Tarapasta and Louies Girl N each won for the second time in this year's MGM Ursula McIntyre Series at Yonkers Raceway while defending champion Aardie B Miki N reached the winner's circle in the third leg on Friday, April 10.
In one of three $69,444 divisions, Tarapasta powered to a wire-to-wire victory while completely in-hand through a 1:52.1 mile for driver Matt Kakaley. With two wins in the three legs after a runner-up finish in the opener, Travis Alexander trainee clearly has sights set on the rich final.
Tarapasta left, along with a few others in her division, with Kakaley waiting for My Red Sea (Yannick Gingras) to cross over first and then Fearless Ginger (Scott Zeron) before assuming control through a snappy :27.3 quarter. With no pressure, Tarapasta was strong, pacing through the middle-half fractions of 56 seconds and 1:24.1.
No outer flow was able to develop until three-quarters when My Red Sea and Coachellabound N (Brent Holland) had trouble gaining traction. Tarapasta distanced herself from Fearless Ginger on the final turn and was wrapped up through a 28-second final quarter. Finishing 2-1/2 lengths behind, Dougs Babe A (Dexter Dunn) scooted along the pylons through the final turn before she angled out and was able to rally late for second over Fearless Ginger, with Elusive A (Austin Siegelman) fourth after flying on the far outside.
A six-year-old daughter of Downbytheseaside out of Pasta Blue Chip, the 21-time career winner is owned by Greg Luther Racing of Blacklick, Ohio.
Tarapasta returned $2.18 to win and keyed a $22.14 exacta and a $72.88 trifecta.
Louies Girl N rebounded from her first North American defeat in round two with a blistering effort, capturing her third-leg division by open lengths in a career-best 1:52 for Jason Bartlett.
The Per Engblom-trained mare vaulted from post seven to the lead into the first turn ahead of Lydeo (Colin Kelly) and then dissuaded Walkin On Sunshine (Scott Zeron) from a quarter move to establish control well before the 28-second first quarter.
A :29.2 second quarter had Louies Girl N in front, and Bartlett didn't wait to kick the six-year-old import into overdrive as she paced three-quarters in 1:25 thanks to a :27.3 third quarter and then sprinted home in 27 seconds for the 4-3/4-length win.
Always Bstunning N (Tim Tetrick) followed up her upset of Louies Girl N in the second leg of the series with a solid, albeit distant second-place finish as she rallied off the cover of Walkin On Sunshine in the stretch. Walkin On Sunshine couldn't muster the strength to get to the winner on the backstretch but managed to hold on for third ahead of Lydeo.
Engblom trains Louies Girl N, a 16-time winning daughter of Lord Forbes out of One Bad Dream, for Peaceful Acre Farm of Litiitz, Pennsylvania.
As the slight favourite, Louies Girl N paid $4.54 to win and keyed a $9.56 exacta and a $14.24 trifecta.
Another Engblom trainee, Aardie B Miki N finally found winning form in the series, capturing the evening's first division in 1:53.
Jason Bartlett had Aardie B Miki N energized from the moment the gates folded and overcame post seven in a flash, sending last year's series champion to the front ahead of Seaside Diva (Yannick Gingras) before the first turn. Once in front, Aardie B Miki appeared to be under constant reminders from Bartlett but managed to carve out first-half fractions of :28.2 and 57 seconds before facing serious pressure.
Andrew McCarthy pulled Rocket Deo to challenge the leader off the third turn, but Aardie B Miki N accelerated to keep her at bay, hitting three-quarters in 1:25.1 but still appearing vulnerable. Silk Cloud A (Lauren Tritton) swung wide from second-over and Millwood Bliss N (Dexter Dunn) was four-wide into the homestretch, but Aardie B Miki N responded to urging and drew clear in the stretch, kicking home in :27.4 for the one-length victory. Seaside Diva had room and held on to the place spot ahead of Silk Cloud A, with Millwood Bliss N settling for fourth.
Aardie B Miki N, a homebred six-year-old Always B Miki-Tatijana Bromac mare, now has 19 career wins for owner M T Stables Ontario of Scarborough, Ont.
Aardie B Miki N returned $20.10 winning for the fourth time in nine starts in 2026. She keyed an exacta of $66.86 and a trifecta worth $239.88.
The MGM Ursula McIntyre Series prelims continue through Friday, April 24 before a $200,000 USD (added) final and a $100,000 USD (guaranteed) consolation on Friday, May 8.
More stakes action is ahead at Yonkers on Monday, April 13 and Wednesday, April 15 with the third legs of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series and the John Brennan Trotting Series, respectively. The Borgata will have a trio of $50,000 USD divisions, while the Brennan was split into a pair of $30,000 USD groupings.
Yonkers is operating on a Monday through Friday live racing schedule with post time each night at 6:45 p.m.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway; photo of Tarapasta winning on April 10)