Horse Racing This Weekend 8-9 May 2026: Yonkers Harness Showdowns, Belmont Preps and More
It may be the weekend between the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, but there is nothing quiet about the action on offer. From a pair of six-figure harness finals at MGM Yonkers Raceway on Friday evening to four stakes races spread across three thoroughbred venues on Saturday, the weekend card is well worth your attention — and your bankroll.
| Race | Track | Date | Purse | Distance / Surface | MyWinners Pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MGM Borgata Pacing Series Final (G2) | MGM Yonkers Raceway | Friday, May 8 | $478,000 | 1 Mile / Harness | Coaches Corner |
| Ursula McIntyre Pacing Series Final (G2) | MGM Yonkers Raceway | Friday, May 8 | $456,000 | 1 Mile / Harness | Louies Girl N |
| Peter Pan Stakes (G3) | Belmont at the Big A | Saturday, May 9 | $200,000 | 1⅛ Miles / Dirt | Trendsetter |
| Ruffian Stakes (G2) | Belmont at the Big A | Saturday, May 9 | $200,000 | 1 Mile / Dirt | Eunomia |
| William Walker Stakes (Listed) | Churchill Downs | Saturday, May 9 | $225,000 | 5½ Furlongs / Turf | Outfielder |
| Senorita Stakes (G3) | Santa Anita Park | Saturday, May 9 | $100,000 | 6½ Furlongs / Turf (Downhill) | Light Won Up |
Friday Night at MGM Yonkers Raceway: $934,000 in Harness Stakes
The headline act this weekend does not involve a thoroughbred. Friday night at MGM Yonkers Raceway (first post 6:45 PM ET) serves up two of the richest harness finals of the early season, with a combined purse of over $934,000 on the line. Earn 3% cashback on every US and Canadian harness bet at MyWinners — both finals count.
MGM Borgata Pacing Series Final — $478,000 (G2), Race 8
Coaches Corner drew the pole position and arrives as a worthy favourite. Last year's MGM Grand Prix Series champion at Yonkers, he has posted two wins and a second in his divisions of the final three legs of the series and will be driven by Jason Bartlett for trainer Per Engblom. It is hard to argue against the combination of the rail draw, a red-hot driver and a horse who has been the most consistent pacer in the series all spring.
| Post | Horse | Driver | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coaches Corner | Jason Bartlett | Per Engblom |
| 2 | Soho Firestone A | Scott Zeron | Doug Dilloian Jr. |
| 3 | Donegal Luther N | Yannick Gingras | Jared Bako |
| 4 | Captain Albano | Todd McCarthy | Noel Daley |
| 5 | Huntinthelastdolar | Dexter Dunn | Per Engblom |
| 6 | Redwood Hanover | Dexter Dunn | Per Engblom |
| 7 | Mossdale Ben N | Jim Marohn Jr. | Peter Tritton |
| 8 | Howlenthehills | Matt Kakaley | Travis Alexander |
The defence of the title belongs to Mossdale Ben N, who draws post seven for driver Jim Marohn Jr. and trainer Peter Tritton. The New Zealand-bred pacer was the 2025 champion and enters as a live outside threat, though the wide gate will force him to work early or surrender ground. Between them, two-time Dan Patch Award recipient Captain Albano starts from post four for driver Todd McCarthy and trainer Noel Daley, having won twice in the series prelims. Engblom also saddles Huntinthelastdolar from post five, giving the barn a strong two-pronged presence in the middle of the field.
Full field: 1-Coaches Corner (Bartlett/Engblom), 2-Soho Firestone A (Zeron/Dilloian Jr.), 3-Donegal Luther N (Gingras/Bako), 4-Captain Albano (McCarthy/Daley), 5-Huntinthelastdolar (Dunn/Engblom), 6-Redwood Hanover (Dunn/Engblom), 7-Mossdale Ben N (Marohn Jr./Tritton), 8-Howlenthehills (Kakaley/Alexander).
MyWinners Pick: Coaches Corner. The pole, the driver and the form all point the same way.
