The only thing not so slim about Not So Slim (Brandon Simpson) was her price Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $62,200 final of the Petticoat Pacing Series at odds of 19-1
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The finale of the month-long melee for three- and four-year-old fillies and mares offered some fast early fractions as 9-10 favourite Docdor Libby (Jeff Gregory) was stung by Forever Libby (Ryan Anderson) to a :27.1 opening-quarter mile. Rev Me Up (Jason Bartlett) aborted a quarter-move to duck back in third as the people's choice led through a :57-second intermission.
Rev Me Up--winner of last month's Hopeful Pacing Series and the only soph in this octet--was on the go again toward the spiffy 1:25.4 three-quarters. RD Blues (Pat Lachance) had trouble matching strides with that one, while Not So Slim was powering up from third-up.
The "Docdor" was out in early stretch, as Forever Libby dove inside. However, this was a closer's race, and Not So Slim had the best strides late. She defeated Forever Libby by a neck in a season's-best 1:55.3, with Rev Me Up, Fiesta Camcun (Cat Manzi) and RD Blues completing the cashers. Docdor Libby faded to seventh, beating only the early break of Im All Country (Jordan Stratton).
"This mare has a good, late kick, and things worked out very well," Simpson said. "Around the last turn, I knew I had a big shot."
For Not So Slim, a four-year-old daughter of Ft Apache Hanover co-owned by Elisa Leach & Alex Adam and trained by Amber Buter, she returned $41.40 (sixth choice) for her fifth win in 10 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $231, the triple returned $537 and the superfecta paid $2,543.
A $25,000 series consolation was won by Cherish Melody (Stephane Bouchard, $3, part of entry) in a life-best 1:56.1.
Friday night's card also included three, $40,000 divisions in the third round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series for pacing mares.
Pole-sitting Symphony In Motion (Gregory, $12.80) went the distance (1:55.3) in the first division, holding pocket-protecting Little Mermaid N (Jim Pantaleano) at bay by a length. Mach You And Me (Manzi) was third, with 3-5 choice Ginger And Fred (Bartlett) a non-threatening fourth. The winner, a six-year-old Bettors Delight trained by Mark Harder for co-owners Joe Jannuzzelli and Carol Demarch, is now four-for-11 this season. The exacta paid $62, with the triple returning $295.
Odds-on On The Glass (Bartlett, $3.30) snapped pace-setting Ubetterthink Think (Simpson) late, winning the second Matchmaker grouping by a neck in 1:54.3. Shanghai Lil (Bouchard) was third. For On The Glass, a four-year-old daughter of Art Major trained by Ron Burke for co-owners Joe DiScala and Cynthia Lynn Masari, it was her sixth win in 11 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $13.20, with the triple retuning $32.40.
The evening's final division saw Go On BB (Bartlett, $7.50) stalk McGibson (Stratton) to the lane, angle inside and get the money by a half-length in 1:55. Makerbark (Bouchard), the 7-5 choice who made an early break while trying a quarter-move, recovered to grab a photo for the bottom of the ticket. For "BB," a six-year-old Dontgetinmyway lass trained by Burke for owner Frank Baldachino, is was her first win in four '10 tries (49th lifetime victory). The exacta paid $14, with the triple returning $54.
Friday's pair of $32,000 Open Handicaps, for trotters and distaff pacers, were won by Bet To Win (Brent Holland, $6.10) in 1:56.4 and Twin Oaks Tess (Bartlett, $6.50) in 1:55.3, respectively.
The $66,400 final of the Sagamore Hilll Pacing Series goes Saturday night, along with five $50,000 divisions in Round 3 of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.
Effective next week, the Raceway shall add Wednesday nights to its live schedule and eliminate Thursday nights. First post for all programs (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) remains at 7:10 p.m.
(Yonkers Raceway)