Fragment first in MGM Grand Messenger Stakes final

June 26, 2026

Yonkers, NY – Hunterton Bred, Born & Sold Fragment, who was last year’s New York Sire Stakes, Big Apple and Matron winner, rebounded off a third-place finish in the sire stakes most recently at Buffalo to capture the Grade 2 $200,000 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes final for 3-year-old male pacers on Friday night (June 26) at MGM Yonkers Raceway. The Messenger, which was conducted at the distance of a mile and a quarter this year, is the first leg of the Pacing Triple Crown.


Driven by Jason Bartlett, Fragment showed speed from post two but allowed a two-wide Al Papi (Yannick Gingras) to clear him going to the :28.1 opening quarter. Al Papi would be unchallenged to the half in :57.1, but an outer tier that included Frantic Hanover (Tim Tetrick), Melillo (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) and Hunt Off The Press (Scott Zeron) formed up as Al Papi raced toward three-quarters in 1:26.2.


Al Papi staved off fellow Ron Burke trainee Frantic Hanover to the mile marker in 1:54.1, but Frantic Hanover began to tire on the last turn, and that gave Bartlett and Fragment a path to the outside they needed. Al Papi was game to the wire, but he couldn’t withstand the charge of Fragment, who got up to tally by half a length in 2:21.4. Mighty Matt (Braxten Boyd) held off Melillo for third and Apocalypsebluechip (Todd McCarthy) got up for fifth.

“It’s good for the horse. He’s been very special to us the last two years,” Bartlett remarked. “For him to bounce back like that and to beat those type of horses, we’re not surprised. I’m happy that he’s back on track. For him to race like that in Buffalo was really not like him.


“This race went kind of went the way we wanted it to. I was going to re-move him, but the pace was enough, so I just kind of sat there. I know he’s a little horse, but for me, on the front, he can get away from me a little bit because he floats over the ground. I was better off in the two-hole, to be honest.”


Per Engblom trains Fragment, a Huntsville colt bred by Steve Stewart, Black Creek Farm, Michael Robinson, and South Mountain Stables, for the ownership group of Engblom Farm LLC., Douglas Sipple and Peaceful Acre Farm. He has 11 wins and three seconds from 19 lifetime starts, has earned $758,057 and paid $4.40 to win as the favorite. He keyed a $7.24 exacta and a $35.90 trifecta.


“He bled a little bit at Buffalo, so we had to skip the next leg of the sire stakes to get him right. I think we did right by him,” Engblom said. “I didn’t stake him to any of the races this summer on the bigger tracks. I tried to stick on the smaller tracks and hope to have a good fall with him.

“He’s got the New York Sire Stakes and the Empire Breeders, and then we’ll aim for the Little Brown Jug and the Breeders Crown.”


The companion Grade 3 Park MGM Pace for 3-year-old fillies was split into a pair of $50,000 divisions.


In the first flight, Two Twenty Swift (Bartlett), the 4-5 favorite, led through fractions of :27.2, :55 and 1:23.2 while she parked out Existential (Matt Kakaley). The swift tempo and battle made Two Twenty Swift vulnerable in the lane, and pocket-sitter Ideal Beauty Queen (Scott Zeron) took advantage, rallying past Two Twenty Swift to prevail half a length in 1:53.2 at odds of 22-1. Two Twenty Swift held on for the runner-up spot and Bettor Be A Star (Dexter Dunn) had pace in the stretch from second-over to get up for third.


A daughter of American Ideal bred by co-owner Rosalia Huff with Jean Durnye, Ideal Beauty Queen is trained by Jake Huff. Ideal Beauty Queen, who is co-owned by Beauty Bridle Rac Stb Inc., won for the fourth time from 16 starts, has now earned $103,566 and paid $47.70 to win. She led a $133.88 exacta and a $231.98 trifecta.


The second Park MGM Pace split saw 2-5 choice I’m A Lou Lou (Tim Tetrick) leave from post four and clear Tall Dark Tequila (Tyler Buter) for command before the :27.3 quarter. From there, I’m A Lou Lou kept the top spot to the half in :57 seconds and the three-quarters in 1:25.1 before she closed in :27.3 to prevail by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:52.4. Napalm (Dunn) was second from first-over and Tall Dark Tequila wound up third.


