by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Cuz She Can might not become the female version of Hypnotic Blue Chip for trainer Kevin McDermott, but that is not a knock on the 6-year-old pacing mare.

Fran Azur purchased Cuz She Can for $210,000 during November’s Standardbred Mixed Sale, roughly 10 months after buying Hypnotic Blue Chip for $325,000 at the Tattersalls January Select Mixed Sale. Hypnotic Blue Chip went on to win a division of the U.S. Pacing Championship with a world-record performance, finished second in the Canadian Pacing Derby, William R. Haughton Memorial and Bettor’s Delight, and earned $788,809.

“That’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime deal right there,” McDermott said. “But (Cuz She Can) is definitely a horse that can knock $300,000 a year out.”

Lisa photo

Cuz She Can has earned $788,633 in 83 lifetime starts.

In 13 starts since arriving in McDermott’s barn, Cuz She Can has won three times and earned $125,820. She is among the 30 mares entered in the first round of the six-week-long Blue Chip Matchmaker series at Yonkers Raceway. The series begins Friday with four divisions and is scheduled to conclude April 30 with the $301,000 final and $75,000 consolation.

“She’s a nice honest mare,” said McDermott, who gave Azur the credit for selecting the mare. “Fran liked her and she’s got broodmare residual value. She shows up every week and races. She’s just a nice horse to be around. She’s nothing flashy; she just shows up and does her thing.”

Cuz She Can is coming off a fifth-place finish in the $129,000 Overbid series final at Meadowlands Racetrack, where she raced on the outside for much of the mile. In February, she was second in the $89,000 Cape & Cutter series final.

In 14 lifetime starts at Yonkers, Cuz She Can has won twice and hit the board a total of nine times. Competing primarily in the fillies and mares open handicap, she has started 10 races there from posts seven or eight. She has started only twice from inside post six, winning both times.

Cuz She Can will leave from post three in Friday’s fourth Blue Chip Matchmaker division.

“She won’t know what to do from the three hole,” McDermott said, laughing. “She doesn’t have any real gate speed, but from the inside she’ll be fine.”

Other mares entered in Friday’s first round include defending champion Ginger And Fred as well as multiple-stakes-winners Anndrovette, Chancey Lady, Hula’s Z Tam, Ideal Newton, On The Glass, Ticket To Rock, and Western Graduate.