One of the biggest programs of the year at MGM Yonkers Raceway is coming up this Friday, June 27, led by the $300,000 USD MGM Yonkers Trot and the $200,000 USD MGM Grand Messenger Stakes for three-year-old colts and geldings, both Grade 2 stakes and the first legs of the Trotting and Pacing Triple Crowns.
Super Chapter, who drew post one with Dexter Dunn listed to drive for Marcus Melander, heads the Yonkers Trot, which will go as race seven on the card. Super Chapter is two-for-two so far this year, having won his division of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) and Empire Breeders Classic, both at Vernon Downs. Stablemate Variegated (post three, Scott Zeron) also won in the NYSS at Vernon and was the Sire Stakes champion last year, while the John Butenschoen trainee Chat Room (post four, Tyler Buter) was another Empire Breeders Classic victor at Vernon. The field also includes Hard Seven (post five, Todd McCarthy), who captured the 2025 Dexter Cup at The Meadowlands for trainer Nancy Takter.
MGM Grand Messenger Stakes elimination winners Twisted Destiny and Odds On No Limit (pictured above) had differing luck in the open draw for the final as the Chris Ryder-trained Twisted Destiny got post three with Dexter Dunn listed to drive while the Travis Alexander trainee Odds On No Limit landed the eight-hole and will have Matt Kakaley in the bike. Ryder also has another entrant in the field in World Of Wishes, who will start from post two with Joe Bongiorno listed. The Messenger Stakes is race eight on the program.
The full fields are listed below in post position order.
$300,000 USD MGM Yonkers Trot
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Super Chapter - Dexter Dunn - Marcus Melander
2. Happy Jack B - Ake Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt
3. Variegated - Scott Zeron - Marcus Melander
4. Chat Room - Tyler Buter - John Butenschoen
5. Hard Seven - Todd McCarthy - Nancy Takter
$200,000 USD MGM Grand Messenger Stakes
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Manolete - Scott Zeron - Bruce Saunders
2. World Of Wishes - Joe Bongiorno - Chris Ryder
3. Twisted Destiny - Dexter Dunn - Chris Ryder
4. Fast Choice - Doug McNair - Jared Bako
5. Dandy Ideal - Jason Bartlett - Hunter Oakes
6. Banderas - Jordan Stratton - Tony Alagna
7. Papis Rocket - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke
8. Odds On No Limit - Matt Kakaley - Travis Alexander
AE. Jon I Love Dat - TBA - Janice Connor
Additionally, there will be a pair of $50,000 USD Park MGM Pace (Grade 3) divisions in races two and four and two $50,000 USD New York New York Mile (Grade 3) splits in races three and six for fillies on the docket.
The opening Park MGM Pace tilt features NYSS and Grand Circuit star The Last Martini, who drew post three with Doug McNair listed to drive for Jared Bako.
Please Be With You, who will start from post one with Scott Zeron in the sulky for Linda Toscano, is coming off a victory in the New Jersey Sire Stakes Standardbred Development Fund final at The Meadowlands as she goes for another stakes title in the second division.
In the New York New York Mile, last year's NYSS champion Royal Mission has the inside post with Scott Zeron listed to drive for Marcus Melander in the first division. She will take on 2024 Pennsylvania champion Shes A Shoe In, who drew post two for trainer/driver Ray Schnittker.
In the other grouping, O'Brien Award winner Monalishi, fresh off an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold victory for trainer Blake MacIntosh, heads south to take on the undefeated-in-2025 EL Nightwish from the Lucas Wallin stable. Monalishi will start from post five with Yannick Gingras listed to drive while EL Nightwish has post three and will be driven by Dexter Dunn.
First race post time is 6:45 p.m.
To view Friday's complete entries, click here.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)