by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Though their earlier exploits may have been overshadowed by the big girls (Blue Chip Matchmaker) and big boys (George Morton Levy Memorial), the lasses and lads of Yonkers Raceway’s “other” series grab the limelight this weekend.

On Friday night (April 8) it’s the $66,000 final of the Petticoat Pacing Series for 3- and 4-year-old fillies and mares (sixth race). The next evening, it’s the same age, different gender in the $67,200 final of the Sagamore Hill Pacing Series (also sixth race).

The human connections for both early choices are identical. Owner Marvin Rounick, trainer Jerry Silverman and driver Jason Bartlett team with Full Picture in the Petticoat and Urgent Action in the Sagamore Hill.

Full Picture, a 4-year-old daughter of Artsplace, finds herself behind the eight-ball in the finale of the Petticoat. She won two of her three series legs by a combined 17 lengths — sandwiched around a nose loss — and her $307,766 in career earnings dwarf any of her seven inside rivals.

Full Picture was stakes-placed in a $163,000-plus season in 2010, but her career win total coming into 2011 stood at three — one under the conditions (four wins and/or $40,000 lifetime through last Dec. 1) for this series.

Her driver thought enough of her to skip over another talented lass in Lorrie Please, a Bartlett-driven 3-for-3 in her legs. Ron Pierce gets the assignment for trainer Mike Hall behind Lorrie Please, a 4-year-old Western Ideal lass who enters Friday with seven consecutive wins. Lorrie Please is co-owned by Alan Kaplan, Ira Kaplan and David Sheib.

“(Full Picture) has a lot of class,” Bartlett said, adding he made the commitment to drive her before getting no help with the open draw.

“She raced against some of the best fillies as a 3-year-old. She can leave, but I think she’s even better racing off a helmet, which may be what we’re going to have to do Friday. The other filly (Lorrie Please) is also very good. They’re both quick off the gate, and both get over this track very well.”

In fact, both share the fastest mile — 1:54.4 — in the series prelims.

The field for the finale of the Petticoat, with drivers and morning line odds: 1-Lorrie Please (Ron Pierce, 7-5); 2-Harlem Rockturne (Yannick Gingras, 12-1); 3-Hank’s Queen (George Brennan, 10-1); 4-Mystical Diva (Jim Pantaleano, 8-1); 5-HF’s Super Star (Cat Manzi, 6-1); 6-Keystone Katherine (Daniel Dube, 15-1); 7-Someone Like You (David Miller, 30-1); 8-Full Picture (Jason Bartlett, 6-5).

Saturday night’s finale of the Sagamore Hill — which has the distinction of Yonkers Raceway’s richest race of the season to date — finds Urgent Action leaving from post position No. 6.

The 4-year-old son of Artsplace has the rare distinction of finishing second in a Triple Crown race here (last season’s Messenger Stakes, four lengths behind eventual Horse of the Year Rock N Roll Heaven), but remaining eligible to this restricted series.

Urgent Action barely broke a sweat in sweeping his three Sagamore starts, winning all on the engine — including a prelim-best 1:53.3 effort in the first round.

Like his stablemate in the Petticoat, Urgent Action’s career cash — more than $268,000 — easily exceeds any of his Sagamore rivals. A look at his resume shows he showed up at all of last season’s Triple Crown events, including a third-place finish in the Cane Pace.

“He’s been real handy in this series, ” Bartlett said. “Coming home in :27 and change or :28 without me asking him. I definitely think the fact he’s raced against much better horses last season has helped him here.”

The field for the final of the Sagamore Hill, with drivers and morning line odds: 1-Kid Cruiser (Pantaleano, 8-1); 2-Royal Cam-Hall (Eric Goodell, 10-1); 3-Starspangledpanner (Goodell also listed, 5-1); 4-Tuff Enuff Hanover (Tim Tetrick, 8-1); 5-Manip U Lator BB (Gingras, 4-1); 6-Urgent Action (Bartlett, 6-5); 7-Electrofire (Miller, 5-1); 8-DVC Gifted Indeed (Brennan, 6-1).

Note that Starspangledpanner and Electrofire shall race as a common owner/trainer entry.

The Matchmaker (Friday) and Levy (Saturday) continue this weekend with third round action. Four $40,000 Matchmakers go as races 7, 8, 9 and 11, while the six $50,000 Levy races are carded as races 4, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 12.