Harness: Pedal to the metal racing works best

Over the first few weeks of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series, I got the chance to speak with Yonkers Raceway's leading driver Jason Bartlett on occasion. Bartlett was campaigning to a one-man audience about the need to bring back the passing lane at Yonkers. Initially, the creation of the passing lane was intended to give horses along the inside a fair chance in the stretch. Over time, as the dynamics within the mile races changed drastically, the passing lane no longer appeared to serve that purpose.

The conversation, from Bartlett's perspective, was based on his theory that longshot horses would be more inclined to leave the gate looking for eventual second and third spots along the pylons if the drivers knew they could get out in the stretch.

"I would say that's why you don't see guys taking shots from the outside," Bartlett said.

While the intent of closing off the passing lane was to inspire drivers to be more aggressive, a regular view of the Yonkers product offers little in the way of middle-half movement or, for that matter, a rare amount of first-quarter activity. What we essentially see most often are races controlled on the front-end, with first-over grinds beginning somewhere after the third turn.

"You just can't have a horse racing on the outside for two turns here and get any results," said Bartlett, with enough history to back up his claim.

Unlike the "Flying Turns" at Northfield Park, when horses are forced to go on the outside at Yonkers for more than a half-mile, they generally are moving backwards in the stretch.

While Bartlett makes fair points in his assessment of the issues facing drivers while managing to contest races over the Yonkers half-mile surface, it's just as easy to look at Monday (April 25) at Yonkers, a 12-race card that featured the finals of the rich Blue Chip Matchmaker for pacing mares, as well as the MGM Borgata for older male pacers, and come to a different conclusion. While the mares race appeared to lack movement in the early stages, that in and of itself was quite deceiving. Bartlett himself was sitting behind the race favorite Racine Bell from post two and made two moves with his mare within the first eighth of a mile. Racine Bell left alongside Drama Act, and the pair initially sprinted when the gate unfolded before Bartlett elected to take the two-hole once in the turn. When the field was leaving the opening bend, Bartlett quickly took Racine Bell out and pushed the pace, sprinting to gain control at the quarter pole. It was clear Bartlett's strategy at the start was to make certain a second horse of the six outside of him behind the gate didn't think of trying to out-sprint him in the early stages. While all eight were on the gate at the outset of the Blue Chip Matchmaker, the other six drivers collectively never showed intent to leave, and thus paved the way for the inside favorites to control the race.

While the first quarter of the race was just 27 2/5, it's fair to say it was somewhat demanding on Racine Bell given the benefit of 20-20 hindsight. That's the only explanation one could have given that she enjoyed a reasonable 56 opening half and didn't encounter any outside movement until driver Jordan Stratton moved Easy To Please without cover on the third turn and marched up slowly on the leaders.

Bartlett called on Racine Bell to sprint down the backstretch, and a 27 4/5 third quarter was not enough for her to shake the outside horses, nor gain separation from Drama Act, as George Brennan sat poised for the stretch drive. With no passing lane to work with, Brennan needed a seam to open up in the stretch. In this case Racine Bell drifted outside, giving Drama Act the freedom she needed and Brennan just enough time to urge her to the slimmest of nose decisions in a 1:51 2/5 mile. For Bartlett, a passing lane or not was not the issue in this instance. Instead, it proved to be a horse drifting out while tiring in the homestretch. Without question there's no doubt Bartlett would have kept a straight course if he could with Racine Bell.

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The final of the MGM Borgata was far more intense from start to finish and for me that has much to do with the composition of the finalists primarily and a long memory (approximately one year) for many of the drivers. Replays upon replays of Yannick Gingras and This Is The Plan out-sprinting horses from post eight in the 2021 finale left an indelible mark on many of those who had to watch and witness it without a fight. Austin Siegelman wasn't about to get caught in the backfield without a flow with Leonidas A, the favorite this time around. Siegelman left with purpose right outside of This Is The Plan and was quite fortunate to find a hole in front of Funattthebeach N, with that horse's driver Jordan Stratton more than happy to eventually follow his cover.

Matt Kakaley had guided Jack's Legend N to two leg victories in the series and from post three many were not expecting him to be a factor in the early stages. Kakaley had other thoughts, and Jack's Legend N's instant acceleration forced Dexter Dunn, who was steering second choice Tattoo Artist from the pole position, to make a quick decision. Dunn let Jack's Legend N go, and This Is The Plan was given the chance to forge to the lead coming out of the first turn. Unlike a year earlier, This Is The Plan was unable to loop the field on the initial bend and was not willingly pacing at a high enough speed to clear Jack's Legend N.

"I wasn't going to choke my horse down going for $500,000," Kakaley said following the race.

His decision was understandable, and it also revealed the reality that drivers contend with in each race. Quite often courtesy is given as a horse on the lead willingly slows down to let a horse on the outside pass. Kakaley reminded this listener that such courtesy is less likely to be granted when big money is on the line.

The first-half made the MGM Borgata final interesting but what made it stand out was the action that took place on the third turn, as Siegelman vaulted Leonidas A three-deep to go around This Is The Plan and then stayed wide a long time before eventually clearing to the lead. Funattthebeach N, a winner in two preliminary legs, enjoyed the perfect cover ride into the final turn and then got on even terms with Leonidas A mid-way around the turn.

"That's Leonidas," Jordan Stratton said. "I wasn't sure we were going to get by him at all."

Leonidas A probably put in the best race of his career in defeat, but Funatthebeach N was a winner at Yonkers for the third time in his last four starts, with each victory accomplished when he passed horses (many of them) in the late stages.

Jason Bartlett had suggested that a passing lane was necessary to create more excitement. More than likely a competitive group of horses with aggressive drivers behind them is the formula to create compelling racing.

Here's hoping for less courtesy when the purses are under six figures.