Yonkers Raceway’s Blue Chip Matchmaker continued Friday night (March 25). It was “second verse same as the first,” with three consecutive, $40,000 divisions comprising the encore round.
The evening’s opening event saw Sell A Bit N (Jordan Stratton, $5.50) take full advantage of a rare good starting station. In play from post position No. 4, she held sway (:27.3, :56.3, 1:24.3, 1:52.1).
Pylon-procuring Request For Parole (Yannick Gingras) chased around the oval, ducked inside and missed a neck, while Mach It A Par (George Brennan), last week’s 39-1 upsetter, was third after a hard challenge down the backside.
Venus Delight (Jason Bartlett), the wagering favourite by a mere $30, wound up a non-threatening fourth.
For slight second choice Sell A Bit N, a six-year-old Down Under daughter of Julius Caesar owned by Harry von Knoblauch and trained by Peter Tritton, the win was her first in five seasonal starts. The exacta paid $26.40, with the triple returning $87.
Friday’s second Matchmaker event had Yagonnakissmeornot (Dan Dube, $5.70), as the second choice, do it from first-up.
Away third from post No. 2, she saw season-debuting Anndrovette (Tim Tetrick) and 11-10 choice Skippin By (Gingras) take early turns (:27.2, :56.2). When “Yagonna” first moved off the cones nearing the 1:24.3 three-quarters, she didn’t appear all that interested. Skippin By owned a length and a half into the lane before Yagonnakissmeornot read the memo. She surged past late, winning by a neck in 1:53.3. Anndrovette was a passing-lane third, beaten a half-length.
For Yagonnakissmeornot, a seven-year-old daughter of The Panderosa trained by Rene Allard and owned by Allard Racing, Yves Sarrazin and Kapildeo Singh, the win was her first in three ’16 starts. The exacta paid $10, with the triple returning $38.60.
The night’s final series event was won by an off-the-pace Al Raza N (Stratton, $8.60), who had some numbers to “run at” and did just that.
As was the case a week ago, Al Raza N was content to spectate early. She watched as Krispy Apple (Bartlett) and 13-10 choice Lady Shadow (Corey Callahan) were both sent out (:26.4, :55.2) as the rest of the lasses gapped behind them.
Secrets Out N (Brian Sears) did close ranks from third and move to challenge, but never came close. Delightful Dragon (Brent Holland) gapped that one badly in and out of the 1:23.2 three-quarters, which did no favours for the eventual winner.
Al Raza N, sitting seventh and racing from third-over, launched her bid before the final turn. She was fifth entering the lane, but just powered by. The final margin was a length and a quarter in 1:52.1, matching her life-best. It was Krispy Apple nosing a tiring Lady Shadow for second, with a from-last Regil Elektra (Tetrick) and Delightful Dragon settling for the remainder.
For third choice Al Raza N, a six-year-old Down Under daughter of Gotta Go Cullect owned by Durazzano Stable and trained by Agostino Abbatiello, the win was her third in four seasonal starts. The exacta paid $32, the triple returned $89 and the superfecta paid $1,274.
Saturday night’s card brings the second round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series. Five, $50,000 divisions (races five and seven through 10) comprise this go-round.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)