Ask Andrew Harris about Dont Think Twice and two simple words come to mind: “Good mare.”
Harris thinks she’s so good, he’s pointed the six-year-old Armbro Operative mare to the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series at Yonkers Raceway. The Series begins March 15, and in preparation, Dont Think Twice will make her first start of the year in Friday night’s (March 1) $44,000 Filly and Mare Open Pace.
The Australian-bred out of the Pacific Rocket mare Nikalongboulevard came to Harris’ barn last summer. Harris received a call about the Group 1- and Group 2-winning mare from a longtime client and didn’t hesitate.
“Her name was Dont Think Twice, so I didn’t. It came together very quick. I knew we wanted to get another top-class mare,” Harris said.
Dont Think Twice handled the long trek to the United States well and was soon ready to qualify. She started in her first two Stateside qualifiers at Harrah’s Philadelphia in September before debuting a runner-up in a $21,500 overnight at Pocono Downs September 30. However, Dont Think Twice was scratched sick out of her next planned start October 14.
“Nine times out of ten when I get a horse from New Zealand or Australia, they get sick when they come. She didn’t get sick at all, so everything went according to plan and we got to race her, and then all the sudden she got sick,” Harris said. “I knew that I liked her a lot, so I didn’t rush her. I put her on some antibiotics and gave her two weeks. I brought her back and she came back really good.”
Dont Think Twice qualified back November 3 and then went on a tear, posting three straight wins; she took a $29,000 overnight at Yonkers November 9, won the local Open the next week, then won Dover Downs’ top class for mares November 28. Harris liked what he saw.
“She came back stellar. What I saw was a mare with a really nice ability. She was borderline lazy, Jason (Bartlett) always had to keep her attention because she would just go what she wanted to go,” Harris explained. “She’ll go when a horse comes, but when one’s not coming, it will look like she’s done because Jason will be asking her. She’s a mare that’s all class. She doesn’t do a thing wrong. We had her close to five or six months, and I don't think she’s done one thing wrong.”
The impressive streak gave Harris and co-owners Arrhythmic LLC, Pollack Racing, and Jeff Cullipher the confidence to pay Dont Think Twice into the Matchmaker and more.
“We were definitely thinking we had a mare good enough for the Matchmaker, but we wanted to race her a little bit just to see if we had a mare that could even go beyond the Matchmaker,” Harris said. “And I think we do, as long as we manage her right. We took a shot and we staked her up pretty good.”
Dont Think Twice stayed in light training this winter and will make her seasonal debut off two qualifiers at The Meadowlands; she finished fourth while coming home in :25.3 in a February 15 trial and was second to Dr. J Hanover in a 1:53.4-mile February 23.
“I gave her all of December off. We jogged her twice a week just to keep her half-fit. Then just prepping her for the Matchmaker Series,” Harris said. “Gave her two nice qualifiers off the gate. Now is the time to try Yonkers in the Open. Luckily, we got an open draw. I think that we’re looking in good shape going into the Matchmaker.
“I don’t put too much stock in a 25-second last quarter at the Meadowlands because they go to the half in 58 and they’re coming home with the wind, so I don’t put as much stock in a 25-second quarter at the Meadowlands.”
Dont Think Twice will start from post four as the 5-2 morning line favourite with Jason Bartlett in the sulky. Her rivals include Ideal Lifestyle, runner up in last week’s distaff feature, and Aldine Hanover, who returns to Yonkers after an off-the-board finish at Dover Downs last out. Lispatty won last week’s Filly and Mare Preferred in her first start of the year and drew post two while Betterb Chevron, third in last week’s distaff feature from post eight, drew post seven. Kaitlyn, Shezza GNP, and Angels Pride complete the lineup.
“I never tell Jason how to drive, so I won’t tell him now. But I think she’s ready. I think she’ll be good,” Harris said. “I like this mare so much. We’ve put in the work, so I think she’s fit and ready. It’s whatever Jason wants to do. There’s some speed in the race. If he wants to sit off, she can sit off. If he wants to set the pace, he can set it. I’ll never tell Jason how to drive.”
Friday night’s Pick 5 wager begins with a carryover of $5,171.
Live harness racing is featured at Yonkers Raceway every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. First post time is 6:50 p.m.
(SOA of NY)