Chivalry was on display in earnest Friday night, with Yonkers Raceway featuring the fairer sex.
The opening round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series attracted 21 of the finest pacing mares in training, perfectly proportioned in three $40,000 events
. A full third of the starters came from noted ladies' man Mark Ford, and his harem won 'em all.
Ubetterthink Think (Brandon Simpson) beat the gate and her six rivals, easily going the distance in 1:54.2. Leaving from post position No. 5, "Ubetter" rolled through fractions of :27.3, :57.2 and 1:26. She put away a first-up Red High Heels (Cat Manzi), then widened to 3-3/4 lengths at the wire. Go On BB (Jason Bartlett) was a pocket second as the 13-10 choice, with Red High Heels third. Eagle Way (Greg Grismore) and a season-debuting Shanghai Lil (Stephane Bouchard)--the '09 Lady Maud winner--completed the cashers.
"[Mark] just told me to give her a chance," Simpson said. "She felt really good the whole way."
For Ubetterthink Think, a six-year-old Bettors Delight miss owned by Bob DiNozzi, she retutrned $17.20 (fifth choice) for her second win in a dozen seasonal starts. The exacta paid $52.50, with the triple returning $245.
Call Me Yours (Bouchard, four winners on the 12-race card), fresh from a solid win in last week's local femme feature, once again did her damage from off the pace. The 15-1 proposition went up and over 3-10 favourite On The Glass (Bartlett) at the 1:26.3 three-quarter pole.
That was after the people's preference seemingly had things her own way(:28.2, :58) early. No matter, as Call Me Yours opened to a length turning for home and 2-1/4 lengths at the (1:55.2) wire.
Lightning Treasure (Manzi) and a returning McGibson (Jordan Stratton) chased home the winner, with On The Glass and Hannah Isabel (Pat Lachance) settling for the small change.
"She was so good last week that I had to take my shot," Bouchard said. "They weren't going very fast, but my mare was very sharp."
For Call Me Yours, a five-year-old daughter of Your Nemesis owned by Stephen Gillard, she returned $33.40 (fourth choice) for her fourth victory in 10 seasonal sojourns. The exacta paid $176, with the triple returning $1,533. It was a bit cool for bridge-jumping, but someone plunged anyway, resulted in show prices of $52.50, $19.20 and $34, respectively.
Ford and Bouchard teamed in the final Matchmaker mélange, as 16-1 Makerbark made her local debut a winning one.
Afer pole-sitting Ginger And Fred (Bartlett)--as the 2-5 choice--led through intervals of :28.2, :57 and 1:25, Makerbark uncorked a wide bid in and out of the final turn. Neither "Ginger" nor "Fred" offered much resistance, as Makerbark drew away late. She won by 2-1/4 lengths in a season's-best 1:54.1.
"I learned that she's a pretty handy horse, and I learned to do whatever her trainer says," Bouchard said.
Ginger And Fred saved second, with Ramona Disomma (Grismore), Little Mermaid N (Jim Pantaleano) and Perfectionist (Stratton) completing the cashers.
For Makerbark, a five-year-old Dragon Again ma'am co-owned by Roger Hammer and Vicki Lynn Fair, she paid $35.20 (fifth choice) for her second win in nine '10 tries. The exacta paid $136, with the triple returning $324.50.
Friday's card also included Round 2 of the Petticoat Pacing Series for three- and four-year-old fillies and mares.
The four, $12,500 divisions were diced and sliced by:
- Fiesta Camcun, 4 (by Camotion); co-owners (trainer) Leonard LeBlanc & Donald Emond/driver Bouchard; 1:56.1/$7.50;
- Not So Slim, 4 (by Ft Apache Hanover); co-owners Elisa Leach & Alex Adam/trainer Amber Buter/driver Manzi; 1:56/$6.20;
- RD Blues, 4 (by Park Place); co-owners David Postman & Michael Lipman/trainer Chris Scicluna/driver Lachance; 1:56.3/$11;
- Allamerican Tout, 4 (by Dragon Again); owner Paul Deslauriers/trainer Ford/driver Bouchard; 1:56.3/$54.50.
Continuing the Ladies night theme, Friday night's weekly $32,000 Open Handicap Trot was won the mare Victors Vicky (Manzi, $5.40) in 1:58.1 Manzi had three winners on the program.
The opening round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series gets underway Saturday night, with a half-dozen $50,000 divisions.
(Yonkers Raceway)