Yonkers, NY — Seaside Diva, driven by Yannick Gingras, put herself in the running for a spot in the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series final by capturing the first of three $50,000 divisions in the fourth round of the event for pacing mares at MGM Yonkers Raceway on Friday night (April 18). The 4-year-old by Downbytheseaside went to the front and never looked back, stopping the teletimer in 1:53.2 for her first win in five seasonal starts.
Seaside Diva took over from Dougs Babe (Tim Tetrick) into the first turn and cut the opening fraction in :27.4 without a fight. Gingras had Seaside Diva marching strongly to the half in 56.1 with the field of seven in straight alignment going past that call. The classy Grace Hill (Matt Kakaley) moved first coming off the third turn and was followed by favorite Promiseland A (Jason Bartlett). Seaside Diva accelerated during the third quarter, pacing a solid :28 fraction, making it difficult for the outer flow to contend, with Dougs Babe A struggling to keep the pocket closed.
Gingras let out a notch on the final turn, and the Ron Burke-trained Seaside Diva shifted gears, drawing away from the field. Grace Hill kept charging to the wire and was clear for second with Lloyds Loves finishing in overdrive for Brent Holland and getting the show spot.
Owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services and Let It Ride Stables, Seaside Diva was a winner for the 18th time in her career and returned $9.90 to win as the second choice. With Grace Hill second, the exacta returned $44.60 and longshot Lloyds Loves helped complete a $602 triple payoff.
Opening round winner Walkin On Sunshine found her way back into the winner’s circle in the second $50,000 Blue Chip Matchaker division as driver Scott Zeron steered the 2-5 favorite on a long coverless jaunt before eventually wearing down pace-setter Tarapasta in the stretch to win in 1:53.
Tarapasta left the gate sharply for Kakaley. The second choice in the field put Lit De Rose (Pat Lachance) into a hole on the first turn and also forced Talk Curdy To Me (Todd McCarthy) to retreat on the opening bend, with the favorite Walkin On Sunshine getting away third. After an opening quarter in :27.3, Kakaley was able to rate the half nicely, with Tarapasta hitting that pole in :56.3. Zeron had waited comfortably in third with Walkin On Sunshine, but Turn The Page N (Ron Cushing), advanced sharply from off the second bend and flushed the favorite before the half was reached.
Walkin On Sunshine attacked under some rating, with Zeron inching her in next to Tarapasta through an accelerated three-quarters reached in 1:24.4. The business got serious for the favorite from there, and Walkin On Sunshine, a 5-year-old daughter of Always A Virgin, wore down the pace-setter in early stretch, then easily held off a solid bid late by Turn The Page N, while Tarapasta settled for third.
Owned by Maynard Miller, Daniel Lehman and Michael Yoder, Walkin On Sunshine was a winner for the fifth time in seven starts this year for trainer Brett Pelling. As the favorite she returned $2.90 to win and keyed a $31.20 exacta and $75.50 triple.
Rocket Deo gave Pelling a pair of Blue Chip Matchmaker divisions on the card when she converted on a 1-5 promise in the third $50,000 division for driver Jason Bartlett in a solid 1:53.1 mile. The 4-year-old daughter of Captaintreacherous also won for the second time in the series like her stablemate Walkin On Sunshine.
Silk Cloud A (Jordan Stratton) and Coachellabound N (Todd McCarthy) both left with high speed from the outside of the gate. Kakaley was able to squeeze into a hole on the first turn with Coachellabound N, with Silk Cloud A and Stratton taking the lead briefly from the favorite before Bartlett re-moved Rocket Deo for control well before the :27.3 opening quarter had been completed. Rocket Deo controlled the half in :56.1 and then began feeling some pressure when High Flyin’ Filly and Gingras moved late on the third turn to go up without cover.
Rocket Deo was in command at three-quarters in 1:24.3, and Bartlett appeared confident as he opened ground in the stretch, eventually allowing Silk Cloud A a path to be clear for second. High Flyin’ Filly held ground late to hold on to the show spot.
Morrison Racing Stable and John Fielding share ownership in Rocket Deo, a winner of 13 races in 26 lifetime starts. Rocket Deo paid $2.50 to win and keyed a $5.70 exacta and $27.20 triple.
The preliminary rounds of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series will wrap up next Friday (April 25) with the leading point earners advancing to the final on Friday, May 9. A major change in 2025 revolves around the added money for the final of the Blue Chip Matchmaker, which gets a boost from $125,000 to $200,000, equaling the MGM Borgata Pacing Series total. With that increase the Blue Chip Matchmaker final will certainly offer the richest purse in recent history and far eclipse the $276,200 purse from 2024.
FOURTH ROUND OF BORGATA SERIES ON MONDAY, BRENNAN SERIES WRAPS UP WEDNESDAY: Four $50,000 MGM Borgata Pacing Series tests will go behind the gate on Monday (April 21) as that event has reached its next-to-last leg. Mossdale Ben N (post five, race three) goes for his third win in the event, as do Verdun (post two, race seven), Huntinthelastdolar (post six, race seven), For Once Inmy Life (post three, race eight) and Coaches Corner (post six, race eight).
The first final of 2025 at Yonkers will then occur on Wednesday (April 23) as the $123,000 championship of the John Brennan Trotting Series is set. Antognoni S is after a series sweep, but will have to overcome post seven in the mile and a quarter tilt, which is race seven on the program. There is also a $50,000 series consolation in race four.
PICK 5 GUARANTEED POOL BOOSTED ON MONDAYS & FRIDAYS: Continuing for every Monday and Friday card during the legs of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series and Blue Chip Matchmaker Series, MGM Yonkers Raceway, in conjunction with the SOA of NY, will offer a $20,000 guaranteed Pick 5 pool in race five.
The guaranteed Pick 5 pool on Mondays is also a part of the United States Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering Program.
MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday through Friday live racing schedule with post time each night at 6:45 p.m. (EDT).