By Sweet Lou and bred by Add Inc., I’m A Lou Lou is trained by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC. Knox Services Inc., Larry Karr and Phil Collura. She has a summary of 5-5-2 from 17 tries, has pocketed $328,860 and returned $2.84 to win. She was atop a $6.28 exacta and a $9.76 trifecta.

Endurance sets Currier & Ives record

June 27, 2026
Washington, PA — The Friday (June 26) harness racing card at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows gave racing fans a featured attraction in the Currier & Ives Trot for 3-year-old colts and geldings, along with a glimpse of the future in two Pop-Up Series divisions for 2-year-old pacing fillies. Hunterton Bred, Born & Sold Endurance lived up to his name in the $90,675 Currier & Ives for 3-year-old colt trotters, overcoming post 9 in the 10-horse field to establish a stakes record with a 1:52.4 victory.  Unhurried early, Endurance and regular driver Andy McCarthy avoided the brisk early fractions and settled mid-pack. When Hamlet Hall moved first-over, McCarthy followed at the three-eighths, but stalled cover left Endurance three-wide approaching the five-eighths. As the leaders began to tire, Endurance and McCarthy found room along the rail and held off Hamlet Hall to secure the victory. Endurance overcame a wide draw and an overland trip en route to his stakes-record 1:52.4 performance in Friday’s Currier & Ives for sophomore male trotters. Chris Gooden photo. A 3-year-old son of Captain Corey , Endurance now owns nine wins in 12 starts and has earned more than $750,000 for trainer Chris Beaver and owners Super Endurance Stable, Bill Manes, Leo Fleming and Mark Moger.

Redice wins Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) title at Oak Grove

June 23, 2026
Erv Miller trainee Hunterton Born & Sold Redice (Atlee Bender) uncorked the quickest mile among the 2-year-old trotting fillies with a 1:56.3 jog in the first division for their cohort at Oak Grove June 23. Bender eased to the top out of post 6 and held a steady lead through sensible fractions of :29.4, :59.3 and 1:28.4 in progress to a 7-length romp over Shanavalley (Dexter Dunn) and Solo Santa Maria (Junior Guelpa). The daughter of Rebuff -Fuzzy Dice competes for owners Ervin Miller Stable Inc., Anthony Lombardi and Stepbystep Racing. She paid $3.20 to win.

Three Times Bettor Repeats in Oak Grove KYSS Series Finals

June 22, 2026
Oak Grove, KY — Brett Pelling pupil Three Times Bettor defended their Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) title at Oak Grove with winning in their respective $150,000 final on Monday (June 22), a card featuring nearly $1 million in purses. Hunterton Bred, Born & Sold Three Times Bettor (driven by Dexter Dunn) maintained control late from a tough first half to score a neck victory in the KYSS final for 4-year-old pacing mares in a 1:49.4 mile. Dunn found himself in a tight spot early as Rose (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) barreled from the center of the gate to swoop after leader Aintnothingucando (Yannick Gingras) marching to a :26.3 first quarter. Three Times Bettor tracked Rose up the rim until Wrenn cleared command, at which point Dunn ground his charge forward and reached the lead approaching a :54.3 half. Champagne Room (Tim Tetrick) soon angled off the pylons from fourth for an attack up the backside while Three Times Bettor cruised comfortably to clock three-quarters in 1:22.3. Dunn asked Three Times Bettor to accelerate rounding the last turn and got the jump on her peers as Unreasonable (Jason Bartlett) lifted off a second-over trip and gathered menacing momentum late. Three Times Bettor held her ground and kept a neck up on hard-charging Unreasonable at the beam with Rose left in third and Caviart Delight (Todd McCarthy) emerging from off the speed for fourth. A daughter of Bettor’s Delight-Three Times A Lady, Three Times Bettor competes for owner Thaddeus Wier and has now won six races from seven starts this season and 15 races from 24 starts in her career, good for $392,814 in earnings. She paid $2.96 to win.

