A powerful contingent of former Australian and New Zealand pacers will lock horns with America’s top free-for-allers in the first two races of the North American Grand Circuit to be held at Yonkers Raceway, New York on Monday night.
Five of the eight starters in the $US581,000 MGM Borgata Pacing Series Final were bred in Australasia, while two of the eight runners in the $US381,000 Blue Chip Matchmaker Series Final for mares are ‘down under’ breds.
Heading the southern hemisphere charge in the Borgata is brilliant speedster Leonidas, who was formerly trained by David Aiken in Victoria and Blake Fitzpatrick in NSW. The Mach Three gelding won all four of his preliminary races and was the series’ leading point scorer.
The NZ bred Pat Stanley, the winner of the 2020 South Australian Pacing Cup for Kerryn Manning, will start from the outside post in the Borgata.
Other ex-pat Aussie and Kiwi pacers to qualify are Funatthebeach NZ, a Menangle winner for Shane and Lauren Tritton, Jack’s Legend NZ, a Harness Jewels winner for Barry Purdon, and the NZ Geraldine Cup winner Nandolo NZ.
Jack’s Legend, Funatthebeach and Nandolo all won two $US50,000 preliminary races, while Pat Stanley finished runner-up in four preliminaries.
Keep Rockin, a multiple Menangle winner and Group 1 placegetter for Michael Doltoff, and Miss You, prepared by NZ South Island horseman Gerard O’Reilly, both booked their places in the Blue Chip Matchmaker Final with wins in $US40,000 preliminary legs.
Keep Rockin, who will start from the number eight hole, won in 1:51.8, while Miss You (barrier five) scored in 1:52.6.
It is of interest that five of the 12 races conducted at Yonkers last Monday night fell the way of down under breds. They were the Borgata Series heat winners Leonidas and Jack’s Legend, the 2019 Hondo Grattan Sprint winner Picard, Runrunjimmydunn NZ, winner of the WA Marathon, and the NZ country cups victor Black Chevron NZ.
