Yonkers, NY — Yonkers Raceway’s Blue Chip Matchmaker saw its fourth preliminary round conducted over Friday night’s (April 5) ‘sloppy’ surface.  

Three, $40,000 groupings of Free-For-All mares went at it, down one from a week ago.
Here was the moist rundown…

Don’t Think Twice A did not disappoint against her foes in the Blue Chip Matchmaker Friday. Katy Gazzini Photo.

First division—The logical, two-speed number unfolded as such, with pole-sitting favorite Don’t Think Twice A (Jason Bartlett, $3.30) retaking from second-choice Feelin’ Red Hot (George Brennan), then holding that one off by a neck (:28.1, :58, 1:26.3, 1:55).

Twinkle (Scott Zeron) was a three-hole, best-of-the-rest third, with Obvious Blue Chip (Mark MacDonald) and Write Me a Song (Jordan Stratton) rounding out the remainder. 

For Don’t Think Twice A, a 6-year-old Down Under Armbro Operative ma’am co-owned by (trainer) Andrew Harris, Arrhythmic, Pollack Racing and Jeff Cullipher, it was her second win in five seasonal starts (2-for-3 in Matchmaker). The exacta paid $5.10, the triple (three wagering choices in order) returned $10 and the superfecta paid $41.20.

Bettor Joy N was one of two winners on the night for trainer Jim King Jr. Katy Gazzini Photo.

Second division—After a lengthy delay for track maintenance, just-over-even-money choice Bettor Joy N (Tim Tetrick, $4.10) read the memo just in time.

Third-over behind a gapper from outside post position No. 7, Bettor Joy N saw polester Ideal Lifestyle A (Brennan) battle with a two-moving Betterb Chevron N (Stratton) through intervals of :28.3, :57.3 and 1:25.2.

The latter would eventually win the battle before Bettor Joy N swooped in through her lane, prevailing in 1:54.3. The final margin was a going-away length-and-a-quarter. Betterb Chevron N saved second, with Camera Lady (Matt Kakaley) closing from last to grab the bottom of the ticket.

Ideal Lifestyle A and Shezza GNP N (Austin Siegelman) picked off the remainder.

For Bettor Joy N, a 5-year-old Down Under daughter of Bettor’s Delight co-owned by her driver, Richard Poillucci & Jo Ann Looney-King and trained by Jim King Jr., it was her fourth win in five ’19 tries (3-for-4 in Matchmaker). The exacta (two wagering choices) paid $12.20, the triple returned $112.50 and the superfecta paid $274.  

Third division—This was the Shartin N group.

Next.

The defending series champ (Tetrick, $2.20) was—from post four—the lone leaver, with a highly-predictable result (:28.3, :57.4, 1:26.2, 1:54.2). The margin was a length.  

Defending champion Shartin N continued to reign supreme in the Matchmaker Friday. Katy Gazzini Photo

Second went a pole-protecting Kaitlyn N (Kakaley), while Medusa (Bartlett) sat third and wound up there. Sell a Bit N (Stratton) and a first-up Freakonomics (Zeron) settled for the smallest envelopes. Second choice Seaswift Joy N (Jim Marohn Jr.) could not get involved from behind the eight-ball.

For Shartin N, a 6-year-old millionairess Down Under Tintin in America miss co-owned and trained by the same connections who bring you Bettor Joy N, it was her third win in four seasonal/series starts. The exacta paid $5.40, the triple returned $11.80 and the superfecta paid $107.

Updated Matchmaker standings can be found here (all three of Friday’s winners are well-positioned to take next week’s final prelim off, should their connections choose to go that route. The final is set for Saturday night (April 20).

Saturday evening’s (April 6) fourth round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series features four, $50,000 Free-For-All divisions.