by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Post positions have been parceled out for the start of Yonkers Raceway’s Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy Memorial Series. Each series offers five preliminary rounds, leading to their respective April 23 finals.

Friday night (March 18), three consecutive (races six through eight) $40,000 events begin the Matchmaker for 23 of the sport’s best pacing mares.

Defending series champ Venus Delight (Jason Bartlett, post two) and runner-up Yagonnakissmeornot (Dan Dube, post one) find themselves as next-door neighbors in the second division, with the former making her seasonal pari-mutuel debut.

The opening grouping includes local Open Handicap Regil Elektra (Tim Tetrick, post three), the double-millionaire-in-waiting Krispy Apple (Bartlett, post four) and a tested-for-class Hazmatt (Brian Sears), who goes after a sixth consecutive victory.

Friday night’s final Matchmaker event finds a couple of Breeders Crown finalists from a season ago in The Show Returns (Sears, post five) and Lady Shadow (Corey Callahan, post seven), while For The Ladies N (Jordan Stratton) won last season’s consolation of this series.

Saturday night’s (March 19) opening round of the Levy did the Matchmaker two better, with six $50,000 divisions (races four, five, six, seven, nine and 10) with seven Free-For-Allers each.

Last season’ s series champ, Domethatagain (Dube), drew outside of the rivals in the second grouping, while 2014’s Levy winner, P H Supercam (Bartlett), finds himself stuck outside in the fifth event.

Take It Back Terry (George Brennan, post three), bridesmaid to Domethatagain a season ago, landed post No. 3 in the first division.

The final get-together figures to prove interesting, with recent local winners Bit Of A Legend N (Stratton. post two), Let’s Drink On It (Tyler Buter, post four) and All Bets Off (Matt Kakaley, post five) opposing one another.

Foiled Again, the now-12-year-old gelding, begins his quest for a third Levy title from post No. 2 in the second division. It’s the 247th purse start for harness racing’s richest horse ($7.3 million), who gets regular date Yannick Gingras for the assignment. Foiled Again enters off a pair of seconds in Meadowlands qualifiers.