by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers, NY — Sometime about a decade ago, a meeting of the minds took place. The purpose of the skull session was to put an end to rampant equine gender discrimination and ‘invent’ a companion event for Yonkers Raceway’s George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.
The Levy, honoring the memory of the harness racing visionary and Hall of Fame founder of Roosevelt Raceway, was and remains a staple stop for the sport’s best Free-For-Allers. The event, started in 1978 (as a one-dash affair), had been resurrected in 2007 after a decade-long hiatus, and the brain trust decided there was no reason the guys should have all the fun.
Accordingly, Yonkers Raceway race secretary Steve Starr reached out to the good folks at Blue Chip Farms in not-too-far-away Wallkill, N.Y., with the idea of putting together a ‘ladies only’ Levy companion event for standout pacing mares.
Hence, 2009 saw the beginning of the Blue Chip Matchmaker. It was/is as long (five preliminary legs) as the Levy Series, also for serious coin ($40,000 per division, per leg) with a rich, added-money final.
Then, there’s the ‘Matchmaker’ part of the equation, a lovely carrot at the end of the stick where the first three finishers in the final get a free breeding to one of the farm’s pre-selected roster of world-class stallions. The winner gets first choice, runner-up gets second choice, third gets third.
With this Saturday night’s (April 21) $373,000 final going as the 10th Matchmaker, what better time — with apologies to Mr. Peabody and Sherman — to make use of the WABAC Machine?
It was the first Saturday in May, 2009, merely hours after Mine That Bird pulled off a 50-1 stunner in the Kentucky Derby. The first Belle of the Ball turned out to be a 5-year-old daughter of Noble Ability named Pancleefandarpels.
“First time I drove her came after Jason (Bartlett) picked off in an Open Handicap here,” Jordan Stratton said. “She was a fairly big mare who could take air and was easy on herself.”
Stratton and Pancleefandarpels won consecutive local distaff derbies — the latter from an assigned eight-hole — leading into the ’09 Matchmaker. Competing in all five prelims, the duo went 1-3-1-5-1 before drawing post position No. 3 in the $229,000 final. Stratton, who hadn’t turned 22 years of age, remembered that night.
“There was an early breaker (2-5 favorite Chancey Lady with Cat Manzi) and I had to go a bit wide,” he said. “I was able to get in (fourth), then moved first-up. As I said, she could take air. She put away the leader (Omen Hanover with Eric Abbatiello) and was sharp.”
Pancleefandarpels defeated Double Dream N (Brent Holland) by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:54.4, becoming the first name in the annals.
After winning his second Matchmaker last season with Mackenzie A, Stratton tries for the hat trick Saturday with Sell A Bit N from post position No. 2.
Now an ‘over-the-hill’ 30, Stratton has fond memories of Pancleefandarpels.
“It was my first big stakes win, so definitely,” he said. “People sort of forget about her, but she was very talented.”
Pancleefandarpels, a Peter Pan Stables homebred trained by Erv Miller, raced through 2012, ending her career with 35 wins and earnings of $1,057,244.
This Saturday’s Matchmaker goes as the ninth of a dozen races, right before the 31st finale of the Levy, worth $532,000. First post for the $1.3 million card is the usual 6:50 p.m.
For a list of previous Matchmaker and Levy winners, click here.
- Posts drawn for finals of Levy, Matchmaker Series (Monday, April 16, 2018)
Post positions have been drawn for North America’s two richest races of the season to date, Yonkers Raceway’s $532,000 final of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series and $373,000 final of the Blue Chip Matchmaker.
- Levy and Matchmaker finals in Grand Circuit spotlight (Wednesday, April 18, 2018)
The Grand Circuit at Yonkers this week features the $532,000 final and the $100,000 consolation of the George Morton Levy series for open pacers, as well as the $373,000 final and $75,000 consolation in the Blue Chip Matchmaker series for open pacing mares.
- It’s not easy bein’ Western Fame (Wednesday, April 18, 2018)
If Western Fame were human, Mark MacDonald could envision him fidgeting with his necktie while bemoaning a lack of respect. A multiple-stakes-winning pacer, Western Fame has not been the favorite in his most recent six victories (five at odds of 9-2 or higher) and has been the betting public’s top choice only five times in his past 39 races. When he was the favorite during that span, he produced three wins and missed a fourth by a nose. In his past three starts, all in preliminary rounds of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series at Yonkers Raceway, Western Fame won twice and finished second by a half-length. On Saturday, the 5-year-old stallion competes in the $532,000 Levy championship, leaving from post No. 1 with MacDonald driving for trainer Jimmy Takter.
- Burke starters behind eight ball in Matchmaker and Levy finals (Friday, April 20, 2018)
Trainer Ron Burke will start one horse each in the Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy Series finals Saturday night (April 21) at Yonkers Raceway and both will start from a disadvantageous post position. In a random draw, Lakeisha Hall and Rockin Ron were both burdened with post eight. Despite the bad luck, Burke is keeping a positive attitude and isn’t surrendering before races even begin.
- Shartin N looks to rebound in Matchmaker final (Saturday, April 21, 2018)
New Zealand-bred mare Shartin has proven to be aggressive by nature since arriving in the stable of Jim King late last fall. Described by her former trainer Dean Braun as a bit bossy, Shartin’s eagerness finally got the better of her in the last preliminary leg of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series April 13 at Yonkers Raceway. Shartin and regular driver Tim Tetrick will start from post one as the 8-5 favorite in tonight’s $373,000 Matchmaker Series final.
- Shartin N wins Blue Chip Matchmaker (Saturday, April 21, 2018)
An equipment change helped keep Shartin N going straight and propelled her straight to victory in Saturday’s (April 21) $373,000 Blue Chip Matchmaker Series championship for older female pacers at Yonkers Raceway. The mare, who won three preliminary divisions of the Matchmaker prior to going off stride last week, posted a 4-1/2 length victory over Sell A Bit N in 1:52.2. Motu Moonbeam N was third. Mike Lizzi photo.