“She’s been doing everything right. With an inside post, it should be good. But she can race anyway you want; she doesn’t need a trip. She can do it the hard way.”
Saturday’s card at Yonkers Raceway features the $371,400 Blue Chip Matchmaker Series championship for older female pacers, where Yagonnakissmeornot will try to cap a strong performance in the event.
Yagonnakissmeornot finished the preliminary rounds with three consecutive wins and had four victories overall. She will start from post No. 2 for driver Daniel Dube and trainer Rene Allard.
Last week, Yagonnakissmeornot started from post seven, used a first-over move at the halfway point and wore down leader Scandalous Hanover by the final turn en route to a one length victory in 1:53.2.
“I had to ask her a little on the backside, but at the wire she could have still done another lap,” Dube said. “She can make the other [horses] tired. She can grind and keep going. She can kind of be on the lazy side, but if you ask for a little more, she gives you more.”
The Matchmaker field also includes defending series champ Feeling You and 2012 winner Rocklamation. Somwherovrarainbow, who was the Dan Patch Award winner for best two-year-old filly pacer in 2012, starts from the rail.
Rocklamation, who drew post three for the final, finished second by a head to Feeling You in her most recent start on April 11.
“She’s been really good,” driver Yannick Gingras said about Rocklamation. “She can’t do the dirty work, so post three should be a good spot. We’ve got the two best horses inside of us and we can see who is going to cut the mile and maybe get a good trip. She had a week off and she’s usually very good when she’s fresh.”
The field in post position order for the Matchmaker final with listed drivers and trainers:
1. Somwherovrarainbow, Brian Sears, Joe Holloway
2. Yagonnakissmeornot, Daniel Dube, Rene Allard
3. Rocklamation, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke
4. Anndrovette, Tim Tetrick, P.J. Fraley
5. Krispy Apple, Jason Bartlett, P.J. Fraley
6. Feeling You, Tyler Buter, Amber Buter
7. Angels Delight, George Brennan, Ross Croghan
8. Summertime Lea, Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke
* Rocklamation and Summertime Lea will race as an entry (head numbers 1 and 1A, respectively). Anndrovette and Krispy Apple will race as an entry (head numbers 2 and 2A, respectively).
** Finalists by wins in divisions of the series: Yagonnakissmeornot (4), Somwherovrarainbow (2), Summertime Lea (2), Angels Delight (2), Anndrovette (1), Rocklamation (1), Feeling You (1).
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.