by Paul Ramlow, publicity director, the Grand Circuit

This Week: Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy series third legs, Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, N.Y.

Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit at Yonkers this week features three $40,000 divisions on Friday (April 1) in the third round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker series for open pacing mares. The Saturday (April 2) card at Yonkers will see four $50,000 divisions in the third round of the George Morton Levy series for open pacers. Complete entries for the races can be found by clicking on this link.

Last time: Yonkers Raceway’s Saturday night (March 26) card brought with it the second round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series. Five $50,000 divisions featured all six opening-leg winners, and half of those repeated.

George Brennan had an embarrassment of riches, winning again with a pocket-ripping Take It Back Terry ($2.50) in a night’s-fastest 1:51.1 and a down-the-road Lucan Hanover ($3.50) in 1:52.

Mike Lizzi photo

Bit Of A Legend N won his second straight in the Levy Series, scoring in 1:53.

Take It Back Terry, last season’s series runner-up, drew the pylons and sat a chilly two-hole behind Ideal Cowboy (Jason Bartlett). Ideal Cowboy led through intervals of :27.2, :55.4 and 1:24, taking a 1-1/2 length lead into the lane. Take It Back Terry roared out of the pocket and won by 2-1/2 lengths. Ideal Cowboy saved second over 49-1 Dream Out Loud N (Yannick Gingras). Take It Back Terry, a 7-year-old Western Terror gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing) by trainer Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi, Larry Karr and Phil Collura, won his second race in three seasonal starts.

Lucan Hanover, from post no. 6, won by a neck (:27.3, :57, 1:24.4), with Texican N (Jordan Stratton) a pocket second. Te Kawau N (Dan Dube) was a three-hole in his North American purse debut. Lucan Hanover, a 6-year-old Western Ideal gelding owned by West Wins Stable and trained by Andrew Harris, is now four-for-four to begin his season.

Bit Of A Legend N (Stratton), from post No. 4, also doubled-up in the series, easily winning the third division (:28.3, :57.3, 1:25.4, 1:53). Evenin Of Pleasure (Dube) was second, beaten by 1-1/2 lengths, with Western Rockstar A (Gingras) a first-up third. Bit Of A Legend N, a 7-year-old Down Under son of Bettor’s Delight owned by Harry von Knoblauch and trained by Peter Tritton, has won four of his five North American starts.

Yonkers Raceway’s Blue Chip Matchmaker continued Friday night with three $40,000 divisions comprising the encore round.

The evening’s opening event saw Sell A Bit N (Stratton) take full advantage of a rare good starting station. In play from post position No. 4, she held sway (:27.3, :56.3, 1:24.3, 1:52.1). Friday’s second Matchmaker event had Yagonnakissmeornot (Dube), as the second choice, do it from first-up, winning by a neck in 1:53.3. The night’s final series event was won by an off-the-pace Al Raza N (Stratton), who won by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:52.1, matching her life-best.

Complete recaps of the weekend races are available at the Grand Circuit website.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2016, the Grand Circuit leaders in three categories (driver, trainer and owner) will once again be tracked on a points system (20-10-5 for the top three finishers in divisions/finals and 10-5-2 for the top three finishers in eliminations/legs). Winbak Farm is the sponsor for the 2016 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders following the past weekend at Yonkers:

Drivers: 1. George Brennan – 64; 2. Jordan Stratton – 60; 3t. Daniel Dube – 34; 3t. Jason Bartlett – 34; 5. Matt Kakaley – 24.

Trainers: 1. Jeff Bamond Jr. – 44; 2. Ron Burke – 42; 3. Peter Tritton – 40; 4. Andrew Harris – 32; 5. Rene Allard – 22.

Owners: 1. Harry von Knoblauch -40; 2. Bamond Racing – 24.5; 3t. Durazzano Stable – 20; 3t. West Wins Stable – 20; 5t. Burke Racing Stable – 12.20; 5t. Weaver Bruscemi – 12.20.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will continue with legs of the Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy over the next two weekends. The finals and consolations for both events will be held on April 23.