by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Full Picture faces a tough task to be in the picture when the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series final is contested April 27 at Yonkers Raceway, but trainer Richie Silverman knows she will make every effort to be there.

A 6-year-old mare pacer, Full Picture enters Friday’s fourth round of the series tied for 23rd place in points. She missed the first week of the series, and because a horse receives 25 points every time it races in the series, already faced an uphill battle. Those 25 points alone would have moved Full Picture to 14th in the standings, just 13.5 points from being tied for the eighth and last spot for the Matchmaker finale.

In her two starts in the series, Full Picture finished second and third with driver George Brennan. She starts Friday night from post No. 1 in the first of four Matchmaker divisions.

“The rail at Yonkers and George Brennan — that’s a very good combination,” Silverman said. “She’s had two starts now and she should be ready to rock. Her two races were very good; we’re very pleased with her. George has done a real good job with her.”

Full Picture has won 16 of 80 lifetime races and earned $568,126 for owner Marvin Rounick. She has raced out of the Silverman Stable for her entire career, in the early years with Richie Silverman driving the horse for his father, trainer Jerry Silverman.

Her most lucrative victory came in 2011 when she won the $66,000 Petticoat Series final at Yonkers, but she earned checks in several stakes races during her career, including the Three Diamonds, Sweetheart and Matron stakes as a 2-year-old in 2009.

“She’s a good honest mare,” Silverman said. “She makes money every year and she’s a pleasure to be around. When you’ve got a hard-hitting mare like this, you know they’re always giving you a hundred percent on the racetrack. She’s legit.”

The Matchmaker features many of the best older female pacers in the sport, including two-time defending divisional champion Anndrovette and defending series winner Rocklamation.

“This really is an extraordinary group,” Silverman said. “Our objective is to make it to the final. I think she might be a step below the best, but she’s come back fresh and is full of herself.

“Is she a top free-for-all mare? I’d say she’s a notch below. She has enough talent, but she’s not able to do it week to week. These mares seem to get better with age, so maybe we’ll see that with her.”

Full Picture’s division of the Matchmaker includes Camille, who is among four mares tied for the top spot in the standings, with 200 points.

Krispy Apple and Feeling You, who also have 200 points each, are in the third division while Anndrovette, the remaining horse tied for the points lead, is in the fourth division.

Following are the top 10 mares in the standings for the Matchmaker (with points). Horses receive 50 points for a win, 25 for second, 12 for third, eight for fourth and five for fifth. Horses also get 25 points per start.

1., tie, Anndrovette, Camille, Feeling You, Krispy Apple (200); 5. Rocklamation (187); 6. Royal Cee Cee N (162.5); 7. Ramalama (150); 8. Warrawee Koine (125.5); 9., tie, Eighthunrdolarbill, Ramona Disomma (125).