Yonkers Raceway’s Blue Chip Matchmaker offered up Round 5 on Friday night (April 14), with a pair of $40,000 divisions.
The opening event saw 2-5 fave Bedroomconfessions (Scott Zeron) get looped leaving, then walk home. That scenario was good news for a second-up Mach It A Par (Jason Bartlett, $7.80), who was carried into the race and into the winner’s circle.
After Divas Image (Joe Bongiorno) made the first lead, Bedroomconfessions took over before a :27.4 opening quarter-mile. It was a 57-second intermission before Hidden Land (Tim Tetrick) took out of third. That one disposed of a weak-kneed leader passing a 1:25.4 three-quarters, with Mach It A Par — from post position No. 5 — right behind.
Hidden Land owned a length lead into the land, but the pursuer blew right by. Mach It A Par widened to win by two and a half lengths in 1:53.2.
Divas Image was third after yet another unlucky trip, with Al Raza N (Matt Kakaley) and Sell A Bit N (Jordan Stratton) rounding out the payees. Bedroomconfessions, back after taking last week off, finished last among the half-dozen, beaten more than a dozen lengths.
For second choice Mach It A Par, a seven-year-old daughter of Mach Three trained by Richard Banca for co-owners D’Elegance Stable IX, Carmen Iannacone, T L P & Gandolfo Stables, the win was her third in eight seasonal starts. The exacta paid $27.60, with the triple returning $88.50.
Friday’s second Matchmaker soiree had Krispy Apple (Tetrick) tire badly on the lead for the second consecutive start (:28.1, :56.3, 1:24.2), but not before carrying pole-sitting, 17-10 favourite Regil Elektra (Bartlett, $5.50) into the lane, and into a photographer meet-and-greet.
Regil Elektra whipped a solid, first-over Lispatty (Brian Sears) by a head in 1:53.1, with Shesjustadelight N (Ron Cushing) third, a cone-skimming Medusda (Kakaley) fourth (first four finishers separated by a neck) and Krispy Apple fading to fifth.
Mackenzie A (Stratton) was in the back, threw in steps and never factored.
For Regil Elektra, a seven-year-old Mach Three ma’am owned by Fred Monteleone Stable and trained by Keith Armer, the win was her fifth in nine ’17 tries. The exacta paid $23.80, with the triple returning $90.50.
The purse for the final of the Blue Chip Matchmaker has been calculated at $310,600 (sum of added money, nominating and starting fees), pending conformation by those who keep track of such things.
Round 5 of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series goes Saturday night (April 15), with three, $50,000 divisions.
(Standardbred Canada with files from Yonkers Raceway)
