BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY,
Friday, April 13, 2018—Yonkers Raceway paid homage to Friday the (April) 13th,
wrapping the preliminaries with the fifth round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker.
Three, $40,000
events again brought together many of the best pacing mares in the last chance
to impress the electorate.
First Division—A first-up
toughie, but Dude’salady (Tim Tetrick, $27.80) prevailed in a blanket finish.
Early leader
Lakeisha Hall (George Brennan) gave it up to Lady Shadow (Jason Bartlett), with
the latter setting early intervals of :27.3 and :56.4. From post position No.
2, Dude’salady took out of fourth, with 11-10 favorite Mackenzie A (Jordan
Stratton) towed from second-over.
Dude’slady found
her best stride after a 1:24 three-quarters, though Lady Shadow owned a
length-and-a-quarter lead in the lane. The pursuer surged late, whipping the
pace-setter by a neck in a life-best 1:52.4. Lakeisha Hall found inside room
but was photoed for second.
Call Me Queen Be
closed well for fourth, while Mackenzie A wound up a flat fifth, the quintet of
payees separated by just a half-length.
“I thought she was
good last week (third), so I wasn’t surprised she dug in,” Tetrick said.
For fifth choice
Dude’salady, a 4-year-old daughter of Shadow Play co-owned by First Staters
M&L of Delaware & Victoria Dickinson and trained by Bruce Saunders, it
was her fifth win in a dozen seasonal starts (1-for-5 in series). The exacta
paid $131.50, with the triple returning $629.
Second Division—Pole-sitting Sell
a Bit N (Stratton, $8.50) went the distance (:27.1, :56.3, 1:25.1,
season’s-best 1:53.1). She stuffed Medusa 19-10 fave (Yannick Gingras) in
behind, then dealt with a first-up Twinkle (Eric Goodell).
The latter could
have been a tad better ‘front ma’am’ for Newborn Sassy, who herself was gapping
a bit.
Newborn Sassy
rallied wide and did get into second. Sell a Bit N owned a three-quarter length
lead in and out of the final turn, maintaining that margin to the wire. Medusa
was third, with Twinkle fourth.
For third
choice Sell a Bit N, an 8-year-old Down Under daughter of Julius Caesar owned
by Von Knoblauch Stables and trained by Peter Tritton, it was her fifth win in
10 ’18 tries (2-for-4 in series). The exacta paid $42.40, with the triple
returning $155.50.
Third
Division---Well, this was a surprise. Series domimnatrix
Shartin N (Tetrick), who had won all three of her Matchmaker starts before
getting a week off, couldn’t get out of her own way.
The 3-10
choice broke right at the start, caught the field, then jumped it off again at
the half.
While this
hard-to-believe was happening, pole-sitting L A Delight (Gingras) retook from
Clear Idea (Mark Mark MacDonald), then held the other three in-range lasses at
bay (:28.2, :57.4, 1:25.1, season’s best-matching 1:53.2).
Clear Idea was
second, beaten a length-and-a-half, with Shesjustadelight N (Ron Cushing)
third.
Shartin N
wound up last among the octet.
“Just wasn’t
her night,” Tetrick said. “There have been times when she’s been fussy with her
mouth, and I don’t know if that’s what happened. She jogged back to the paddock
and seemed sound, so we have to see. “
For second
choice L A Delght, a 5-year-old daughter of Bettor’s Delight owned by Diamond
Creek Racing and trained by Nancy Johansson, she’s now 2-for-4 this season (2-for-3
in series). The exacta paid $59.50, with triple returning $298.
The final
standings accompany this release. Be advised these are not necessarily the
entrants for the Saturday, Apr. 21st final (purse $373,000) and
consolation ($75,000). Those participants shall be determined by the race
office in accordance with the conditions of the series and in advance of Monday
afternoon’s (Apr. 16th) draw.
Saturday
night (Apr.14th) offers a trio of $50,000 divisions of
Free-for-Allers in the fifth (final) round of the George Morton Levy Memorial
Pacing Series.