MIDNIGHT DRIVE wins Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) title at Oak Grove

June 22, 2026
Oak Grove hosted seven total $40,000 divisions of KYSS for pacing 2-year-olds with four splits for the males and three splits for the fillies on Monday (June 22). On the male pacing side, Midnight Drive (Dexter Dunn, 1:53.2; $4.24) posted the top performance with a front-stepping victory by four lengths. Jamie Sullivan trains the colt by Stay Hungry -Turnoffthelights for owners David Hamm, Glenn Phillips and Frank Chick. The other dashes for pacing males were won by I’m Toohot For You (Marcus Miller, 1:54.1; $13.64), Atlantic Ivey (Atlee Bender, 1:53.3; $4.90) and Ballarddrgoldfngr (Archie Buford, 1:54.3; $7.10).

Obliterate wins NJSDF finals at Big M

June 21, 2026
East Rutherford, NJ – Trainer Chris Ryder took both $60,000 New Jersey Standardbred Development Fund finals for 3-year-olds on the pace Saturday night at The Meadowlands. His win in the colts and geldings division impressed, but did not come with the horse the betting public expected. Obliterate , a 10-1 outsider despite having won his NJSDF preliminary a week ago in 1:48.3, worked out a good trip after an aggressive drive from Chris’ son, Patrick, to score his fourth career win from just 10 tries. Bookie J, Obliterate’s headline-grabbing stablemate who was a perfect five-for-five in 2026 heading into the race, worked out an ideal second-over trip, but the 1-9 public choice couldn’t deal with Obliterate late, who closed with a rush after leaving the gate in a lightning-quick :26.3. He raced in the pocket until mid-stretch, when the colt by Perfect Sting -Triple V Hanover vacated the rail while in tight quarters, before a late burst of speed got him to the finish three-quarters-of-a-length in front of Bookie J. Corvette Stingray raced bravely first-over and hung in there to claim the show dough. “We really liked this horse all along and it’s taken a few starts to get him right where we want him,” said Patrick. “My dad’s always had so much faith in him and he’s always believed in me driving him. “I wasn’t real happy putting him in the two-hole. I just kind of took my chances. I was hoping I’d get room (late), and it was really tight. When I snuck my way out, he gave me a really good run. I couldn’t believe how well he responded.” Obliterate completed the mile in 1:49.4 and returned $22.40 to his backers.

Frattina Diablo S leads the way in PASS action at Pocono

June 15, 2026
Wilkes-Barre, PA – There were two constants as 3-year-old trotting fillies raced for over $200,000 in two divisions of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and five divisions of the Pennsylvania Stallion Series at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania during a Sunday (June 14) twilight card. One constant was that there would be no first-round winner repeating in this second preliminary leg; the other was that every winner would set a lifetime mark. Fastest of all the fillies was Frattina Diablo S , a daughter of the hot sire Captain Corey , who proved best in a four-horse PaSS grouping at the wire, stopping the timer in 1:52.1. The Scott Zeron-driven diamond-gaiter, second by a nose in her first prelim, was close-up during a :27.4 opener then brushed to the lead past first-round winner Maya Patel Hanover before a :56.3 half. Nuance started an uncovered bid before a 1:24.3 three-quarters, and as the field came through the stretch, there were two inside the favored leader, Maya Patel Hanover and Little Road to that’s one left, and the raw Nuance to the outside. Frattina Diablo S showed grit while trotting her last quarter in :27.3, warding off the 20-1 shot Little Road in the deep Pocono Pike by a neck, with Maya Patel Hanover another neck back and just getting the show nod in a picture with Nuance. Frattina Diablo S is trained by Tony Alagna for Steve Stewart and Dreamlover AB.