Ursula McIntyre Pacing Series Final — $456,000 (G2), Race 9
The mares' final may be the more competitive of the two. Silk Cloud A drew the pole for trainer Peter Tritton and figures to control the pace from the front. Her main danger is Louies Girl N, who posted four wins and a second across the five preliminary legs to emerge as the dominant mare of the series. Jason Bartlett drives Louies Girl N for Per Engblom, giving the barn a genuine shot at sweeping both finals on the night.
Defending champion Aardie B Miki N draws post eight for driver Andy McCarthy, a significant handicap at Yonkers where the inside rail is gold. She is a proven big-race performer and cannot be dismissed entirely, but overcoming that gate against the quality in this field is a tall order.
MyWinners Pick: Louies Girl N. Four wins from five legs is a record that demands respect, and Bartlett aboard from a workable draw makes her the clear selection.
As a bonus attraction, UFC star Charles Oliveira and harness racing Hall of Famer Tim Tetrick will face off in a celebrity team driving challenge between races four and five at approximately 8:15 PM ET — an added spectacle that makes Friday night at Yonkers worth tuning in for beyond the stakes action itself.
Saturday at Belmont at the Big A: Peter Pan (G3) and Ruffian (G2)
Aqueduct is standing in for the original Belmont Park while construction at the famous neighbour continues, but the racing is graded and the stakes are real. Two quality contests headline the Saturday card — and the Exotic Cash Splash promotion is live, paying out a share of a $1,500 prize pool when you cash four or more exactas or trifectas on Friday and Saturday at the Big A.
Peter Pan Stakes (G3) — $200,000, 3YO, 1⅛ Miles
The New York Racing Association will waive entry and starting fees to the Belmont Stakes for the first three finishers of the Peter Pan, making this a golden ticket race for three-year-olds with classic ambitions.
Trendsetter heads the field from post one and is a fascinating proposition. He broke a five-race losing streak in spectacular fashion when springing a 32-1 upset in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 11, winning by 2¼ lengths in his first start on dirt going two turns. Trained by Ben Colebrook and ridden by Kazushi Kimura, he is a stalker by nature who figures to get a similar setup here — settling in behind the pace before angling out and pouncing in the lane. A win would likely prompt connections to supplement him to the Belmont Stakes.
Talk to Me Jimmy won the 1⅛-mile Withers Stakes back in February by 11 lengths in dominant gate-to-wire fashion, but faded to eighth in the Wood Memorial after drawing next to the very speedy Napoleon Solo and getting caught in a brutal early pace battle. Trainer Rudy Rodriguez opted for this smaller field over the Preakness, expecting a far cleaner trip. On his Withers form, he is a serious threat.
Growth Equity is the morning-line favourite at 6-5, stepping up sharply from a maiden win in March. The class jump is significant, but the workouts have impressed and he cannot be ignored in a field of this size.
MyWinners Pick: Trendsetter. Improving with every start, ideal draw, and a race setup that suits his running style. He represents genuine Belmont Stakes potential at a likely generous price.
Ruffian Stakes (G2) — $200,000, Fillies and Mares, 1 Mile
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. saddles three of the seven runners in this mile contest, led by Eunomia, a 4-year-old daughter of Tiz the Law who finished a neck behind Alpine Princess in the Grade 2 Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland last month. She ran well in defeat and drops back to a mile, a trip she has handled before.
The Joseph trio faces Dry Powder, a stakes-winning, Grade 1-placed daughter of Gun Runner trained by Chad Summers. She ran poorly in the La Troienne at Churchill Downs last week but comes back on short rest, and on her best form she is the class of this field. The short turnaround is a concern.
MyWinners Pick: Eunomia. Fresh off a close second at Grade 2 level and returning to a distance she handles well, she looks the most straightforward selection in a competitive but beatable field.
Saturday at Churchill Downs: William Walker Stakes (Listed) — $225,000, 3YO, 5½F Turf
The 11th running of the William Walker draws a field of eight three-year-old turf sprinters to Churchill Downs, with first post at 12:45 PM ET and the race going as Race 10 at 5:27 PM ET.
