Yonkers’ stakes weekend begins Friday with Ladies Night
March 23, 2010,by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers, NY — A pair of Yonkers Raceway series intersect Friday night, March 26, with the opening round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker and the second round of the Petticoat highlighting the dozen-race dossier.
The Matchmaker, featuring 21 of the finest pacing mares in training, opens with a trio of $40,000 divisions (races 8, 9 and 11).
Shanghai Lil, winner of last season’s $364,430 Lady Maud Pace, returns here for her 2010 pari-mutuel debut. She drew post position No. 6 in the first grouping, one of five entrants in the round trained by Mark Ford.
The second Blue Chip Matchmaker includes On The Glass (post 2) — winner of her last two local Open Handicap efforts and 5-for-8 this season. McGibson (post 4), winner of the ’09 edition of Yonkers’ Hopeful Pacing Series, is back after a form spree at the Meadows. Call Me Yours (post 6) was a solid, first-up winner in last week’s distaff derby.
Friday night’s final Matchmaker get-together finds Ramona Disomma (post 6), fresh off her win in the $115,000 final of Meadowlands’ Overbid Series last week. Ginger And Fred, tiring favorite in that race, drew the pylons in this race.
The Petticoat, a series for 3- and 4-year-old fillies and mares, attracted four $12,500 second-round events. Soph Rev Me Up, who easily won the final of the Hopeful earlier this month, whipped her elders in Round 1 of this series a week ago. She drew post No. 3 in the final (sixth race) division.
Stakes action continues Saturday night, March 27, with the opening round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series as well as Round 2 of the Sagamore Hill Pacing Series.
- On The Glass seeks to keep streak alive in Blue Chip Matchmaker (Thursday, March 25, 2010)
Shortly after she arrived in his barn about six months ago, Ron Burke realized On The Glass could pace her way to an especially productive 2010 campaign.