BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY,
Saturday, April 20, 2019—“She’s a tough SOB with big lungs.”
Even-money
favorite Shartin N (Tim Tetrick, $4) employed the same tactic she did a season
ago, winning Saturday night’s (Apr. 20th) $402,600 final of Yonkers
Raceway’s Blue Chip Matchmaker.
As was the case in
the evening $663,260 final of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series,
both were the richest incarnations in the respective histories.
Shartin N, from
post position No. 6 among the high-end mares, was away fourth as Feelin’ Red
Hot (George Brennan) and Apple Bottom Jeans (Corey Callahan) were dueling
early. The latter retook from the former by the :27.2 opening quarter-mile
before Shartin N was out and moving again.
She made the lead
just before a :55.2 intermission, then finished off the 11th
Matchmaker from there (1:23.3,
1:52.1) in her fastest purse mile of the season, Shartin N became the first
lass to defend this race’s title and the first to win it more than once.
From the hinterlands came uncoupled stablemate Bettor Joy N
(Dexter Dunn) to get second, beaten a length-and-a-half, with Apple Bottom
Jeans, Don’t Think Twice A (Jason Bartlett) and Seaswift Joy N (Jim Marohn Jr.)
settling for the smaller envelopes.
A first-up Kaitlyn N (Matt Kakaley), Ideal Lifestyle A
(Jordan Stratton) and a backpedaling Feelin’ Red Hot brought up the rear.
For Shartin N, a
6-year-old Down Under Tintin in America miss co-owned by her escort, Richard
Poillucci and Jo Ann Looney-King & trained by Jim King Jt. it was her
fourth win in five starts. The exacta paid $21.60, the triple returned $77.50
and the superfecta paid $301.50.
“I’ve
put her in spots before where I didn’t think she would reach and she just digs
down and finds something,” Tetrick said. “When I saw Corey (Callahan, with
Apple Bottom Jeans) had to go hard to get the lead, let George (Brennan,
Feelin’ Red Hot) go and retake, I thought I’d take my chance and push the
envelope and he let me go.
“(Shartin N) is a great mare; she’s proven it
time in and time out,” Tetrick said. “For her to do what she’s done, make a
million dollars (in 2018), it speaks for itself.”
A
$75,000 series consolation was won by Tetrick-driven and King Jr.-trained
Newborn Sassy ($3.50) in a career-ending 1:54. The 6-year-old lass, who’s off
to be bred to Captaintreacherous, retires with 33 wins in 92 career starts and
just under $1,1 million.
“There’s
a special place in my heart for her,” Tetrick said.
