Yonkers: Takter trio looks to come out strong in MGM Borgata Series

The 2020 Trainer of the Year, Nancy Takter, will embark on a new phase of her career on Monday for numerous reasons. Takter, who has consistently trained young horses, starts three 8-year-old imports with high aspirations in separate $40,000 divisions of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series at Yonkers.

"I'm happy the way mine are coming into the series," said Takter, who has only had the veteran pacers for a very short time. "It's a tough series, and you have to be aware of the point totals. Also, you have to be able to give them a break at some point. It's a long year with other races they are staked to."

While it's still too early for Takter to find a favorite among the three, None Bettor A, who drew post six in Monday's fourth race - the second of five full fields in the MGM Borgata opening leg events - has posted some big miles since arriving on these shores in 2019. In just two years in North America, None Bettor A has earned $475K, but will be racing for the first time in the MGM Borgata (nee Levy) Series for Takter.

"I've only had him three weeks, but he came to me ready," said Takter. "He qualified in 1:50 2/5 at Pompano, and then was strong winning his qualifier at the Meadowlands (February 27) in 1:50 1/5."

Todd McCarthy will handle None Bettor A, as well as Takter's other two Borgata entries on Monday.

"My main two drivers are Yannick (Gingras) and Dexter (Dunn) but coming into this series I knew that Yannick would have the Burke horses, and that Dexter was committed to Let It Ride N. Todd's got a great pair of hands," Takter said.

Stars Align A, who debuted for Takter on February 27 at the Meadowlands with a fifth-place finish in the weekend feature, got in pretty deep in the first $40,000 MGM Borgata division, landing post five.

"He trained back well," said Takter. "With him, he's been a solid performer in the Midwest, and the question is whether he can do as well in the East."

Stars Align A meets a solid group that includes the $1.7 million winner This Is The Plan (post one), who last November captured the $125,000 invitational for MGM Borgata Pacing Series eligibles at Yonkers. Past Breeders Crown winner American History (post three) makes his 2021 debut in the same field right next to Let It Ride N (post four), who has captured all six of his races since arriving on these shores for trainer Nifty Norman. The $700K-plus career earners Western Joe (post two) and Rodeo Rock (post six) add to the depth of this division.

Takter was pleased with San Domino A in his debut for her stable on March 6 at the Meadowlands.

"I was happy with the way he finished because I've seen some of his past performance lines, and he didn't always show that," Takter said.

San Domino A drew post four in the third division (race five) on Monday. The son of Somebeachsomewhere has handled Open company at Yonkers in the past and scored in 1:52 3/5 in an Open Handicap over the surface in mid-December.

Ana Afreet N makes his Yonkers debut in the fourth MGM Borgata division on Monday (race six), with the 6-year-old import landing post seven following his impressive wire-to-wire winning performance at the Meadowlands on March 6 in 1:50 2/5. He'll meet a pair of series veterans in Ideal Jimmy (post two) and The Wall (post three), as well as the razor-sharp Shnitzledosomethin (post four).

The final division appears to have a pair of heavy hitters, with Backstreet Shadow (post four) returning for his first start of 2021 after a solid $433K campaign last year and Leonidas A, a 15-1 upsetter of Bettor's Wish in the Potomac last November at Rosecroft, landing post five. Leonidas A made a sparkling return to the races at Yonkers with young driver Austin Siegelman guiding him to a solid 1:55 4/5 victory from off-the-pace in the $30,000 feature on March 1.

Yonkers Raceway's 10-race program on Monday night has a first post of 7:15 p.m.