Three Times Bettor wins Oak Grove KYSS

June 15, 2026
Hunterton Bred, Born & Sold Three Times Bettor (Dexter Dunn) found her groove again following a defeat in leg two with a 1:49.4 rebound in the single KYSS dash for pacing mares at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel . Dunn swooped from post seven to the lead through a :26.3 first quarter and held authority through a clip of :55 and 1:22.3 to cross the beam a length winner over pocket-sitter Champagne Room (Tim Tetrick). Unreasonable (Andy McCarthy) settled for third from a first-over push while Aintnothingucando (Yannick Gingras) hugged the pylons for fourth. Brett Pelling trains Three Times Bettor, a mare by Bettor’s Delight-Three Times A Lady, for owner Thaddeus Wier. She won her fifth race from six starts this season and her 14th race from 23 starts in her career, earning $317,814. She paid $5.18 to win.

Captain Arturovico with Oak Grove KYSS Win

June 15, 2026
Oak Grove, KY — Defending champion Hunterton Sold Captain Arturovico nabbed win in the third preliminary of Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) action for trainer Ron Burke at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel for 4-year-olds on Monday (June 15) as they now eye a series sweep into the $150,000 finals next week. Captain Arturovico (driven by Dexter Dunn) opened the afternoon’s KYSS action with a 1:50.4 win in the first division for pacing horses and geldings. Dunn settled the 3-5 favorite into third while Banderas (Yannick Gingras) fired for the top to a :27.1 first quarter and carried his speed to a :55 half. Banderas continued on the muscle up the backstretch as Captain Arturovico lifted off the pegs and advanced up the rim marching for three-quarters in 1:23.1. Captain Arturovico then slid to the lead in the stretch and held firmly for a one-length win over Falcon (Marcus Miller), who closed from off cover for second. Fusion (Todd McCarthy) rallied from a pocket trip for third and Banderas settled for fourth. A gelding by Captaintreacherous -Tilikum, Captain Arturovico races for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Larry Karr and Phil Collura. He collected his third win of the season, all of which have come in this KYSS series, and his 15th win from 40 starts in his career, good for $440,809 in earnings. He paid $3.40 to win.

Brattitude wins $40,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Silver final

June 13, 2026
Dexter Dunn captured the $40,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Silver final for 3-year-old trotting fillies at The Meadowlands, teaming Carter Pinske trainee Hunterton Born & Sold Brattitude , a daughter of Tactical Landing -Love Muffin, to a 1:52.3 win for the partnership of Robert LeBlanc, David Anderson, Pryde Stables Inc. and John Fielding.

Apex prevails in NJSS Platinum final

June 13, 2026
East Rutherford, NJ — After coming up just short of stablemate American Power in his 2026 debut last week, divisional Dan Patch Award winner Apex absolutely looked the part of a 1-9 favorite in his second seasonal showing, posting a career-best 1:50.3 win in Friday’s (June 12) $225,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Platinum Division final for 3-year-old male trotters at the Meadowlands. Dexter Dunn was in no hurry early with the Walner -Mission Brief colt, landing in fifth on approach to the first turn as Diabolic Hill (driven by Todd McCarthy) and American Power (Mattias Melander) advanced to dispute the early lead. Following a brief pocket tuck behind Diabolic Hill, American Power pushed forward to control a :27.4 first quarter before yielding to Diabolic Hill on the backstretch. Meanwhile, Dunn and Apex were lurking on the outside after angling off the pegs midway on the first turn and gradually floating forward, and they accelerated to take charge at the :55.2 halfway station. On the far turn, American Power began a second move when Ardonne (Scott Zeron) flushed him out with five-sixteenths to go, but he could only offer mild pressure to Apex past the 1:23.3 three-quarters before leveling off in the stretch. Apex was kept to his task by mild Dunn encouragement in mid-stretch, and he threw down a :27 closing sectional to keep Diabolic Hill’s inside bid a half length at bay with plenty in reserve. American Power protected third, another 3 lengths in arrears. Apex and driver Dexter Dunn repelled an inside challenge from Diabolic Hill to capture the New Jersey Sire Stakes Platinum Division final for 3-year-old male trotters. “He had a great year last year, but he’s definitely matured a lot,” said Dunn of Apex. “We were out until the half, and when he got the front, he was marching on and feeling great. … Hopefully this guy’s on track for another good season.” A seven-time winner from 11 starts, Apex has earned $990,548 for Jeffrey Snyder, S R F Stable and Steve Stewart. The Marcus Melander trainee paid $2.20 to win. 
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