Harness: Ryder’s half-mile experts ready to hit big in the Borgata

Trainer Chris Ryder is looking forward to the coming MGM Borgata Pacing Series that kicks off a week from Monday at Yonkers Raceway (March 21) with the first of five preliminary legs.

Ryder is in a solid position with the now-5-year-old Tattoo Artist, one of the leaders of the 40 that were nominated to the stakes event. Ryder's supporting cast is the 4-year-old I'll Drink To That, though at first he look may be biting off a bit more than he can chew at this level.

"I'm going to qualify him this week (finished third, timed in 1:51 at the Meadowlands on Friday)," said Ryder, confirming that I'll Drink To That is rapidly approaching race-readiness and is expected to make his season's debut in the Borgata. "I put him in because he's very good around a half-mile track."

The measuring stick for many on the solid list is half-mile track ability, and in the case of I'll Drink To That, we need look no further than his easy victory in last year's $200,000 New York Sire Stakes final held at Yonkers in September. The son of American Ideal had a breakout season in 2021, earning $346K in his 21 starts.

"He raced really well at the end of the year," said Ryder, noting one exception. "He bled in his last start at Dover [Progress Pace], and we're putting him on Lasix."

There are a total of seven 4-year-olds entered in the Borgata, with the recent 1:51 1/5 Meadowlands qualifying winner Chase H Hanover and Whichwaytothebeach returning after enjoying some national prominence during their 3-year-old campaigns.

Ryder, in entering I'll Drink To That, seems to be of the same mind as many of the conditioners who point horses for the grueling half-mile track series. That is essentially that the money is too good to pass up, even for horses attempting to transition from 3-year-old company to face seasoned veterans.

"We'll see how it goes," Ryder said.

While I'll Drink To That may find the waters of this division a bit deep, Tattoo Artist has been battle-tested and returned to action for his 5-year-old campaign with a solid second-place finish at Yonkers in Monday's $39,000 Open (March 7).

"I didn't tell Dexter [Dunn] how to drive him," said Ryder, referring to the off-the-pace tactics that led to the second-place finish behind pace-setter Red Right Hand. "I thought he raced well, and we'll give him the next week off getting ready for the Borgata."

Tattoo Artist spent most of his 4-year-old season battling the best older performers in the nation. One of his best performances came in a $50,000 Preferred Pace on Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands where Tim Tetrick had him wound up from the start. Tattoo Artist cut unseen fractions of 25 flat to the quarter and 52 flat to the half. He continued his speed mission with an eye-catching 1:18 3/5 three-quarter clocking, finishing off the mile in 1:47 1/5, a personal-best while somewhat tired crossing the wire.

A son of He's Watching, Tattoo Artist found himself racing on the half-miler at Yonkers throughout the end of the campaign, and there were some memorable moments, including the 1:49 3/5 track record-equaling effort on October 18 with Dunn in the bike. He also posted a 1:50 victory racing at the top level.

"He's just got great gate speed," said Ryder, describing the key element in Tattoo Artist's arsenal that likely will give him an edge over many of his rivals in the coming weeks.

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There's another element to the MGM Borgata Pacing Series for some of the Yonkers regulars, and that is the fact that post position for many that would be handicapped in the traditional weekly Open events is random throughout the series and final. It's one thing for Tattoo Artist to overcome an outside draw, pacing a sub-27 opening quarter to cross over. It's far more intimidating when a horse of his caliber lands an inside draw and those starting from outer posts recognize there is not easy path to the front.

This year's MGM Borgata Pacing Series has some new players but many old ones as well, with last year's impressive champion This Is The Plan back to defend his title. Trainer Ron Burke has dominated this series to a degree with the sheer number of horses he has entered. The facts remain that his horses don't just show up, they race hard as well. This Is The Plan is just that type of horse which shows up each week and gives it his all, regardless of draw or trip. Whether he will be better than 2021 is hard to say given his impressive resume that included a half-mile track world record of 1:47 3/5 set at Northfield Park in the Battle of Lake Erie last June.

Western Joe finished second behind This Is The Plan in the Battle of Lake Erie, and trainer Chris Choate has the veteran once again on the comeback trail as the Borgata 2022 comes into view. Last year, in his first try in the series, Western Joe captured two of the preliminary legs, but when sent off as the favorite in the rich final, got out-sprinted on the first turn by This Is The Plan and never got into the hunt. Ironically, Western Joe's two victories in the Borgata last year came when he rallied from far off-the-pace to score. It's that type of versatility that makes him a threat every time he goes on the track.

Nicholas Beach showed major speed during his 5-year-old campaign for trainer Jenn Bongiorno, but the jury is still out concerning his half-mile track prowess. It's not that he hasn't been over the half-milers, but that he drew post eight in the Gerrity at Saratoga Harness and was scratched, then later in the season saw number eight again in the Quillen at Harrington and didn't leave the gate. With a five-week series there's every chance we'll find out just what kind of small-track horse Nicholas Beach can be.

One thing is for certain when it comes to the MGM Borgata Pacing Series, and that is that there will be plenty of excitement as horses meet up for the first time and look for a path to reach the rich final on April 25.