Blais trainee On A Streak meets up Ahundreddollarbill in the first MGM Yonkers Trot elimination

Eliminations for the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes and the MGM Yonkers Trot, the first legs of the Pacing and Trotting Triple Crowns, will be held on Friday (June 25) night at Yonkers Raceway. Fifteen 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings entered the MGM Grand Messenger, and 13 of their trotting counterparts dropped in the box for the MGM Yonkers Trot, meaning there will be a pair of $40,000 eliminations for each race. The top four from each contest will advance to next Friday (July 2) night’s finals.

Heart Of Chewbacca (post six, Dan Noble) and Charlie May (post seven, Brett Miller) bring their rivalry from Ohio to New York in the first MGM Grand Messenger elimination. The first- and second-place finishers in last year’s sire stakes final in the Buckeye State, the two have faced off multiple times in 2021 as well, including Saturday (June 19) night at Scioto Downs, where Charlie May bettered Heart Of Chewbacca from the pocket in a 1:49.3 mile. New York-sired standout American Courage (post two, Matt Kakaley) is also in the race, fresh off a 1:49.4 life’s-best performance in an overnight race at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on June 12.

Trainer Tony Alagna sends out a powerful duo in three-for-three in 2021 Abuckabett Hanover (post four, Andrew McCarthy) and last year’s Metro winner Exploit (post six, Dexter Dunn) in the other MGM Grand Messenger elimination. Abuckabett Hanover is two-for-two in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes program and handed Perfect Sting his first career defeat on May 16 at Pocono, and Exploit readied for this race with a 1:53.2 win over non-winner of six foes at Yonkers on June 15.

Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt Trot champion On A Streak (post six, Bob McClure) meets up with Empire Breeders Classic winner Ahundreddollarbill (post four, Andrew McCarthy) in the first MGM Yonkers Trot elimination. On A Streak made his Yonkers debut on June 10 against non-winners of four foes and was victorious in 1:57, while Ahundreddollarbill posted a track record win at Vernon Downs in a New York Sire Stakes race on June 4 before coming back on the 18th to win the $205,500 EBC.

In Range (post six, Tim Tetrick) headlines the second MGM Yonkers Trot elimination. In Range was the runner-up to On A Streak in the Breeders Crown and was victorious in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes competition at The Meadows earlier this season. Steel (post five, Andy Miller), who upset in the New York Sire Stakes Championship at Yonkers as a freshman, is also in the race.

First race post on Friday night at Yonkers is 7:15 p.m.