Yonkers fields finalised for $250,000 Yonkers Trot and $200,000 Grand Messenger

The fields are set for the Grade 2 $250,000 MGM Yonkers Trot and the Grade 2 $200,000 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes for harness racing 3-year-old males on Friday night (June 26) at MGM Yonkers Raceway.

Spencer Hanover (Chapter Seven), who is four-for-four thus far in 2026, will start from a trailing post nine for driver Jason Bartlett and trainer Marcus Melander in the MGM Yonkers Trot, the opening leg of the Trotting Triple Crown. His competition includes last year’s New York Sire Stakes champion AI from post seven for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke, along with 2025 William Wellwood Memorial champion Ardonne from post eight for driver Scott Zeron and trainer Megan Scran.

Additionally, the powerful trotting stable of Ake Svanstedt has three entants in Create Escape (post two), Secured (post six) and Nordic Dancer S (post ten), and Matthew Burkholder ships in with the strong duo of Requiem (post three) and Silverstein (post four).

Here is the draw in full for the MGM Yonkers Trot, which is Race 9 on the 10-race program.

PP-Horse-Listed Driver-Trainer

1-Kingmen (Walner)-Dexter Dunn-Per Engblom

2-Create Escape (Gimpanzee)-Driver TBA-Ake Svanstedt

3-Requiem (Muscle Hill)-Ronnie Wrenn Jr.-Matthew Burkholder

4-Silverstein (Chapter Seven)-Matt Kakaley-Matthew Burkholder

5-Inexpressable (Walner)-Scott Zeron-Lucas Wallin

6-Secured (Chapter Seven)-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt

7-AI (Chapter Seven)-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke

8-Ardonne (Tactical Landing)-Scott Zeron-Megan Scran

9-Spencer Hanover (Chapter Seven)-Jason Bartlett-Marcus Melander

10-Nordic Dancer S (Six Pack)-Yannick Gingras-Ake Svanstedt

Fragment, who had plenty of stakes success last year in both New York and on the Grand Circuit, landed post two for driver Jason Bartlett and trainer Per Engblom in the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes, the first leg of the Pacing Triple Crown. He’ll meet up with two Ron Burke trainees exiting the North America Cup in Al Papi (post three) and Melillo (post seven), plus another member of the Burke Brigade in Frantic Hanover (post four).

This is the full draw for the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes, which is Race 8 on the card.

PP-Horse-Listed Driver-Trainer

1-Mighty Matt (Huntsville)-Braxten Boyd-Cameron Capone

2-Fragment (Huntsville)-Jason Bartlett-Per Engblom

3-Al Papi (Papi Rob Hanover)-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke

4-Frantic Hanover (Stay Hungry)-Tim Tetrick-Ron Burke

5-Hunt Off The Press (Huntsville)-Jason Bartlett-Jared Bako

6-Apocalypsebluechip (Papi Rob Hanover)-Jason Bartlett-Joe Bongiorno

7-Melillo (Sweet Lou)-Ronnie Wrenn Jr.-Ron Burke

 

Three-year-old fillies will also be in action on Friday night in divisions of the New York New York Mile for trotters in Races 1 and 3 and Park MGM Pace in Races 2 and 4.

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).

For complete race entries, click here: US Trotting entries.

From Yonkers Raceway