YONKERS, NY, Friday, April 10, 2015 – Yonkers Raceway Friday night hosted the fourth round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker of Open Pacing Mares. As was the case in the third leg, a pair of small-but-select harness racing fields of five were bifurcated into $40,000 divisions.
Pole-sitting favorite Venus Delight (Jason Bartlett, $4.80), finished what she started in the first event, holding off a second-up Camille (George Brennan) in a season's-best 1:53.2. Monkey on My Wheel (Brian Sears) was third.
"Venus" seated all four of his foes early, forcing Yagonnakissmeornot (Dan Dube) into a two-hole. After cheapy opening intervals of :27.4 and :57.1, Monkey On My Wheel took out of third. That one threw down the gauntlet in and out of a 1:25.3 three-quarters, while "Yagonnakissme" was losing ground in behind.
Venue Delight maintained a short, half-length advantage entering the lane, then whipped a charging Camille by that same margin. Yagonnakissmeornot and a non-factor Coffee Addict (Matt Kakaley) completed the order.
For Venus Delight, a 5-year-old daughter of Bettor's Delight owned by Bamond Racing and trained by Jeffrey Bamond Jr., it was her second win in four seasonal starts (2-for-3 in series). The exacta paid $22.20, with the triple not offered to the abbreviated assemblage.
The second Matchmaker event was more of the same for series leader, odds-on choice Carolsideal (Dube, $2.80).
The only perfect participant made it four wins in series succession, defeating Krispy Apple (Tim Tetrick) by a half-length in 1:53.2…same time as the opening division.
Unhurried early from post position No. 2, "Carol" watched both Charisma Hanover (Brennan) and Fancy Desire (Kakaley) slug it out approaching a :27.1 opening quarter-mile. Carolsideal then moved from third, securing the lead in Turn 2 and getting a 56-second intermission.
Fancy Desire made her second move going toward the 1:24.4 three-quarters, with Krispy Apple in behind. However, Carolsideal widened to 3½ lengths turning for home, holding sway to keep the roll going. Strings (Eric Carlson) was a best-of-the-rest third, with Fancy Desire and Charisma Hanover completing the order.
For Carolsideal a 6-year-old daughter of Western Ideal trained by Rene Allard for co-owners himself (as Allard Racing), Yves Sarazin and Kapildeo Singh, she's now 9-for-10 this season. The exacta paid $8.20, with Krispy Apple.
The Raceway's live season continues Saturday night (post time 7:10 PM), with the fourth round (three, $50,000 divisions) of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series. After that, it's Monday (7:10 PM), Tuesday (1 PM, second round of YR/SOA of NY Bonus Trotting Series), then Thursday through Saturday (all at 7:10 PM). Note Sunday matinees are done until November. Evening simulcasting accompanies all night programs, with afternoon simulcasting available daily.
Frank Drucker