Coastal Babe N and driver Yannick Gingras went wire-to-wire in 1:52.2 in the first of three $68,493 divisions in the fifth and final leg of the MGM Ursula McIntyre Series at MGM Yonkers Raceway on Friday, April 24, assuring the rich final on May 8 will be a matchup of two impressive New Zealand imports.
Coastal Babe N out-sprinted four rivals to the front on the first turn and never looked back, cutting rated fractions of 28 seconds and :56.2 for the first half-mile. Two-leg winner Tarapasta, with Matt Kakaley, advanced quickly on the backstretch to take up the chase and was able to move into the pocket past the 1:24.4 three-quarters as Rocket Deo (Andrew McCarthy) could not keep with the pacesetter.
A final quarter sprint of :27.3 with just mild urging by Gingras assured a safe victory for Coastal Babe N, her third in just four series legs she was entered in. Tarapasta finished second, with Seaside Diva (Dexter Dunn) third and Aardie B Miki N (Jason Bartlett), last year's champion, fourth.
Trained by Jared Bako, Coastal Babe N was a winner for the fifth time in seven starts in 2026. The six-year-old Downbytheseaside-Jessies Girl mare is owned by Kap Singh Racing Stable of Yorktown Heights, New York, Stephen Klunowski of North York, Ont., Earl Hill Jr. of Ohsweken, Ont., and Donald MacRae of Vernon Bridge, P.E.I.
As the 4-5 public choice, Coastal Babe N returned $3.90 to win and keyed a $10.18 exacta and a $49.44 trifecta.
Louies Girl N made it four wins in five legs of the McIntyre Series and completed the Kiwi-led final match-up with a brilliant first-over power move that catapulted her to a 1:51.4 victory, equalling her career-best effort. Louies Girl N, guided by Jason Bartlett, out-sprinted pacesetter Millwood Bliss N while pacing a :26.4 final quarter in the process.
Louies Girl N left strongly from the pole but yielded to Walkin On Sunshine and Scott Zeron late on the first turn. Millwood Bliss N, a two-leg winner with Dexter Dunn, was quick to dispute the top and took over at the :27.4 first quarter marker. Millwood Bliss N cut a rated :56.3 half and was on her way to a 1:25 three-quarters when Bartlett pulled the 1-20 favoured Louies Girl N and quickly challenged for supremacy.
The two mares were eye-to-eye through the final turn, but Louies Girl N disposed of the leader and cruised to victory by 2-1/4 lengths. Walkin On Sunshine rallied for the second spot over Millwood Bliss N, with Turn The Page N (Ron Cushing) fourth across the wire.
Louies Girl N is trained by Per Engblom, who is hoping to go back-to-back in this series following Aardie B Miki N's standout effort in the 2025 edition of the race then known as the Blue Chip Matchmaker. Louies Girl N, a six-year-old Lord Forbes-One Bad Dream mare who is five-for-six this year, is owned by Peaceful Acre Farm of Litiitz, Pennsylvania.
As the prohibitive favourite, Louies Girl N returned $2.10 to win and keyed a $2.90 exacta and a $8.76 trifecta.
Tick A Loch A and Jordan Stratton surprised in the final division, and in doing so, the Australian-bred locked up a spot in the final. Tick A Lock A went overland off a quick pace and collared pacesetter Bath Bomb in the final strides in a 1:52 clocking.
Silk Cloud A, the 3-5 choice with Lauren Tritton driving, left alertly for the lead with Bath Bomb and Andrew McCarthy to her outer flank. Silk Cloud A took over off the first turn and parked Bath Bomb to the sizzling opening fraction of :26.4. McCarthy tried to rate Bath Bomb as best he could, but she set hot fractions of :54.4 and 1:23.2 on her own.
Stratton had Tick A Loch A on the move off the third turn and she advanced slowly through the third quarter then got close to Bath Bomb on the final turn. Dougs Babe A and Dexter Dunn slipped out behind the winner and tried to rally, but Tick A Loch A was determined and drove by Bath Bomb for the neck victory. Dougs Babe A settled for third with Silk Cloud A fourth.
Tick A Loch A had bookend victories in the series, winning in round one and now the final for trainer Chris Height and owner Michael Cassalino Jr. of Freehold, New Jersey. A six-year-old by Always B Miki out of Timely Loch, Tick A Loch A now has four wins in 11 starts in 2026.
As a 7-1 offering, Tick A Loch A returned $16.56 to win, leading an exacta worth $63.18 and trifecta payout of $356.
With the McIntyre Series prelims now complete, the mares that have unofficially advanced to the $200,000 USD (added) final are:
- Louies Girl N (350 points)
- Tarapasta (300 points)
- Coastal Babe N (275 points)
- Millwood Bliss N (245 points)
- Seaside Diva (245 points)
- Tick A Loch A (233 points)
- Silk Cloud A (225 points)
- Aardie B Miki N (221 points)
That program on May 8 will also have the $200,000 USD (added) final of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series and $100,000 USD (guaranteed) consolations for both the McIntyre and the Borgata. The field for the Borgata championship will be set after a trio of $50,000 USD splits on Monday, April 27.
Yonkers is now operating on a Monday/Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday live racing schedule with post time at 6:45 p.m., except on Saturdays when it is 3:30 p.m.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway; photo of Coastal Babe N winning on April 24)