Desperate Man delivered a commanding mile in the third of four $69,444 divisions of the 2025 MGM Borgata Pacing Series on Monday, April 21 at MGM Yonkers Raceway.
Matt Kakaley sent Desperate Man three-wide past a :27.2 quarter to clear Verdun (Pat Lachance) for the lead, then posted middle panels of :55 and 1:22.4. Despite late pressure from Verdun, Desperate Man paced home in :28.1 to score in 1:51 by a length and a quarter, securing his first win of the series. Huntinthelastdolar (Jason Bartlett) rounded out the top three.
A son of Shadow Play-Dreamlands Latte trained by Travis Alexander, former Canadian Horse of the Year Desperate Man (pictured above) is owned by Kathy Cecchin of Arthur, Ont. The seven-year-old gelding scored his 28th career win and delivered a performance that pushed his lifetime bankroll to $1,979,258.
He paid $6.80 to win as the 2-1 second choice, with the exacta returning $17.60 and the trifecta paying $38.80.
In the opening division, Chase H Hanover surged late to deny Binge On Yankee (Scott Zeron) and claim a 1:52 victory. After sitting second-over behind a parked-out Hellabalou (Yannick Gingras), Anthony Napolitano angled Chase H Hanover three-wide into the final turn and wore down the leader in deep stretch to win by a neck. Churchviewfrankl IR (Brent Holland) finished third.
Trained by Cory Stratton for El Dorado Stables of Fort Myers, Florida and Robert Weinstein of Boca Raton, Florida, the seven-year-old gelding Chase H Hanover (Captaintreacherous-Calgary Hanover) now sports 33 wins and $1,232,377 in earnings.
The 3-1 third choice returned $8.70 to win, with the exacta worth $87.50 and the trifecta worth $285.
Mossdale Ben N and driver Jordan Stratton picked up their third Borgata series win in the second division, grinding first-over and taking command at the top of the stretch en route to a 1:51.2 score. Why Not Now (Matt Kakaley) cut fractions of :26.1, :55.2 and 1:23.2 but couldn’t hold off Mossdale Ben N, who powered home to win by 1-3/4 lengths. Himself N (Jason Bartlett) finished second, with Charlie May (Ron Cushing) third.
The seven-year-old A Rocknroll Dance-Mossdale Sue gelding is trained by Peter Tritton for PJT Investments Inc. of Madison, Connecticut. Mossdale Ben N is now seven-for-eight in North America and a 15-time winner overall with lifetime earnings of $304,786.
He paid $2.20 to win and led a $9.10 exacta and a $22.20 trifecta.
Last, but certainly not least, the Stratton Brothers would join forces with For Once Inmy Life, who improved to three-for-three in the Borgata series this year with a hard-earned 1:52.2 triumph in the final grouping. Jordan Stratton settled the five-year-old Downbytheseaside-Flyme To The Moon gelding into the pocket early, retook the lead after a brief tussle with Typhoon Banner N (Joe Bongiorno), then held off a strong challenge from Coaches Corner (Jason Bartlett) in the stretch to win by a neck. Longshot Finvarra A (Yannick Gingras) finished third off second-over cover.
Trained by Cory Stratton for Winters Racing Stable of Foxboro, Massachusetts, For Once Inmy Life now boasts a record of 14-9-9 from 51 starts and earnings of $557,137.
The 8-5 second choice paid $5.50 to win, with the exacta paying $13.60 and the trifecta worth $144.50.
The MGM Borgata Pacing Series prelims conclude next Monday, April 28, with the $200,000 USD (added) final and $100,000 USD (guaranteed) consolation on Friday, May 9 when they will be joined by the $200,000 USD (added) final and $100,000 USD (guaranteed) consolation of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Pacing Series.
Up next at Yonkers is the $123,000 USD John Brennan Trotting Series final, which goes Wednesday, April 23. Antognoni S will look to complete a sweep from post seven in the mile and a quarter affair (race seven). A $50,000 USD consolation is scheduled in race four.
The last chance to earn points in this year's Blue Chip Matchmaker Series happens in the Friday, April 25 final leg and there will be three $50,000 USD divisions. Aardie B Miki, who started the series three-for-three and then took last week off, will start from the pole position in the second section (race five). She faces the likes of two-leg winner Walkin On Sunshine (post six).
Continuing for every Monday and Friday card during the legs of the Borgata and Matchmaker, Yonkers, in conjunction with the Standardbred Owners Association of New York, will offer a $20,000 guaranteed Pick 5 pool in race five. The guaranteed Pick 5 pool on Mondays is also a part of the United States Trotting Association's Strategic Wagering Program.
Yonkers 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)