The third and final preliminary round of the MGM Grand Prix Trotting Series will offer three $50,000 divisions as the feature races on Yonkers Raceway’s Friday night program. Thus far the series has been dominated by just a few horses. Last year’s champion Take All Comers has captured both of his preliminary legs and looks for a third, but the defending champion faces the toughest field on Friday with division winners Antognoni S and Ari Ferrari J inside of him on the starting gate. “He really dug in last week holding off Asteroid,” said Jim Campbell, who trains Take All Comers, a 7-year-old homebred son of Creatine. “Todd (McCarthy) had to have him work hard to get to the lead.” Take All Comers, despite winning his first leg from the pocket, was dismissed at 13-1 from post seven in the second leg and McCarthy refused an off the pace trip, instead opting to race wide much of the opening quarter trotted in a sharp :27 2/5. The pace never slowed with Take All Comers battling through swift fractions and prevailing in a 1:54 3/5 clocking. With only 12 starts this year Take All Comers is fresh and ready for what will be his last two starts of the season. The limited starts are somewhat by design but also due to issues Campbell had to deal with. “He had some allergy problems over the summer. We also wanted to space his races out,” said Campbell of the somewhat limited number of engagements. Much as he did in 2024 Take All Comers has embraced the MGM Grand Prix Series and made the most of his opportunities. Looking to this Friday’s race Campbell recognizes the competition. “Antognoni S has been racing well,” Campbell said. “It’s always about the trip at Yonkers.” Indeed, Friday’s sixth race and second division will pose a few challenges for Take All Comers given the dominance of Antognoni S in last Friday’s (December 5) second leg. The 5-year-old trotted off by 10 lengths in a 1:54 clocking, the fastest of the evening for trainer Ron Burke and driver Yannick Gingras. This week he drew post two looking for his 15th win of the season. First-round winner Ari Ferrari J also drew the outside in last week’s second round but unlike Take All Comers, he didn’t survive the first turn. Jason Bartlett sent him out full force right at the outset but encountered traffic through the first turn that forced him wide only to lose his stride late on the opening bend. The 5-year-old Tony Alagna-trained son of Walner may have an easier time gaining control this week from post four. Take All Comers has been racing consistently well at a high level since his 2-year-old season in 2020 where he finished fourth in the Breeders Crown. Out of the Cantab Hall-sired mare Nantab, Take All Comers is a half-brother to the standout trotting filly Next Level Stuff. “Scott Farber (Runthetable Stable) bought Nantab to start his broodmare band. I give him all the credit for choosing the right stallions to breed to. It’s been incredible,” said Campbell. Nantab was bred to Sebastian K and produced Next Level Stuff and then Creatine helped give life to Take All Comers, a $1.189 million career earner. “Despite having a Hambletonian winner (Cool Papa Bell) Take All Comers is Scott’s favorite horse of all time.” Jordan Stratton guided Take All Comers to his 2024 MGM Grand Prix title but could not follow through this year. “Jordan did a great job with this horse,” said Campbell. “He was a true professional and let me know in advance that his brother (Cory) had purchased Security Protected and that he would be driving that horse in this series.” Take All Comers hasn’t lost a step with Todd McCarthy in the bike, as one of the sport’s top talents has been aggressive in both leg victories. Driver Jason Bartlett has been a dominant force at Yonkers as well as the rest of North America in 2025 and much of that has to do with his ability to help a horse accelerate at the outset of races whether they are on half-mile tracks or mile tracks. The gifted Sir Pinocchio (post 6) has benefitted from Bartlett’s handling and looks for a third straight MGM Grand Prix preliminary leg victory on Friday. With just six in the field in the $50,000 fourth race Sir Pinocchio shouldn’t have much trouble gaining the lead as he looks for his eighth win of the season. Southwind Coors (post 2) could be looking to pull off the upset given his two solid performances in the series without the benefit of a win. The Ron Burke-trained son of Walner had an impossible trip last week finishing third. In the first leg Southwind Coors cut the mile and was outsprinted late by Take All Comers. The $50,000 third MGM Grand Prix division, race seven on the Yonkers 11-race program, is a wide-open affair with a field of six all in search of a first series win and a spot in the $250,000 one and one-quarter mile final slated for the final card of the season on December 19. Leading trainer Per Engblom sends out Cecil Hanover (post 4) with co-owner Yannick Gingras in the bike in this stanza. Cecil Hanover pushed Take All Comers to gain control last week and eventually paid the price in the stretch. In the November 21 first round of the MGM Grand Prix he finished a close third behind Ari Ferrari J. The classy Amigo Volo (post 6) will be making his 140th career start in this leg and is in search of his 50th career win. The 8-year-old son of Father Patrick has faced tougher company in the opening rounds and could be ready for a big effort with the addition of Todd McCarthy in the sulky. First post is slated for 6:45 p.m. on Friday at Yonkers Raceway. 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