Outfielder is the 8-5 morning-line favourite trained by Wesley Ward and will break from the outside post with Hall of Famer John Velazquez aboard. The son of Speightstown won his debut on turf at Churchill Downs as a two-year-old before a minor shin injury forced him to miss a planned Royal Ascot engagement. He returned this spring to win the Animal Kingdom Stakes at Turfway Park on the Tapeta surface and now returns to the grass he looked so natural on as a juvenile. The combination of Ward, Velazquez, track form and a horse returning to his preferred surface is a compelling package.
MyWinners Pick: Outfielder. Elite connections, a proven turf pedigree and a track where he has already won as a two-year-old make him a worthy favourite.
Saturday at Santa Anita: Senorita Stakes (G3) — $100,000, 3YO Fillies, 6½F Turf
The Senorita Stakes runs on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita — one of the most unique venues in North American racing — with a field of ten 3-year-old fillies going 6½ furlongs on the grass.
Light Won Up is the horse to beat. She won on this exact course in the Sweet Life Stakes in February by 2¾ lengths, and while she finished fourth in a tougher spot at Keeneland last time out, she drops back in class here and returns to a track and course where she has already demonstrated she is at home. The City of Light filly should relish the conditions.
Mo'Em Down, trained by Peter Miller, won an allowance optional claiming race over the Santa Anita course in April and is the logical local threat. Dreaming of Alys makes her first start of 2026 having won the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf Stakes last year, and the rust from a layoff will determine how close she can get.
MyWinners Pick: Light Won Up. Course form, class relief and a proven track record on this exact layout make her the clear selection.
Bet More This Weekend With MyWinners Promotions
| Promotion | Offer | Days | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harness Racing Cashback | 3% cashback | Every day | All US and Canadian harness tracks. No show bets. |
| Australian Greyhound Cashback | 4% cashback | Every day except Friday | All Australian greyhound wagers. |
| Tri-State Greyhound Cashback | 2% cashback (exotics) | Every day | Exotic bets only at Tri-State Greyhound. |
| Exotic Cash Splash — Belmont at the Big A | Share of $1,500 prize pool | Friday and Saturday | Cash 4+ exactas or trifectas at Aqueduct. |
| Charles Town Bet and Get | Bet and Get bonus cash | Friday and Saturday | Post time 5:00 PM onward. Year-round. |
| Mountaineer Park Bet and Get | Bet and Get bonus cash | Sunday | Runs through December 13. |
Make the most of this weekend's action with these live offers at MyWinners:
3% Harness Cashback — US and Canada: Earn 3% bonus cashback on every harness bet placed on US and Canadian tracks. Both Yonkers finals count. No show bets.
4% Australian Greyhound Cashback: Earn 4% cashback on all Australian greyhound wagers every day except Fridays.
2% Tri-State Greyhound Cashback (Exotics): Earn 2% cashback on exotic greyhound bets at Tri-State every day.
Exotic Cash Splash at the Big A: Cash four or more exactas or trifectas at Aqueduct on Friday and Saturday for your share of a $1,500 prize pool. With the Peter Pan and Ruffian both on Saturday's card, this weekend is a prime opportunity.
Charles Town Bet and Get — Friday and Saturday: Bet and get bonus cash on Charles Town racing from 5:00 PM onwards. Live now, running year-round.
Mountaineer Park Bet and Get — Sunday: Sunday's card at Mountaineer Park qualifies for the Bet and Get offer. Promotion runs through December 13.
From the lights of Yonkers to the downhill turf at Santa Anita, this weekend serves up racing across every discipline and every time zone. Whether you're backing a harness pacer in the Friday night finals, hunting value in the Peter Pan with an eye on the Belmont, or riding Outfielder's turf debut at Churchill, MyWinners has you covered with competitive odds, live cashback offers and the Exotic Cash Splash at the Big A. Log in, pick your races and make it count.
Bet online at app.mywinners.com, on the MyWinners: Racing & Sports app on iOS or Android, or go here to find your nearest MyWinners or Winners venue in CT.
