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

Yonkers, NY — For those who have yet to do so, it’s about time to impress the judges. This weekend, Yonkers Raceway hosts the fourth of five preliminary rounds in both the Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.

Three $40,000 Matchmaker divisions (races five, six and seven) are set for Friday evening (April 8).

Al Raza N (David Miller, post seven), the only perfect (3-for-3) participant thus far, gets both a rotten draw and a new date. The 6-year-old Down Under daughter of Gotta Go Cullect — subject of a fine USTA story earlier in the week — drew outside of her rivals in the final event, with Miller enlisted by owner Augie Abbatiello (as Durazzano Stable) to take some of the embarrassment of riches away from Jordan Stratton. The latter had driven Al Raza N throughout the series, but opted to chauffeur For The Ladies N (post six) here for trainer Peter Tritton.

For The Ladies N closed to upset at 19-1 a week ago, while Stratton and Tritton also combine with Sell A Bit N (post four) in the second grouping. The 6-year-old Julius Caesar ma’am has won her last two series tries and is Stratton’s surmised choice for the April 23 series finale.

Venus Delight (Jason Bartlett, post five), defending series champ, landed in the opening event as she looks for her first Matchmaker win.

Saturday night (April 9), it’s four Levy divisions (races six through nine) at the usual $50,000 per. Series co-leaders Take It Back Terry and Bit Of A Legend N — each 3-for-3 — once again have managed to avoid one another.

Take It Back Terry drew post position No. 3 in the opening group, with George Brennan again doing the honors. Among his foes is Santa Fe Beachboy (Bartlett, post six), who threw down the season’s fastest local mile (1:50.2) in winning his series event last weekend.

Bit Of A Legend N, who won from an impossible locale a week ago (enter the dance team of Stratton and Tritton for an encore), landed post No. 6 in the third division.

With the subject of the season being exit polls, reigning Harness Horse of the Year Wiggle It Jiggleit (Montrell Teague) exits from the pole in the stacked second division. He paced a vicious back half in his local/series debut in Round 3, winding up second to a down-the-road All Bets Off. Those two are next-door neighbors here, with All Bets Off and Matt Kakaley starting from post No. 2 in a gathering which also includes P H Supercam (Bartlett, post four) and Lucan Hanover (Brett Miller, post five).

Domethatagain (Dan Dube, post three), the ’15 Levy winner, figures a contender in Saturday night’s final division.

Notably absent for this go-round is one Foiled Again, who has finished fourth twice (once in a dead-heat) and second in his three series starts.