Yonkers Raceway's Blue Chip Matchmaker for open pacing mares took on a bit of a different look for Friday night's fourth round. For starters, series standouts See You at Peelers and Western Silk did not start, giving the week off by their respective connections. Next, after five divisions were the norm in the first three rounds, four, $40,000 groupings went at it this night.
In the first division, Tim Tetrick offered before the race that Krispy Apple "needed to regain her focus." The odds-on choice did tonight, Leaving from post position two, she slipped out to race third-over, then angled widest and fastest. She rolled home by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:54. Fox Valley Sage (Cat Manzi) won the scrum for second, with Breakheart Pass (Jason Bartlett) third as the rank outsider.
For Krispy Apple, a 4-year-old daughter of Western Ideal co-owned by Bamond Racing and Joe Davino and trained by PJ Fraley, she returned $2.90 for her first win in four series/seasonal starts. The exacta paid $12.40, with the triple returning $88.
In the second division, second choice Lightning Treasure (George Brennan, $5.20) finished what she started. Leaving from post five, she threw down intervals of :27.2, :56.3, 1:24.3 for a snappy 1:52.2 mile. Chancey Lady (Tetrick) chased from second as the 9-10 choice, beaten a length-and-a-half after a two-move effort with Hula's Z Tam (Pat Lachance) third.
For Lightning Treasure, a 7-year-old Western Ideal ma'am owned by Lightning Stable and trained by Keith Armer, it was her third win in five seasonal starts. The exacta paid $9.40, with the triple returning $26.20.
In the third division, puny pari-mutuel proposition Anndrovette ($2.20) gave the Krispy Apple connections--co-owners, trainer and driver--a double on the evening. Leaving from post two, she was stung early by Ginger And Fred (Bartlett), making the lead after a :27 opening quarter-mile. From there, a :55.2 half and 1:24.1 three-quarters gave her a length-and-a-half lead into the lane. She won by three unpressured lengths in 1:52.1.
Billmar Scooter (Eric Goodell) was a first-up-from-last second, with Save My Shark (Brennan) third.
For Anndrovette, a 5-year-old statebred daughter of Riverboat King, she's now 4-for-7 this season and 3-for-4 in this series. The exacta paid $25.40, with the triple returning $94.
"She's just been super all season," Tetrick said. "With a series this long (five preliminary rounds and a final), you don't want to have them peaking too early, but she's been very sharp.”
In the fourth division, after Mystical Diva (Brennan) broke early, Rocklamation (Brian Sears, $2.60) was left to her own devices on the lead. The people's fave then made 'em pay, winning by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:53.4. Second went to Summer Snow (Jordan Stratton), with New Album (Tetrick) third.
For Rocklamation, a 4-year-old daughter of Rocknroll Hanover trained by Ron Burke for co-owners Our Horse Cents Stable, Stable 45 and Jerry Silva, it was her third win seven seasonal starts. The exacta paid $19.20, with the triple cancelled to a limited number of wagering interests (Ocean's Motion was scratched-sick).
Friday night's $33,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by H And M's Hit (Stratton, $6.30) in 1:56.3. Special props to Some Like it Hot (Brennan, $5.20), whose down-the-road, 1:55.2 effort in the $23,000, 11th-race trot matched both the fastest local trot mile of the season and the track record for 4-year-old mares. (Yonkers)