Kakaley) was third and 1-2 favourite Coaches Corner (Bartlett) wound up fourth after having a third-over trip from fifth.
Cory Stratton trains Chase H Hanover, an eight-year-old gelding by Captaintreacherous out of Calgary Hanover, for owners El Dorado Stables of Ft. Myers, Florida and Robert Weinstein of Boca Raton, Florida. Chase H Hanover picked up his 35th lifetime victory and has now stashed away $1,560,185.
Chase H Hanover paid $36.78 to win as a 17-1 offering. He keyed a $261 exacta and a $561.78 trifecta.
MGM Borgata Pacing Series prelims continue through Monday, April 27 before a $200,000 USD (guaranteed) final and a $100,000 USD (guaranteed) consolation on Friday, May 8.
Stakes action continues at Yonkers Raceway on Wednesday, April 1 and Friday, April 3 with the opening leg of the John Brennan Trotting Series on the former and the second round of the MGM Ursula McIntyre Pacing Series on the latter. The four opening round winners in the McIntyre -- Louies Girl N, Seaside Diva, Tick A Loch A and Coastal Babe N -- drew in separate races on Friday and will all therefore have a chance to improve to two-for-two.
Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday through Friday live racing schedule with post time each night at 6:45 p.m.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)