Yonkers: This Is The Plan makes final tune-up for rich Borgata final

A total of 21 horses were entered, forcing the fifth and final preliminary leg of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series on Monday night at Yonkers Raceway to be divided into three divisions. With $50,000 on the line in races four, six, and eight on the 12-race program, many of the prospective finalists will be in action with minimal risk of falling from the top eight.

Race eight features last year's champion This Is The Plan (post five) with Yannick Gingras. The 7-year-old altered son of Somebeachsomewhere has already secured a position in the final but will be looking to add to his $2.62 million in career earnings.

"He's as good as he was last year," said Gingras of This Is The Plan.

A winner in two of the four legs, This Is The Plan finished second in round two.

"He got on a line on the last turn, and I couldn't keep him straight in the stretch," was the explanation by the driver when This Is The Plan was out-kicked by Ostro Hanover along the pylons.

In round three, This Is The Plan chased hot pacemaker Tattoo Artist and finished a disappointing fifth.

"I knew at the quarter that night he wasn't himself," Gingras said. "They did some work on him, and he was very strong last week."

Gingras was referring to the front-end score in round four where This Is The Plan sprinted a 27 1/5 final quarter, holding points-leader Nandolo N at bay.

"It's going to come down to the draw for the final," said Gingras, who will drive three in this week's divisions but will sit behind This Is The Plan for the final.

On Monday, This Is The Plan faces three leg winners, including Tattoo Artist (post two), Ostro Hanover (post four) and Funatthebeach N (post six). Pat Stanley N (post 7) has finished second in all four rounds and picks up Todd McCarthy for the first time.

Jordan Stratton, who had been driving Pat Stanley N in the first three legs, elected to go with Funatthebeach N last week and will follow him into the final.

"I wish I could have waited until the draw for the final to make the call," said Stratton, "But that wouldn't be fair to Cory (his brother, trainer Cory Stratton), and this way he can put Todd on him this week to get to know him."

Leonidas A owns the two fastest preliminary leg victories, having scored in the opening round in 1:50 3/5 and then putting in a monster 1:50 4/5 clocking last Monday (April 11). With six wins in eight starts this year, Leonidas A has stamped himself as the horse to beat in the final, albeit with a good post position. Leonidas A (post two) should be a prohibitive choice in the first division (race four) on Monday night. Gingras will pilot Semi Tough (post six), a Ron Burke-trained horse that is currently eighth in the standings and likely needs a top effort to reach the final.

"I tortured him that first quarter," Gingras said when looking back at the 26 opener Semi Tough was involved in. "Then George [driving Poseidon Seelster] backed down the half, and it definitely hurt us."

Semi Tough was caught in traffic through the stretch and had pace finishing but didn't have the momentum as Funatthebeach N and Pat Stanley N rallied off cover trips in his division for the top places.

First-leg winners Dragon Said (post one) and Western Joe (post four) complete a solid field of seven, with Western Joe in need of an upset victory to reach the final.

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Gingras lamented that Bee Two Bee won't make the final, but the 5-year-old by Sunshine Beach has improved in each round.

"He never saw daylight last week and finished strongly," said Gingras, referring to the third-place finish behind Tattoo Artist in round four action.

Bee Two Bee (post four) faces a competitive group in Monday's sixth race, with Jack's Legend N (post one) the likely favorite. Poseidon Seelster (post two) is currently 10th in the standings and likely anything short of a win will keep him from next week's final. Nicholas Beach, a 1:51 1/5 winner in round three, is an extreme longshot to reach the final, but at the same time, could be favored in the consolation race.

Whichwaytothebeach, a leg winner in the second round, returns after a week off in this division and will need a good effort to secure a spot in the consolation as well. The 4-year-old drew post six.

First post on Monday night is 6:55 p.m.