YONKERS, NY, Friday, April 27, 2012—She entered
the preliminaries with a lot of questions. She enters the final with a lot of
supporters.
That's what happens after See You at Peelers won all four of her legs
(including an opening-round dead-heat) in Yonkers Raceway's Blue Chip Matchmaker
for Open pacing mares, then won the draw for Saturday night $297,000 final
(race 7, approximate post 9:20 PM).
The See You at Peelers saga is well known in these circles, and even beyond.
That's what happens after winning 22 consecutive races to start a career. The
4-year-old statebred daughter of Bettor's Delight earned national notice with
her precocious perfection, which including beating the boys here in last
season's $307,734 Art Rooney Pace.
However, three consecutive losses to end her 3-year-old season, and persistent
heart issues, left her future very much up in the air.
"I didn't know if she'd make it back," trainer Jimmy Takter said.
"We had her on medication, but 0that didn't help. She needed about 60 days
of total rest, and then we started with her again.
"We had aimed for this series," Takter said. "She loves racing
here (Yonkers, 9-for-9 lifetime), but this is a tough place to start a season.
It's five weeks of hard racing (though "Peelers" skipped the fourth
leg), then the final.
"She qualified three times at the Meadowlands, and even then, I wasn't
sure, Even after she won the first week, I didn't know. It probably wasn't
until the second week (down-the-road from post position No. 7 in 1:52.2) that I
felt she was back.
Now 26-for-29 in her career, "Peelers" has earnings of $1,573,260 for
co-owners (breeder) Christina Takter, Jim and John Fielding.
"She's acting like her old self, though we're always keeping an eye on
her, making sure she's hydrated," her trainer said.
As for the final--"Peelers" was tabbed (by the author) as the 4-5
early choice, with Brian Sears doing the honors--"She trained awesome, but
there are some very tough mares in there."
The complete draw, with drivers and morning-line odds...1-See You at Peelers
(Brian Sears, 4-5), 2-Rocklamation (Yannick Gingras, 5-1, coupled with Ginger
and Fred), 3-Anndrovette (Tim Tetrick, 3-1), 4-Fox Valley Sage (Cat Manzi,
30-1), 5-Ginger and Fred (Jason Bartlett, 5-1, coupled with Rocklamation),
6-Billmar Scooter (Eric Goodell, 20-1), 7-Chancey Lady (Andy Miller, 10-1),
8-Western Silk (George Brennan, 4-1). Anndrovette and Chancey Lady go uncoupled
due to bona fide separate ownership.
The field for Saturday night's $455,000 final of the George Morton Levy
Memorial Pacing Series (race 9, approximate post 10 PM)...1--Blatantly
Good (Brennan, 8-1), 2-Art Z (Brett Miller, 6-1), 3-Atochia (Ron Pierce, 6-5,
coupled with Foiled Again), 4-Fitz's Z Tam (Sears, 8-1), 5-Strand Hanover (Luc
Ouellette, 10-1), 6-Nob Hill High (Jordan Stratton, 20-1), 7-Real Nice
(Bartlett, 9-5), 8-Foiled Again (Gingras, 6-5, coupled with Atochia).
The
Levy and Matchmaker are the sport's two richest North American races of the
season to date.
The Raceway's five-night-per-week (Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday)
live schedule continues. First post for all programs remains at 7:10 PM.
Evening simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting
available around the NYRA schedule.
