BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, March 18,
2016—Yonkers Raceway’s Blue Chip Matchmaker began Friday night, with the
sport’s best pacing mares embarking upon a six-week odyssey.
Three consecutive, $40,000 events
comprised the opening round.
The series starter saw Al Raza N (Jordan
Stratton, $15.20) snap 9-10 fave Krispy Apple (Jason Bartlett) right nearing
the wire in a season’s-best 1:52.3. Hazmatt (Brian Sears) was third, with
Delightful Dragon (Brent Holland) and Skippin’ By (Yannick Gingras) settling
for the remainder.
It was a certified scrum early with Krispy
Apple making the lead by looping Regil Elektra (Tim Tetrick). Regil Elektra was
out again, winning the :27.1 opening quarter-mile. Soon after,
Sandbetweenurtoes (Jody Jamieson), having dropped in third, made her second
move, leading at a :55.4 intermission.
Down the backside, Krispy Apple took out
and third and went by a defenseless Sandbetweenurtoes with the greatest of
ease. The people’s preference opened 3¼ lengths by the 1:23.4 three-quarters
and had a couple of lengths entering the lane.
However, she couldn’t close the sale. Al
Raza N, unhurried from post position No. 2, moved from third-over (second-up
after Krispy Apple cleared the lead), continuing to make up ground. Advancing
to third in and out of the final turn, she wore down her target by a
half-length.
The roster was rounded out by a
shuffled-out Regil Elektra and a dropping-anchor Sandbetweenurtoes.
For fifth choice Al Raza N, a 6-year-old
Down Under daughter of Gotta Go Cullect owned by Durazzano Stable and trained
by Agostino Abbatiello, it was her second win in three seasonal starts.
The exacta paid $44, with the triple returning $316.
Friday’s second Matchmaker event saw rank
outsider Mach it a Par (George Brennan, $81) do her best Middle Tennessee State
impression, picking off defending series champion Venus Delight by a nose in
1:53.2.
Venus Delight had engaged, then
overhauled, 4-5 fave Secrets Out N (Sears). That one, after getting away third,
controlled the crowd (:27.4, :57, 1:25.2) until early in the lane before
faltering.
Mach it a Par, from post No. 6, operated
from second-over. She and Venus Delight battled for the tiara, with the former
just getting to the latter.
Yagonnakissmeornot (Dan Dube) lost some
contact in the pocket but managed third, with Sell a Bit N (Stratton) and
Cheyenne Robin (Corey Callahan) settling for the minor moolah. Secrets Out N
faded to sixth.
For Mach it a Par, a 6-year-old daughter
of Mach Three co-owned by D’Elegance Stable IX, Carmine Iannacone, T L P &
Gandolfo Stables and trained by Richard Banca, it was her first win in six
seasonal starts. The exacta paid $721, with the triple returning $1,699.
Mach it a Par, off a sale/barn change, had been off nearly four weeks (with a
“sick line” in between).
The evening final series event was
won by a down-the-road Lady Shadow (Callahan, $7), who overcame an outside post
No. 7 and widened late.
Lady Shadow had to wait her turn, finally
getting around 7-5 favorite Gallie Bythe Beach (Matt Kakaley). From there, she
had little issues (:27.4, :56.3, 1:25, 1:53.4), prevailing by 2¼ lengths.
“Gallie” chased from the pocket and saved second, with Jungle Genie N
(Bartlett), first leader Inittowinafortune (Tyler Buter) and For the Ladies N
(Stratton) grabbing the smaller envelopes.
For second choice Lady Shadow, a
5-year-old daughter of Shadow Play co-owned by David Kryway, Carl Atley, Edwin
Gold & BFJ Stable and trained by Josh Green, it was a season-debuting
victory.. The exacta paid $17, the triple returned $74.50 and the superfecta
paid $568.
Saturday night’s card brings the opening
round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series. Six, $50,000 divisions
(races 4,5,6,7, 9 and 10) each feature seven Free-For-Allers.
