Caviart Ally took full advantage of her inside starting position and worked out a perfect pocket-sitting trip to surge past the pace-setting Shartin N in mid-stretch and score a swan-song victory by a neck in 1:52.1 in the $100,000 Blue Chip Matchmaker Invitational at Yonkers Raceway.
Shartin N, the 2019 U.S. Horse of the Year and defending Blue Chip Matchmaker Champion left quickly from post 7 and controlled the race throughout but had to settle for second. Snobbytown finished third five-and-one-quarter lengths behind.
It was Caviart Ally’s third win in 2020 and 28th overall for driver Andrew McCarthy and trainer Brett Pelling. The winner’s share leaves her just shy of $2 million in career earnings at $1,974,971 as the six-year-old mare, owned by Caviart Farms of Vienna, VA, caps her career a winner. As the 8-5 second choice, she paid $5.50 to win.
Caviart Ally will retire to the broodmare ranks for her connections, with Captain Crunch having first dibs for breeding rights.
In the eighth race $125,000 Borgata Pacing Series Eligibles Invitational, This Is The Plan closed past the tiring leaders to win by half a length in 1:52, paying $5.60 to win as the 9-5 second choice.
This Is The Plan left alertly from the outside starting position to tuck in fourth and worked out a second-over trip for driver George Brennan. The Ron Burke trainee notched his fourth win of 2020 for owners Burke Racing, Weaver, Bruscemi, Jerry and Theresa Silva and Larry Karr.
Ostro Hanover held second after setting the pace and Tookadiveoffdipper was two-and-one-quarter lengths back in third.
The Blue Chip Matchmaker and Borgata Pacing Series races were originally scheduled to begin March 13 and 14 but were canceled when the racetrack closed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of the customary five legs and final, the races were altered to be one-dash invitationals for horses that were eligible for the original races this Spring.
(Yonkers Raceway)
....and that concludes the
....and that concludes the 2020 stakes racing season in North America. Other than a few state sire stakes finals in Delaware next month, the next harness race with a purse of $100,000 or more won't take place until April 2021, when the finals of these same Blue Chip Matchmaker and Borgata Pacing Series races will be held.