Yonkers: Funatthebeach N surprises, Kakaley triples in MGM Borgata Pacing Series

Last year's MGM Borgata Pacing Series champion Funatthebeach N had posted a third and a fourth thus far in the 2023 edition of the event, but he scored a breakthrough 1:50 4/5 upset victory in the third of four $50,000 divisions of the third leg on Monday night (April 3) at MGM Yonkers Raceway. The winner's share of the purse also made Funatthebeach N the newest millionaire in harness racing.

Driven by Jordan Stratton, Funatthebeach N landed in the sixth position and watched as one of last week's MGM Borgata Pacing Series winners, Tattoo Artist (Dexter Dunn), brushed out of third going to the 27 1/5 opening quarter and took control after that marker. Tattoo Artist would go on to put the half on the board in 55 3/5, and Funatthebeach N would get going first-over before that station.

Tattoo Artist continued on the front-end through a 1:23 1/5 three-quarters, but Funatthebeach N continued to make steady progress on the rim and was third at that point, then advanced into second entering the last turn. Funatthebeach N wasn't done, though, as he forged his way by Tattoo Artist late on the bend, and despite the uncovered journey, he drew off in the stretch to score by 3 1/2 lengths at odds of 36-1. Hellabalou (Yannick Gingras) was the runner-up, followed by None Bettor A (Matt Kakaley), Tattoo Artist, and Undrthsouthrnsun N (Joe Bongiorno).

Sent out by trainer Jeff Gillis for owner Mark Ford, Funatthebeach N is a 9-year-old gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere. He has now compiled a record of 38-11-21 from 133 career appearances, and he has pocketed $1,024,986. He paid $74.00 to win and was atop a $399.00 exacta and a $2,116.00 trifecta.

Apart from that race, the rest of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series contests on Monday night were the "Matt Kakaley Show," as he netted a hat trick.

2021 series champion This Is The Plan (Gingras) posted fractions of 27 3/5, 56 1/5, and 1:24 in the first flight, with Nandolo N (Jason Bartlett) offering just a mild first-over bid after pulling from third past the half. Backstreet Shadow (Kakaley), the 3-5 choice, followed Nandolo N from second-over but was sent three-wide midway through the final bend as Nandolo N couldn't advance any further in front of him.

This Is The Plan turned for home first and responded when Gingras called upon him, but Backstreet Shadow was full of pace after Kakaley fed him the clear racetrack, and he would sweep by This Is The Plan in the stretch en route to a 1 1/4 length decision in 1:51 3/5. This Is The Plan held second over Nandolo N, with Dean B Hanover (Stratton) and Oakwoodnitownit IR (Scott Zeron) completing the order.

Backstreet Shadow is an 8-year-old Shadow Play gelding trained by Travis Alexander for owner Robert Di Nozzi. Backstreet Shadow, who returned $3.50 to win as the 3-5 favorite, picked up his 37th lifetime victory, and he pushed his earnings to $1,331,042. The exacta was worth $7.40 and the trifecta kicked back $17.60.

Lochinvar Art A (Lauren Tritton) saw his undefeated run in the U.S. and in the Borgata end in the second showdown as Hemsworth N (Kakaley) got up from the pocket to prevail in 1:52 1/5.

Kakaley gunned Hemsworth N out from post three and then stretched Lochinvar Art A out before releasing him beyond the 27 second opening quarter. Lochinvar Art A then maintained control through middle-half panels of 55 3/5 and 1:24 1/5, but he drifted out in the lane, giving space for Hemsworth N to slip through and surge by for a half-length triumph. Lochinvar Art A had to settle for second, Bee Two Bee (Gingras) was third, Belmont Royale N (David Miller) collected fourth, and Bad Tothe Bone N (Bongiorno) came in fifth.

Trained by Jared Bako, Hemsworth N, a 6-year-old Sweet Lou gelding, is owned by 1362313 Ontario Ltd. He made his 16th appearance in the winner's circle in his 35th start, and he sent his bankroll to $128,009. He paid $13.40 to win as the 5-1 second choice and keyed a $17.00 exacta and a $53.00 trifecta.

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The night's final Borgata battle saw American Dealer N (Bongiorno), Idealsomemagic A (Stratton) and Jimmy Freight (Zeron) all leave the gate, with Jimmy Freight pressing on from the outside post seven and clearing Idealsomemagic A before a quick 26 4/5 quarter. Jimmy Freight then backed down the half to 55 2/5 before American Courage and Kakaley attacked first-over out of fourth. American Courage made his way into a joint second with Idealsomemagic A as Jimmy Freight tripped three-quarters in 1:23 2/5 and then moved up to engage Jimmy Freight on the last turn and into the stretch. Meanwhile, Idealsomemagic A was now locked in as the 2-5 favorite and hoped to find room in the lane.

Unfortunately that seam never became available for Idealsomemagic A as Jimmy Freight and American Courage stayed side-by-side to the wire and a second-over Anothrmastrpiece N paced on well enough to keep Idealsomemagic A boxed in. At the finish line it was American Courage a head in front of Jimmy Freight in a 1:51 mile, with Covered Bridge (Tyler Buter) rallying from third-over to get third. Idealsomemagic A had to settle for a dead-heat for fourth with Anothrmastrpiece N.

Another Alexander trainee, American Courage, the 2021 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes champion at Yonkers, is owned and was bred by Fiddler's Creek Stables LLC. American Courage is an 18-time winner in his racing career, and he has now put away $810,089. An 8-1 offering, American Courage returned $18.60 to win, while the exacta and trifecta went for $73.00 and $840, respectively.

Idealsomemagic A was also the only horse that was covered in Monday night's Pick 5 sequence, and since he was not able to secure a win, there will be a $23,785.51 carryover and a $75,000 guaranteed pool in the wager on Tuesday night's (April 4) card.

The guarantee in the Pick 5 is being offered as part of the United States Trotting Association's Strategic Wagering Program. Free Harness Eye past performances for the Pick 5 will be available here. The Pick 5, which begins in race five, has a takeout rate of 20 percent.

The MGM Borgata Pacing Series prelims continue for two more weeks before a $200,000-added final estimated to boost the purse to $500,000 on April 24. That card will also include the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series final and consolation events for both races.

MGM Yonkers Raceway will also offer the MGM Borgata Pacing Series champion a win-and-you're-in opportunity to both the $200,000 Battle of Lake Erie at MGM Northfield Park on June 10 and the $200,000 MGM Aria Pace at Yonkers on MGM Yonkers International Trot Day (September 23).

To complement the MGM Borgata Pacing Series, the Empire Terrace dining room will be open 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Mondays through April 24. Owners and fans are invited to attend the races and enjoy food from an ala carte menu. No reservations are required.

Also, continuing through this month, the Pick 5 pool on Thursdays at MGM Yonkers Raceway will be seeded with $10,000 and also have a guaranteed pool of $25,000. This initiative is being offered in partnership with the Standardbred Owners Association of New York as part of the United States Trotting Association's Strategic Wagering Program.

Stakes racing resumes on Wednesday night at MGM Yonkers Raceway with six $25,000 divisions of the opening round of the John Brennan Trotting Series, and Friday night's 11-race program features three $40,000 splits of the fourth leg of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series for pacing mares. Amazing Dream N will look to stay undefeated in the event in the last of those tilts (race eight).

MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday through Friday live racing schedule with post time at 7 p.m. (EDT).

--press release (Yonkers)--