BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, April 11, 2014—Yonkers Raceway Friday night hosted the
fourth round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker for Open Mare pacers. Three $40,000
divisions went postward.
The first event saw Breeders Crown champ Shelliscape (Tim Tetrick, $7.20) get
off the series schneid a handy, down-the-road effort (:27.3,
:57, 1:24, 1:52). Winning the draw, she played “Catch Me If You Can,” and
they could not.
Ramalama (Matt
Kakaley) was unable to sustain a first-up bid, while Monkey On My Wheel (Brian
Sears) could match strides from the pocket. “Monkey” did get second—beaten
three-quarters of a length—with Ramalama third.
Charisma Hanover
(Yannick Gingras) and Bettor B Lucky (George Brennan), as the 13-10 favored
entry, finished fourth and sixth (last), respectively.
For third choice Shelliscape, a 5-year-old daughter of Artiscape owned by
Bamond Racing and trained by PJ Fraley, it was her first win in four
seasonal/series starts. The exacta paid $28, with no triple wagering (five
betting interests)
“She had no luck with the draw the last two weeks, but she’s a mare with
class,” Tetrick said. “It was no fluke she won the (Breeders) Crown. Tonight, I
was able to rate a cheap half, then she was strong down the back…27 (second)
third quarter and 28 (second) home.”
As
was the case with Shelliscape, defending Matchmaker champion Feeling You was
flying under the radar until this evening.
Leaving from post No. 4 with Tyler Buter doing the honors, Feeling You operated
from second-over.
That didn’t seem so opportunistic when pole-sitting Rocklamation (Gingras)—50
percent of the just-over-even-money favored entry--rated a cheapy half (:28,
:57.3).
Also not helping the cause for Feeling
You was Anndrovette (Tetrick), who was first-up and into a vacant pocket when
Angel’s Delight (Brennan) gapped it badly.
Rocklamation maintained her advantage in and out of a 1:25.2 three-quarters,
taking a half-length lead into the lane. Feeling You, left to fend for
herself, continued her assault on the leader. She outgamed Rocklamation by a
head in 1:53.1, with Anndrovette third, beaten a half-length.
For fourth choice Feeling You, an Alan
Kirschenbaum-bred 7-year-old daughter of Cambest co-owned by driver, Stephen
Oldford & Oldford Farms and trained by Amber Buter, she returned $32.60 for
her first board finish in five ’13 tries. The exacta paid $65.
“She just felt good,” Buter said of
harness racing’s newest millionairess ($1,014,148). “When Tim (Tetrick, with
Anndrovette) dropped into the pocket, I had thought about getting in behind
him, but my mare just acted like she wanted to keep going, so I stayed outside.
“We took our time getting ready her
ready this season. A year ago, we brought her back early for a series at the
Meadowlands that wound up being cancelled. I just hope she can be this good the
next couple of weeks.”
The third and final Matchmaker mélange
of the evening had Yagonnakissmeornot (Dan Dube, $6) throw down the gauntlet
with the fastest mile of the series to date.
Leaving from post No. 5, “Yagonna” made
the first lead before yielding to a fumbly-early 4-5 favorite in
Somwherovrarainbow (Sears). After a :27.1 opening quarter-mile and :55.4
intermission, it was Krispy Apple (Tetrick) trying her luck first-up.
That one couldn’t sniff the leader
before a 1:23.4, three-quarters, with “Somwher” owning a length-and-a-half lead
into the lane. However, she was powerless to deny Yagonnakissmeornot, who edged
from the pocket and rolled away. That final margin for the second choice was 2½
widening lengths in a season’s-best 1:51.4
Third went to Royal Cee Cee N (Ron
Pierce).
For Yagonnakissmeornot, a 5-year-old
daughter of The Panderosa co-owned (as Allard Racing) by (trainer) Rene Allard,
Yves Sarazin and Kapildeo Singh, she’s now 6-for-10 this season (3-for-4 in
Matchmaker). The exacta paid $14.60, with the triple returning $74.50.
Friday’s $38,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by favored D W’s NY Yank (Brennan,
$4) in 1:54.3…fastest local mile of the season.
The George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing
Series continues Saturday night, with three, $50,000 divisions (races 4,5 and
11 on the 12-race card) in that fourth division.
The Raceway's five-night-per-week live schedule continues, with first post
every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:10 PM. Evening
simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting
available daily.
