Yonkers: Pacers seek repeat performances in third round of Borgata

The MGM Borgata Pacing Series moves into round three this Monday at Yonkers Raceway with a mix of five $50,000 divisions lined up. With just three legs left to amass the necessary points, victory will be a must for some, while others just need to keep racing well to assure themselves a spot in the lucrative final on April 25.

Driver Scott Zeron piloted two to victory in last week's second round and will look to continue those winning ways.

"I was very happy with him the first week," Zeron said of the sixth-place finish with American Dealer N, who came back to win effortlessly in 1:53 on March 28. "It was a situation of going fourth-over or staying inside with him, and I stayed inside."

The sixth-place finish in the opening round didn't concern Zeron as he looked to get the job done last week.

"He's a little guy with a big motor," said Zeron. "I asked him to pace the third quarter [last week], and he did it easily. He was getting a little sleepy in the stretch, but when I asked him, he responded."

American Dealer N (post four) will find the going a little tougher this week and is quite unlikely to see the front- end with the field of seven he'll meet in the fourth division (race eight). The inside of this field that oozes class and talent includes last year's champion This Is The Plan (post two), a surprising second in the second leg as the 1-2 favorite faltered on the lead. Driver Yannick Gingras suggested that the 7-year-old career earner of $2.6 million was not himself, and the fact that leading trainer Ron Burke has him back in action this week would indicate that This Is The Plan will be fine.

Tattoo Artist looks for his first Borgata leg victory from the pole position, and the Yonkers co-track record-holder couldn't have found a better spot. Following a second-place finish to the accomplished Leonidas A in the opening leg, Tattoo Artist closed for third last week.

Ostro Hanover was a surprise winner over the aforementioned This Is The Plan at 21-1 last Monday (March 28) and figures to be long odds again in spite of that mile. The Jenn Bongiorno-trained veteran blasted to the front and then found room along the pylons to win for the second time in 2022 in a 1:53 clocking. Ostro Hanover starts from post six in a field that also includes first round winner Western Joe (post three) and speedster Poseidon Seelster (post five).

Zeron's chances of getting back-to-back wins from Whichwaytothebeach may also depend on how the 4-year-old will handle what appears to be a tougher group in the final (race nine) of Monday's five divisions.

"The owner is a big player and likes them to get involved," Zeron said of Gino Toscani, who sent Whichwaytothebeach, a recent acquisition, to Yonkers to compete against older foes in the Borgata. With that in mind, Zeron made two moves to command with the son of Somebeachsomewhere and then withstood a brutal challenge on both sides in the homestretch to garner his first Borgata leg after a seventh-place finish in the opening leg.

"He definitely felt them coming with the open bridle," said Zeron. "He fought to the wire."

Whichwaytothebeach logged his first win in four tries since joining his new connections but meets a more imposing challenge this week with two-leg winner Nandolo N (post five) to his outside and last week's fastest leg winner Jack Legend N (post three) to his inside.

Nandolo N has posted consecutive 1:51 4/5 miles, and that's extremely impressive given the adverse cold and windy conditions on the March 28 program.

"He's got a mind of his own," said Jason Bartlett, who is Nandolo N's regular pilot. "When it comes to the stretch, he just wants to pass horses."

Jacks Legend N will get credit for the so-called "pocket" trip to victory last week but make no mistakes the son of Bettor's Delight earned the 1:51 2/5 score for driver Matt Kakaley. Pacemaker American History set sizzling fractions of 26 2/5, 54 2/5 and 1:21 3/5 while Jacks Legend N struggled to keep contact during the third quarter, a point in the mile where horses in the same position lose traction and never recover. Jacks Legend N didn't lose his composure and gutted it out to gain a head decision. Trained by Josh Green, Jacks Legend N may need at least another victory in a series leg to make the final, having finished eighth in the opening round.

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The first of Monday's five divisions (race one) is a field of six with no leg winners and could provide a coming out party if you will for American History (post two). The Tony Alagna-trained 7-year-old did all the work but had to settle for second after scorching fractions last week. Driver Todd McCarthy may not need to tax his horse as much against the short field.

Leonidas A, a first round winner with the fastest time thus far in the series, returns after missing last week's leg due to lateness for Lasix. Expect Leonidas A to arrive early this time and loom as the horse to beat in the third race, second division on Monday night. Leonidas A drew post five with Austin Siegelman in the bike.

Nicholas Beach has been content to race from off-the-pace in the opening rounds of the Borgata, but the winner of more than $260K from 2021 may take the training wheels off in Monday's third division (race six). A son of Somebeachsomewhere, Nicholas Beach drew post six and will be in search of his first win of the season in just his third start for the Bongiorno stable.

The Borgata card kicks off at 6:55 p.m. with 12 races on the agenda.