On Monday afternoon, June 24 at MGM Yonkers Raceway, the post position draws took place for Friday night's $300,000 USD MGM Yonkers Trot and $225,000 USD MGM Grand Messenger Stakes finals, the opening legs of the Trotting and Pacing Triple Crowns.
Elimination winner Bargain landed post three in the MGM Yonkers Trot final for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Nancy Takter. Trainer Ake Svanstedt, in search of his fourth MGM Yonkers Trot title, sends out Flying Kronos S and Situationship from posts five and eight, respectively, and Marcus Melander, a two-time winning trainer in the MGM Yonkers Trot (2021 and 2023), has Security Protected from the coveted post one starting position.
The full field for the MGM Yonkers Trot is as follows:
$300,000 USD MGM Yonkers Trot - Race 8
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Security Protected - Tim Tetrick - Marcus Melander
2. Sir Pinocchio - Jason Bartlett - Ed Hart
3. Bargain - Yannick Gingras - Nancy Takter
4. Duke Of Walner - Matt Kakaley - Lucas Wallin
5. Flying Kronos S - David Miller - Ake Svanstedt
6. Im Out - Marcus Miller - Scott Di Domenico
7. Fly By - Scott Zeron - Tony Alagna
8. Situationship - Ake Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt
Howlenthehills and Janelle Granny were the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes elimination victors, and they landed posts four and six, respectively, in the final. Janelle Granny was driven by Tim Tetrick in the elimination, but he has elected to go with Armada Hanover from post one in the final, putting George Brennan on Janelle Granny. Trainer Travis Alexander, who won the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes finals in 2021 and 2022, has two horses in the final in Howlenthehills, who will be driven by Matt Kakaley -- the winning driver with Alexander trainees American Courage and Pleaseletmeknow in those MGM Grand Messenger finals -- and Sweet Beach Life (post five), who will be driven by Tyler Buter.
The full field for the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes is as follows:
$225,000 USD MGM Grand Messenger Stakes - Race 7
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Armada Hanover - Tim Tetrick - Brett Pelling
2. Escape To America - Jason Bartlett - Deborah Daguet
3. Lous World - Todd McCarthy - Garry Merner Jr.
4. Howlenthehills - Matt Kakaley - Travis Alexander
5. Sweet Beach Life - Tyler Buter - Travis Alexander
6. Janelle Granny - George Brennan - Scott Di Domenico
7. Wish You Well - David Miller - Nifty Norman
8. Mr Three O Five - Yannick Gingras - Nancy Takter
In addition, there are companion events for three-year-old fillies, a single $90,000 USD Park MGM Pace contest and two $55,000 USD divisions of the New York New York Mile for trotters. The Park MGM Pace is race 10 on the 12-race program, while the New York New York splits go as races two and 11.
Fans attending the races live on Friday will be treated to an outdoor market on the track apron. An integration of the casino and track worlds will take place as patrons from both sides of the gambling world will be welcomed to enjoy special food stands, live music and other promotional items as part of a Triple Crown Fan Fest.
Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-
(Yonkers Raceway)