On Tuesday afternoon (April 26) at Yonkers Raceway, Maestro Blue Chip stretched his 2016 unbeaten streak to nine, as he easily triumphed in the $73,500 final of Yonkers Raceway/Standardbred Owners Association of New York Bonus Trotting Series.

In play early from Post 6, ‘Maestro’ (who was driven by Tim Tetrick) had to work around the initial leader, Summers Windsong (Jason Bartlett), before assuming control. Lakota (George Brennan) was away third from the pole.

Once Maestro Blue Chip was pointed toward the engine, there wasn’t a whole lot of suspense.

Maestro Blue Chip did his thing on the front end and cut the fractions in :28.3, :57.4 and 1:27.1. He dismissed a weak, first-up challenge from Newcastle (Brett Miller). Maestro owned a one and three-quarter-length lead entering the lane. He hit the wire first in 1:56 and posted a one and a quarter-length margin of victory. He paid $2.50 to win.

Maestro had won his three series legs by nearly 15 combined lengths.

Summers Windsong was a solid second in a very good effort. Lakota finished a three-hole third. Newcastle held fourth, while Tuscanellie (Dan Dube) recovered from an early ‘misbehave’ to grab the final pay envelope.

Maestro Blue Chip is a four-year-old son of Credit Winner that is owned by Richard Poillucci and trained by JoAnn Looney-King. The exacta paid $41.60, with the triple returning $82.

The $36,750 winner’s share upped Maestro’s seasonal earnings to $105,000, not including the $10,000 bonus from the SOA of NY.

“He’s just so versatile,” Tetrick said. “I don’t think we know where his bottom is since he hasn’t [raced] that much (22 career starts). He can get over any size track and I know they’re very high on him. He has some tougher stakes later in the season, so we’re going to find out.”

The series was open to three-year-olds and their elders who were non-winners of six pari-mutuel races and/or $100,000 in purse earnings through this past February 1 (winners over $150,000 through that date ineligible).

A $30,000 series consolation was won by a down-the-road Covert Operative (Brian Sears, $5.40) in 1:56.4.

(Yonkers Raceway)