Post positions have been parceled out for the start of Yonkers Raceway’s ‘adult’ series, the Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy Memorial Series.
Each series offers five preliminary rounds prior to the respective April 23 finals.
This Friday night (March 18), three consecutive $40,000 dashes (Race 6 through Race 8) will kick off the ‘Matchmaker’ which will feature 23 of the sport’s top pacing mares.
Defending series champ Venus Delight (to be driven by Jason Bartlett from Post 2) and runner-up Yagonnakissmeornot (Dan Dube, PP1) find themselves as next-door neighbors in the second division, with the former making her seasonal pari-mutuel debut.
The opening grouping includes local Open Handicap warrior Regil Elektra (Tim Tetrick, PP3), the double-millionairess-in-waiting Krispy Apple (Bartlett, PP4) and a tested-for-class Hazmatt (Brian Sears, PP6), who will be looking for her seventh consecutive victory.
Friday night’s final Matchmaker event finds a couple of Breeders Crown finalists from a season ago in The Show Returns (Sears, PP5) and Lady Shadow (Corey Callahan, PP7), while For The Ladies N (Jordan Stratton, PP3) won last’s season consolation of this series.
Saturday night’s (March 19) opening round of the ‘Levy’ did the Matchmaker two better, with six $50,000 divisions (Races 4,5,6,7, 9 and 10) with seven Free-For-Allers each.
Last season’ s series champ, Domethatagain (Dube), drew outside of the rivals in the second grouping, while 2014’s Levy winner, P H Supercam (Bartlett), finds himself stuck outside in the fifth event.
Take It Back Terry (George Brennan, PP3), bridesmaid to Domethatagain a season ago, landed Post 3 in the first division.
The final get-together figures to prove interesting, with recent local winners Bit Of A Legend N (Stratton. PP2), Lets Drink On It (Tyler Buter, PP4) and All Bets Off (Matt Kakaley, PP5) opposing one another…
…and then, there’s Foiled Again.
Foiled Again, the now-12-year-old gelding, will begin his quest for a third Levy title from Post 2 in the second division. It’s the 247th purse start for harness racing’s richest horse ($7.3 million), who will get regular date Yannick Gingras for the assignment.
Foiled Again enters off a pair of seconds in Meadowlands’ qualifiers.
The fields appear below.
Matchmaker Legs
Race 6
(Post – Horse – Listed Driver)
1 – Delightful Dragon – Brent Holland
2 – Al Raza N – Jordan Stratton
3 – Regil Elektra – Tim Tetrick
4 – Krispy Apple – Jason Bartlett
5 – Sandbetweenurtoes – Jody Jamieson
6 – Hazmatt – Brian Sears
7 – Skippin By – Yannick Gingras
Race 7
(Post – Horse – Listed Driver)
1 – Yagonnakissmeornot – Dan Dube
2 – Venus Delight – Jason Bartlett
3 – Secrets Out N – Brian Sears
4 – Velocity Vespa – Brian Sears
5 – Cheyenne Robin – Yannick Gingras
6 – Mach It A Par – Jason Bartlett
7 – Request For Parole – Yannick Gingras
8 – Sell A Bit N – Jordan Stratton
Race 8
(Post – Horse – Listed Driver)
1 – Jungle Genie N – Brian Sears
2 – Bettor N Better – Tim Tetrick
3 – For The Ladies N – Jordan Stratton
4 – Gallie Bythe Beach – Matt Kakaley
5 – The Show Returns – Brian Sears
6 – Inittowinafortune – Corey Callahan
7 – Lady Shadow – Corey Callahan
8 – Cinamony – Yannick Gingras
Levy Legs
Race 4
(Post – Horse – Listed Driver)
1 – Texican N – Eric Carlson
2 – Royal Heart – Matt Kakaley
3 – Take It Back Terry – George Brennan
4 – Scott Rocks – Brian Sears
5 – Dream Out Loud N – George Brennan
6 – Mattamerican – Tim Tetrick
7 – Michaels Power – Dan Dube
Race 5
(Post – Horse – Listed Driver)
1 – Doctor Butch – Tim Tetrick
2 – Foiled Again – Yannick Gingras
3 – Casimir Jitterbug – Brian Sears
4 – Melmerby Beach – Brent Holland
5 – Lucan Hanover – Tim Tetrick
6 – Ideal Cowboy – Jason Bartlett
7 – Domethatagain – Dan Dube
Race 6
(Post – Horse – Listed Driver)
1 – Always At My Place – Yannick Gingras
2 – Evenin Of Pleasure – Dan Dube
3 – Santa Fe Beachboy – Jason Bartlett
4 – Texas terror N – Matt Kakaley
5 – Sunfire Blue Chip – Brett Miller
6 – Sapphire City – Brian Sears
7 – Phil Your Boots – Tim Tetrick
Race 7
(Post – Horse – Listed Driver)
1 – Mach It So – Tim Tetrick
2 – Forty Five Red – Brent Holland
3 – Roland N Rock – Dan Dube
4 – Bettor Rock On N – Brian Sears
5 – Polak A – Brian Sears
6 – McErlean – Matt Kakaley
7 – Northview Punter N – Tyler Buter
Race 9
(Post – Horse – Listed Driver)
1 – The Real One – Pat Lachance
2 – Beach Memories – Brian Sears
3 – Limelight Beach – Yannick Gingras
4 – Western Rockstar A – Tim Tetrick
5 – Fort Knox – Brian Sears
6 – Arque Hanover – Brian Sears
7 – P H Supercam – Jason Bartlett
Race 10
(Post – Horse – Listed Driver)
1 – Rural Art – Brian Sears
2 – Bit Of A Legend N – Jordan Stratton
3 – Aslan – Brian Sears
4 – Lets Drink On It – Tyler Buter
5 – All Bets Off – Matt Kakaley
6 – Bettorever – Tim Tetrick
7 – Somewhere In L A – Jason Bartlett
(Yonkers Raceway)