by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers, NY — Chip And Gale A, who went the route in last week’s Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace, greedily goes after another victory in Friday’s $15,000 co-feature at Yonkers Raceway. Post time for the 10 race card is 7:40 p.m., with the week’s distaff derby neatly placed as the seventh race. Chip And Gale A was assigned post position seven among the octet, with Jim Marohn again escorting for owner Vincent Ali and trainer Robert DiCerto. The seven-year-old Down Under daughter of Caesar Blue Chip, board-certified in her last four (Open ‘Cap) local tries, is in search of her ninth win of the season. She eclipsed the $330,000 career earnings plateau with last week’s victory. Lady Matawai N (Jeff Gregory, post eight) makes her first local try since late September and first start — period — in three weeks. The six-year-old Down Under Tuapeka Knight miss, trained by Ross Croghan for owner James Kouretas, has a pair of wins and four seconds in her last half-dozen efforts. For the season, the nauseatingly consistent (meant solely as a compliment) Ms. Matawai has 12 wins and two dozen in the money finishes in 30 tries ($129,650). Mariana’s Trench (Driver TBA, post four) and Get Over Lil (Jay Randall, post six) closed to grab second and third, respectively, in last week’s ladies luncheon, while House Flight (Dan Dube, post five) and Fully Committed (Mark Beckwith, post three) earned the final two pay envelopes in the same event. Alison Bay N (Marcus Johansson, post one) steps out of the optional claiming ranks after her win a week ago, while Aimed (Jim Marshall III, post two) had hit the board in five of six prior to tiring in last week’s femme feature. Friday night’s co-featured $15,000 Open Handicap Trot (sixth race) again finds chauffeur Gregory with an eight hole date in Roadshow Hall. The six-year-old statebred son of Garland Lobell (second in the $150,000 NYSS Final in 2001) was the easiest of winners versus the high-conditioned crowd after coming downstate late last month. Joe DeCarlo trains for co-owners Wellwood Enterprises and Wellwood Stables. Sundance Kid G (Jim Meittinis, post seven) was a pocket second to last week’s Open ‘Cap winner, the AWOL this week Blastaway Sahbra. The five-year-old German-bred King Pine gelding, out of a Spanky dam, has hit the board in five of his six North American tries (three wins, two seconds). Miss Gibbons (“Doc” Gill, post four) was a tough-trip sixth in her first local try since winning the New York Sires Stakes soph filly final last September, while Rustico Ben (Driver TBA, post two) was third in last week’s Open Handicap after a pair of victories versus lesser. Tagapine (Marshall III, post six) has a win, a second and four thirds in her last six local tries, while Bodacious Storm (Marohn, post three) has been fourth in each of the last two trotting features. Zorgwijk Bedeviled (Driver TBA, post one) and Madison’s Tuition (Johansson, post five) complete the co-featured collage. Friday’s evening simulcast schedule includes the Meadows (post time 4:00), Northfield (7:00), Saratoga (7:00), Penn National (7:20), Pompano (7:20), Meadowlands (7:30) and Maywood (8:40). Yonkers’ current four night per week schedule (Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday) has a first post of 7:40 p.m. Afternoon simulcasting continues to be offered around the NYRA schedule. November’s evening/harness simulcast schedule includes Colonial Downs, Freehold Raceway, Lebanon Raceway, Meadowlands (both breeds), the Meadows, Monticello Raceway, Mountaineer Race Track, Northfield Park, Northville Downs, Penn National, Pompano Park, Raceway Park, Rosecroft Raceway and Saratoga Raceway. For more information, or to obtain a calendar, please contact the Raceway at (914) 968-4200.