Svanstedt goes two-for-two in MGM Yonkers Trot elims

Up Your Deo posted a track record 1:53.1 mile and Kirkegaard K led at every call in taking the pair of $40,000 MGM Yonkers Trot eliminations for 3-year-old colts and geldings on Friday night (June 23) at MGM Yonkers Raceway. Both Up Your Deo and Kierkegaard K were sent out by trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt.

Svanstedt had the 1-9 favored Up Your Deo on the gate and ready to leave at the start, with Crown to his inside with Brian Sears also on the gate and motivated, and Chapercraz to his outside, who exploded out for Yannick Gingras as the gates unfolded. Up Your Deo made a miscue but was wrestled back on-stride quickly by Svanstedt but not before ceding control to Chapercraz, who led Crown through the first turn, with Manclane and Tyler Buter settling in third and Up Your Deo fourth in line.

Gingras had Chapercraz on the lead and the son of Crazy Wow showed impressive speed, cutting the opening-half with fractions of 28 and 56.4 while Crown followed at a distance and the rest of the field gapped out to some degree. Svanstedt had to move out on the third turn to get Up You Deo into closer contention, but his job was made more difficult as Chapercraz let out a notch and blitzed the third quarter in 27.3, hitting the three-quarters in 1:24.2 with an open-lengths lead.

On the final turn Chapercraz's lead began to shorten as Crown rallied between horses and Up You Deo hit stride after coming three-deep. A blanket finish ensued, with Up Your Deo getting up on the wire ahead of the pace-setting Chapercraz, while Crown settled for third. Manclane followed in a distant fourth, but returns for the $300,000 MGM Yonkers Trot final.

Owned by Ake Svanstedt Inc., Suleyman Yuksel Stables, Deo Volente Stables and Van Camp Trotting Corp., Up Your Deo posted just his second career victory in his 11th start. The son of Walner returned $2.30 to win as the prohibitive favorite. With Chapercraz second the exacta was worth $9.50 and Crown third completed a $17.00 trifecta.

Up Your Deo's time of 1:53.1 broke the Yonkers track mark for 3-year-old trotting colts, eclipsing the previous standard of 1:53.3 set in 2019 by Gimpanzee.

Svanstedt returned with the favorite Kierkegaard K in the second $40,000 elimination, and though there was again an inquiry after the finish, it had no impact on Kierkegaard K, who wired the field impressively, drawing clear in 1:54.3 as the 2-5 choice.

Svanstedt had Kierkegaard K on the gate and left alertly from the pole position with Tillio's Action, Devilish Hill and Ari Ferrari J all trying to leave from the outside. It was clear into the turn that Svanstedt had no interest in yielding the lead, so Devilish Hill and Andrew McCarthy took a tuck and Ari Ferrari J and Dexter Dunn took back to trail. Left on the outside was Jordan Stratton driving Tillio's Action, and he was fortunate to get into the pocket before the 27.2 quarter as Southwind Admiral and Todd McCarthy were willing to take a three-hole to follow the two favorites.

Svanstedt was looking to conserve his Chapter Seven-sired colt and managed to slow the half to 57.1 before any activity began on the outside. Kenobi and Tim Tetrick pulled out first, followed by Ari Ferrari J, but the pair had much ground to make up. Kierkegaard K was still backing the action down as Kenobi gained ground to three-quarters, which was clocked in a pedestrian 1:26.4

In the final panel Kierkegaard K got his cue to go and marched away from the pocket-sitter in the stretch, with Svanstedt demanding and getting the acceleration that would propel the colt through a 27 4/5 kicker. Tillio's Action was more than comfortable following in second, with Stratton not urging his horse, while Ari Ferrari J made up ground in the stretch to be a fast-closing third. Squeezing between horses, Todd McCarthy was able to get Southwind Admiral fourth across the line in tight quarters, but the colt made a miscue right before the line. An inquiry followed and Southwind Admiral was set back, allowing Devilish Hill to be placed fourth and earn the last berth for next week's final.

Owned by breeder Knutsson Trotting Inc., Kierkegaard K was a winner for the third straight time in 2023 without defeat. Kierkegaard K paid $2.80 to win. With Tillio's Action second the exacta was worth $10.80. Ari Ferrari J completed the trifecta of $31.

The $300,000 MGM Yonkers Trot final will take place next Friday (June 30) as part of an action-packed program that will also include the $250,000 (est.) MGM Grand Messenger Stakes final, the $115,000 (est.) New York New York Mile final and the $100,000 (est.) Park MGM Pace final. The MGM Yonkers Trot and MGM Grand Messenger Stakes are the first legs of the Trotting and Pacing Triple Crowns.