Last chance for the ladies came Friday night, with Yonkers Raceway hosting three $40,000 divisions in Round 5 of the Blue Chip Matchmaker
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Double millionairess Southwind Tempo (Cat Manzi) joined the series last week, so she could not accumulate enough points to qualify for the final. That may have saved next week's foes, but nothing was going to spare this week's opposition.
In play early from post position No. 4, the 1-4 final division fave put up waltzing weigh stations of :27.3, :56.4, 1:25.2 and 1:53.1. Shanghai Lil (Dan Dube) moved from fourth to take up the chase, but couldn't get within shouting distance as Southwind Temp won by 2-1/2 lengths. Fleur De Lil A (Mike Vanderkemp) was third.
"There's really not a whole lot to say," Manzi said. "She's a terrific mare. Last week, it was her first start back, the track was sloppy, she drew outside and couldn't get into the race. She came home great [second], anyway.
"This week, I wanted to make sure I didn't do anything foolish. She's not even close to her best. That won't happen until later in the season."
For Southwind Tempo, a six-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight trained by Jeff Webster for co-owners Let It Ride Stables and Jerry Silva, she returned $2.50 for her first win (34th career) in a couple of seasonal starts. The exacta paid $7.10, with the triple returning $17.20.
The victory was also a big hit with the bridge-jumper's brigade. A total of $49,848 was showered upon the show pool, with $45,372 wagered on the winner.
Ginger And Fred (Jason Bartlett), who had failed to race to her resume in her three previous series starts, did so in the evening's first event.
Leaving from post No. 5 as the even-money choice, she was stung by Hannah Isabel (Pat Lachance) to a :27.2 opening quarter-mile. Ginger And Fred then rated a :57.1 intermission, with weak, first-up pressure from Shes A Fan (Dube). A 1:25.2 three-quarters gave the leader a length-and-a-half to play with turning for home.
Ginger And Fred defeated Hannah Isabel by a length-and-a-quarter in 1:53.3, matching her previous season's effort. McGibson (Jordan Stratton) closed for third.
"She had been a nervous horse since coming here, looking around a lot," Bartlett said. "Tonight, right from the start scoring her down, she was a different animal. She raced big."
For Ginger And Fred, a four-year-old daughter of Real Artist trained by Ron Burke for co-owners Taylor, Feldman, Gold and Silva, she returned $4 for her second win in 10 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $16.60, with the triple returning $51.
Friday night's second Matchmaker division saw Symphony In Motion (Jeff Gregory) parlay another good draw and another good trip into another good effort--her third consecutive series victory.
Leaving into a two-hole from post No. 3, Symphony In Motion watched as Ubetterthink Think (Brandon Simpson) led through intervals of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:25.1. Makerbark (Dube), who threw in some steps early, elected to come first-over. She went nowhere fast, which did nothing for the cause of even-money On The Glass (Bartlett).
Meanwhile, "Ubetterthink" had a length-and-a-quarter lead into the lane, but Symphony In Motion went in, and went by. She won by a length in a season's-best 1:53.4, with Ramona Disomma (Greg Grismore) third.
"She's certainly drawn well in this series, but she has been able to take advantage of it," Gregory said.
For Symphony In Motion, a six-year-old Bettors Delight miss trained by Mark Harder for co-owners Joe Jannuzzelli and Carol Demarch, she returned $11.40 (fourth choice) for her sixth win in 13 '10 tries. The exacta paid $90.50, with the triple returning $425.50.
Friday night's $32,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by Hurrikanebiggeorge (Dube, $8) in a life-best 1:56.2.
Saturday night's card offers four $50,000 divisions in the fifth (final) preliminary round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series. Both series finals go next Saturday night (May 1), with purses of $460,000 (Levy) and $237,000 (Matchmaker), respectively.
(Yonkers Raceway)