The post positions have been drawn for the $100,000 USD final and $50,000 USD consolation of the John Brennan Trotting Series, which are set for Wednesday, April 22 at MGM Yonkers Raceway.
In the final, Kazio Dk and Ma Isabelle, who won their divisions in both the second and third legs, landed right next to each other in posts four and five, respectively. Co-owner Yannick Gingras is listed to drive Kazio Dk, a five-year-old Muscle Massive-Sasha gelding, for trainer Ron Burke, while trainer Pat Lachance will pilot Ma Isabelle, a five-year-old Alarm Detector-Fiery Manes mare.
Additionally, Always A Story, a four-year-old daughter of Chapter Seven-Danica Hall who captured her split in leg one, has the inside for driver Tyler Buter and trainer Jared Bako. Top Gun Hanover, who also tallied in the opening round before he skipped the final two prelims, will depart from post seven. Jason Bartlett is listed to drive the four-year-old son of Walner-Think Twice for trainer Per Engblom.
The full field for the final is as follows.
$100,000 USD John Brennan Trotting Series Final - Race 7
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Always A Story - Tyler Buter - Jared Bako
2. Velociraptor - Colin Kelly - Cote Keim
3. Green Mel - Scott Zeron - Ron Burke
4. Kazio Dk - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke
5. Ma Isabelle - Pat Lachance - Pat Lachance
6. Alimony Mike - Matt Kakaley - Scott Di Domenico
7. Top Gun Hanover - Jason Bartlett - Per Engblom
8. Zenmeister S - Jason Bartlett - Per Engblom
The consolation is led by Commodus A, who landed post seven for Bartlett and Engblom. The five-year-old Father Patrick-American Jewel gelding finished in the runner-up spot in his splits in both the second and third legs.
There is a pari-mutuel entry of Halfadozen and Belmondo in the race. The full consolation group is as follows.
$50,000 USD John Brennan Trotting Series Consolation - Race 2
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Pierre In Paris - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke
2. Halfadozen - Daniel Dube - Daniel Dube
3. Crazy Brother Jim - Steve Smith - Chris Freck
4. Exquisite Taste - Pat Lachance - Pat Lachance
5. Sundays Brunch - Jordan Stratton - Cory Stratton
6. Belmondo - Brent Holland - Deborah Daguet
7. Commodus A - Jason Bartlett - Per Engblom
8. Diplomacy - Jason Bartlett - Per Engblom
After being contested at the distance of a mile-and-a-quarter in 2025, the final and consolation will go back to the standard mile distance this year. The John Brennan Trotting Series is named in honour of the longtime Standardbred Owners Association of New York horsemen's representative who passed away from complications of COVID-19 in March 2020.
Stakes action is also on deck at Yonkers Raceway on Friday, April 17 and Monday, April 20 with the fourth leg of the MGM Ursula McIntyre Pacing Series and MGM Borgata Pacing Series, respectively. The McIntyre has three $50,000 USD splits, as does the Borgata.
The John Brennan Trotting Series final and consolation will be the headline events of the final Wednesday program at Yonkers for a few weeks as the oval will switch to a Monday-Tuesday and Thursday-through-Saturday schedule beginning the week of April 27. That schedule will continue through the week of June 8 when the Monday-through-Friday slate returns. Those Saturday programs in May and the first week in June will have post time at 3:30 p.m.
Until then, MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday-through-Friday live racing schedule with post time each night at 6:45 p.m.
(Yonkers Raceway; photo of Ma Isabelle winning a leg of the Brennan Series on April 8)