BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Wednesday, April 6, 2016—For
those who have yet to do so, it’s about time to impress the judges.
This weekend, Yonkers Raceway hosts the
fourth of five preliminary rounds in both the Blue Chip Matchmaker sand George
Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.
Since it’s women and children first,
three, $40,000 Matchmaker divisions (races 5,6 and 7) are set for Friday
evening.
Al Raza N (Dave Miller, post 7), the only
perfect (3-for-3) participant thus far, gets both a rotten draw and a new
date.
The 6-year-old Down Under daughter of
Gotta Go Cullect—subject of a fine USTA story earlier in the week—drew outside
of her rivals in the final event, with Miller enlisted by owner (as Durazzano
Stable) to take some of the embarrassment of riches away from Jordan Stratton.
The latter had driven Al Raza N throughout the series, but opted to chauffeur
For the Ladies N (post 6) here for trainer Peter Tritton.
For the Ladies N closed to upset at 19-1 a
week ago, while Stratton and Tritton also combine with Sell a Bit N (post 4) in
the second grouping. The 6-year-old Julius Caesar ma’am has won her last two
series tries and is Stratton’s surmised choice for the Apr. 23 series
finale.
Venus Delight (Jason Bartlett, post 5),
defending series champ, landed in the opening event as she looks for her first
Matchmaker win.
Saturday night, it’s four Levy divisions
(races 6 through 9) at the usual $50,000 per. Series co-leaders Take it Back
Terry and Bit of a Legend N—each 3-for-3—once again have managed to avoid one
another.
“Terry” drew post position No. 3 in the
opening group, with George Brennan again doing the honors. Among his foes is
Sana Fe Beachboy (Bartlett, post 6), who threw down the season’s fast local
mile (1:50.2) in winning his series event last weekend.
Bit of a Legend N, who won from an
impossible locale a week ago (enter the dance team of Stratton and Tritton for
an encore), landed post No. 6 in the third division.
With the subject of the season being exit
polls, reigning Harness Horse of the Year Wiggle It Jiggleit (Montrell Teague)
exits from the pole in the stacked second division. WIJI paced a vicious back
half in his local/series debut in Round 3, winding up second to a down-the-road
All Bets Off.
Those two are next-door neighbors here,
with All Bets Off and Matt Kakaley starting from post No. 2 in a gathering
which also includes P H Supercam (Bartlett, post 4) and Lucan Hanover (Brett
Miller, post 5).
Domethatagain (Dan Dube, post 3), the ’15
Levy winner, figures a contender in Saturday night’s final division.
Notably absent for this go-round is one
Foiled Again, who has finished fourth twice (one in a dead-heat) and second in
his three series starts.
