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.
Here's the skinny:
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 three and a quarter 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 four-year-old daughter of Western Ideal, she returned $2.90 for her first win in four series/seasonal starts. The exactor paid $12.40, and the triactor returned $88.
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 and a snappy 1:52.2. Chancey Lady (Tetrick) chased from second as the 9-10 choice, beaten a length and a half after a two-move effort with Hulas Z Tam (Pat Lachance) third.
Lightning Treasure - Tom Berg Photo
For Lightning Treasure, a seven-year-old Western Ideal mare owned by Lightning Stable and trained by Keith Armer, it was her third win in five seasonal starts. The exactor paid $9.40, and the triactor returned $26.20.
Third division - Puny parimutuel proposition Anndrovette ($2.20), leaving from post two, was stung early by Ginger And Fred (Bartlett), making the lead after a 27-second 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.
Anndrovette - Tom Berg Photo
For Anndrovette, a five-year-old statebred daughter of Riverboat King, she's now four-for-seven this season and three-for-four in this series. The exactor paid $25.40, and the triactor returned $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.”
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 two and three-quarter lengths in 1:53.4. Second went to Summer Snow (Jordan Stratton) with New Album (Tetrick) third.
For Rocklamation, a four-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 exactor paid $19.20, and the triactor was cancelled to a limited number of wagering interests (Oceans Motion was scratched-sick).
Friday night's $33,000 open handicap trot was won by H And Ms Hit (Stratton, $6.30) in 1:56.3.
Also garnering attention was Some Like It Hot (Brennan, $5.20), whose down-the-road and 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 four-year-old mares.
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