Yonkers: John Brennan Trotting Series gets underway

The 2026 edition of the John Brennan Trotting Series commenced on Wednesday night (April 1) at MGM Yonkers Raceway with a pair of $30,000 divisions, and the victories went to Top Gun Hanover and Always A Story.

The John Brennan Trotting Series is named in honor of the longtime Standardbred Owners Association of New York horsemen's representative who passed away from complications of COVID-19 in March 2020.

Top Gun Hanover (Jason Bartlett) moved up two-wide to take the lead away from Pierre In Paris (Yannick Gingras) past the 28 2/5 quarter and continued on the point to the 57 2/5 half and the 1:26 1/5 three-quarters as Green Mel (Tyler Buter) made a two-wide advance out of third as the field raced in the backstretch for the final time.

Green Mel trotted onto even-terms with Top Gun Hanover on the final bend, but once they straightened up in the lane, Top Gun Hanover kicked back away and went on to prevail by a length and a half in 1:54 3/5. Green Mel had to settle for second, followed by Pierre In Paris.

A 4-year-old son of Walner, Top Gun Hanover is trained by Per Engblom for owners E Five Racing and John Fielding. Top Gun Hanover has a record of 9-7-0 from 29 career starts, has earned $202,091 and paid $3.48 to win as the favorite. He led a $10.84 exacta and a $37.34 trifecta.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Bartlett and Engblom went for the sweep with 2-5 choice Zenmeister S in the second flight, and he followed Kazio DK (Gingras) to the quarter in 28 3/5 and the half in 57 4/5 before Bartlett guided him to the outside on the way to the 1:26 4/5 three-quarters. Kazio DK was able to thwart Zenmeister S's bid initially, but then Kazio DK made a break on the last turn, which put Zenmeister S on the lead and Always A Story (Buter), who had been positioned second-over, in the first-up position.

Zenmister S spun into the lane on a clear lead and looked to see it out, but Always A Story had plenty of trot to the wire and was able to get around Zenmeister S in time, defeating him by a head in 1:55.1. Alimony Mike (Matt Kakaley) finished in the third position.

Jared Bako sent out Always A Story, a 4-year-old Chapter Seven mare, for owners Kap Singh Racing Stable and Earl Hill Jr. Always A Story has ten victories, seven seconds and six thirds from 38 trips behind the gate, has pocketed $128,675 and returned $6.90 to win as the 2-1 second choice. She was atop a $14.64 exacta and a $48.46 trifecta.

This year's John Brennan Trotting Series has two more prelims on April 8 and 15 prior to the $100,000 (guaranteed) final and $50,000 (guaranteed) consolation on April 22. After being contested at the distance of a mile and a quarter in 2025, the final and consolation will go back to the standard mile distance this year.

Stakes action continues at Yonkers on Friday (April 3) and Monday (April 6) with the second legs of the MGM Ursula McIntyre Pacing Series and the MGM Borgata Pacing Series, both of which have four $50,000 splits. The four opening round winners in the McIntyre - Louies Girl N, Seaside Diva, Tick A Loch A and Coastal Babe N - drew in separate races on Friday and will all therefore have a chance to improve to two-for-two. Meanwhile, in the Borgata, two of Monday's (March 30) winners - Donegal Luther N and Chase H Hanover - meet up in the last section (Race 7).

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

--press release (Yonkers)--