BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, March 21, 2014—Yonkers Raceway Friday night hosted the
opening round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker, its premier series for Open Mare
pacers. Four, $40,000 divisions went postward.
The first event saw Angel’s Delight (George Brennan, $16.40) pop from a perfect
second-over trip in 1:53.2. Leaving from post position No. 5, she watched as
Shelliscape (Tim Tetrick) take over from Handsoffmycookie (Dan Dube), then deal
with Rocklamation (Yannick Gingras).
After fractions of :27.4, :56.4, 1:24.3, Angel’s Delight
was ready to move. She whipped Rocklamation—part of a 2-5 favored entry--by a
length, with Shelliscape another length back in third.
“I saw her race last week, and when Matt (Kakaley) tipped her wide in the lane,
she just took off,” Brennan said. “It was the same thing here.
“She’d been racing, while the other ones are just starting back, so maybe that
was an advantage. Those other mares—it never takes them long to be ready. It’s
going to be a good series, and I certainly wouldn’t discount mine “
For third choice Angel’s Delight, a 4-year-old daughter of Rocknroll Hanover
owned by Joseph Pennacchio and trained by Kevin Carr, it was her fifth win
(with four seconds) in nine seasonal starts. The exacta paid $27.60, with the
triple returning $82.50.
Brennan doubled his pleasure in the second division, when former New York
Stakes champ Summertime Lea ($4.40) won the draw and the race (:27.1; :56.3; 1:25, 1:53.4) in down-the-road fashion. Season-debuting
“Lea”—the season-debuting half of the 6-5 favored entry--lasted by a neck over
a charging Ramalama (Kakaley), with Cocoa Beach (Brian Sears) third. Swinging
Beauty (Gingras), parimutuelly partnered with the winner, was a weak first-over
fifth.
Anndrovette (Tetrick), making her 2014 bow, never left the cones and finished
fourth.
For “Lea,” a 4-year-old daughter of Lislea co-owned (as Burke Racing) by
(trainer) Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi, Lawrence Karr and Frank Baldachino, it was
her 17th win in 26 career starts. The exacta paid
$23.20, with the triple returning $68.50.
The event third division was its best, with odds-on choice Somwherovrarainbow
(Sears, $3.80) going first-up to hold off her rivals in 1:52.4.
Trying to leave from post No. 6, she landed in a four-hole as Royal Cee Cee N
(Ron Pierce) laid down the law through a :27.1 opening quarter-mile and a :57.2
half. “Somwher” was then out and moving, engaging the leader through a 1:25
three-quarters.
She put Royal Cee Cee N away mid-stretch then held off both the horse on her
back (Krispy Apple [Tetrick]) and a pocket-sitting Charisma Hanover (Gingras).
The margin was scant nose over Krispy Apple, with “Charisma” a shorter schnoz
back in third.
For “Rainbow,” a 4-year-old daughter of
Somebeachsomewhere trained by Joe Holloway for co-owners Diamond Creek Racing
and Ted Gewertz, she’s now 2-for-2 this season and up over $900,000 for her
career. It was a far cry from the lass who stopped on a dime the last time she
was here, last October’s elimination for the Lady Maud Pace.
“She’s bigger, she’s stronger and I’m
just happy to have her,” Holloway said. “There’s not much half-mile experience
with her, so I changed the equipment a bit, and she was very good,
The final Matchmaker grouping was
nothing more than a public workout for 1-4 fave Yagonnakissmeornot (Dube,
$2.50). Sent right to the lead from post No. 4, she had nary an anxious moment
though intervals of :27.3, 56.4; 1:25.1 and 1:52.4.The final margin
was 4¼ lengths over Let’s Go Higher (Jason Bartlett), with Economy Terror (Mark
MacDonald) a pocket third and Bettor B Lucky (Gingras) fourth.
For “Yagonna,” a 5-year-old daughter of The Panderosa co-owned (as Allard Racing) by (trainer) Rene Allard and Kapildeo Singh, it was her fourth win in seven 14 tries. The exacta paid $13, the triple returned $38.60 and the superfecta paid $155.
“She’d make
anybody look good,” Dube said. “She does it all on her own and doesn’t know
where the end of the mile is.”
Friday’s $38,000 Open Handicap Trot was
won by Lorenzo Dream (Sears, $19) in a season’s-best 1:55.2, also the fast
local mile of 2014.
The George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing
Series begins Saturday night, with five, $50,000 division, (races 2.4,5,9
and 11 on the 12-race card).
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.
