Yonkers: Favorites romp in New York Sire Stakes for rookie pacing males

The New York Sire Stakes circuit was at MGM Yonkers Raceway for the first time in 2025 on Thursday (June 19) with the first leg of action for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers.

In the first $77,300 split Quickaway (Yannick Gingras) pressed on two-wide to the lead past the 28 2/5 quarter and after a 58 second half-mile station and a 1:27 2/5 three-quarters, he drew off in a 28 1/5 final panel to win by 6 1/4 lengths in 1:55 3/5. Killing Joke (Braxten Boyd) was second and Lakewood Nick (Jason Bartlett) came in third.

Quickaway, an American Ideal-Logan's Girl colt bred by Winbak Farm, won in his pari-mutuel debut for trainer Blake Macintosh and owners Ozzie Mackay and Gilles Landry. He paid $2.50 to win as the favorite and led an $11.20 exacta and a $31.00 trifecta.

Casper The Ghost (Ray Schnittker) cut the quarter in 28 3/5 in the other $77,300 flight and then yielded to a pocket-popping Ideal Rebel (Tyler Buter) beyond that marker. Ideal Rebel would go on to hit the half in 58 3/5 but Fragment (Bartlett) attacked first-over out of third after the half and went by Ideal Rebel to take command after three-quarters went on the board in 1:26 4/5. It was all Fragment to the finish as he scored by four lengths in 1:55 1/5 with Hunt Off The Press (Scott Zeron) up for second and Casper The Ghost third.

During the race, a two-horse accident occurred near three-quarters as Unmatched Wisdom (Jordan Stratton) fell and Knoxville (Mark MacDonald), who was following his cover, couldn't avoid him. Both horses got up and returned to the paddock while MacDonald booked off the remainder of his drives for the night. Stratton kept driving the rest of his assignments.

Per Engblom trains Fragment, a colt by Huntsville and out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare The Show Returns, for owners Engblom Stable LLC. and Douglas Sipple. Fragment, bred by Steve Stewart, Black Creek Farm, Michael Robinson and South Mountain Stables, won at first asking and returned $3.80 to win as the favorite. He keyed a $9.00 exacta and a $35.80 trifecta.

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Winning two $20,000 Excelsior Series contests were:

--Ghost Hunt (a Huntsville-Gray Ghost colt, paid $10.40 to win) in 1:59 1/5 for driver Mark MacDonald, trainer Ray Schnittker and co-owners/breeders Schnittker, David Pepin and Flintlock Farm Inc.

--Aggieville (a Huntsville-Certified Ideal gelding bred by Kiefer Elite Bldstock LLC., Martin Michalik and Jose Bisono paid $4.70 to win) in 1:57 3/5 for driver Tyler Buter, trainer Jenny Melander and owner Exceed Stables LLC.

Stakes action continues tomorrow night (June 20) at MGM Yonkers Raceway with two $25,000 eliminations of the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes for 3-year-old male pacers in races six and seven. The Grade 2 $200,000 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes final, the Grade 2 $300,000 MGM Yonkers Trot final and their companion filly races - the Grade 3 Park MGM Pace and Grade 3 New York New York Mile - are scheduled to take place on June 27. No eliminations were required for the MGM Yonkers Trot as the five entrants - Chat Room, Happy Jack B, Hard Seven, Super Chapter and Variegated - advanced straight to the final.

MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday/Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday live racing schedule with post time each night at 6:45 p.m. (EDT).

--press release (Yonkers)--