The Grand Circuit at Yonkers Raceway this week features two $40,000 divisions on Friday (April 15) in the fifth round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker series for open pacing mares. The Saturday (April 16) card at Yonkers will see three $50,000 divisions in the fifth round of the George Morton Levy series for open pacers.
Last time: Yonkers Raceway’s Saturday night (April 9) brought with it the fourth round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series. Four $50,000 divisions brought the series further in focus, with the gazing especially glaring at both Wiggle It Jiggleit and Bit Of A Legend N.
Starting with the latter, even-money Bit Of A Legend N (Jordan Stratton) extended his perfect preliminary resume, easily winning the third division from the pocket in 1:51.2. He won by a length, with a second-over Lettucerockthem A second and Limelight Beach third.
Bit Of A Legend N, a seven-year-old Down Under son of Bettor's Delight owned by Harry von Knoblauch and trained by Peter Tritton, has won six of his eight North American starts.
As for Wiggle It Jiggleit (Montrell Teague), he earned the respect Rodney Dangerfield never could. Last season’s Horse of the Year, making his second series start, won the draw in the second division and his rivals dutifully demurred. The result was a qualifier-esque first half (:28, :56.3) and a :54.3 back portion (1:24.1, 1:51.1). The final margin was 2-3/4 lengths over P H Supercam, who outgamed a pocket-sitting All Bets Off.
Wiggle It Jiggleit, a four-year-old Mr Wiggles gelding, is now two-for-three this season and 25-for-30 in his $2 million-plus career. George Teague Jr. and Teague Racing Partnership co-own Wiggle It Jiggleit, trained by Clyde Francis.
Driver Tim Tetrick bookended Saturday night’s other Levy groupings, the first with Ideal Cowboy in 1:52.1 and the finale with Mach It So, also in 1:52.1.
Yonkers Raceway’s Blue Chip Matchmaker continued Friday night (April 8), with what has become commonplace: three $40,000 divisions.
The fourth of five preliminary rounds began with a first-up Carolsideal (Dan Dube), saved by the wire to barely beat a very unlucky Mach It A Par. Venus Delight, as the 3-2 favourite, was third. Fourth choice Carolsideal, a seven-year-old Western Ideal miss co-owned (as Allard Racing) by trainer Rene Allard, Yves Sarrazin and Kapildeo Singh, is now one-for-three in her seasonal/series resume.
Dube’s strategy worked so well in the first series division, he employed it again in the second. This time, he and Yagonnakissmeornot sat off the early scrum and went from first-up to first home. She won by four lengths in a season’s-best 1:52. Regil Elektra gapped the winner but grabbed second, with Sell A Bit N settling for third. Fifth choice Yagonnakissmeornot, a seven-year-old daughter of The Panderosa who shares same trainer and ownership consortium as Carolsideal, is now two-for-five this season (two-for-four in series).
The evening’s final series soiree saw Krispy Apple (Jason Bartlett) get her first win in 2016. Al Raza N put in a valiant, two-move effort, but gave way grudgingly as Lady Shadow owned a 1-3/4 length lead into the lane. However, Krispy Apple, as the third choice, ducked in and went by, the final margin a neck in 1:51.4. Cinamony offered decent ground-saving pace to wind up third, while Al Raza N faded to fifth in her first series defeat. Krispy Apple, an eight-year-old Western Ideal mare co-owned by Bamond Racing and Joseph Davino and trained by Jeffrey Bamond Jr., is now one-for-five this season (one-for-four in the series) after her 41st career victory.
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. Jordan Stratton - 114; 2. George Brennan – 89; 3. Jason Bartlett – 73; 4. Daniel Dube - 56; 5. Tim Tetrick – 54.
Trainers: 1. Jeff Bamond Jr. – 98; 2. Peter Tritton – 82; 3. Ron Burke – 77; 4. Rene Allard – 51; 5. Andrew Harris – 37.
Owners: 1. Harry von Knoblauch - 82: 2. Bamond Racing – 57.5; 3. Durazzano Stable – 30; 4t. Burke Racing Stable – 21.45; 4t. Weaver Bruscemi – 21.45.
Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will again take place next weekend at Yonkers Raceway, with the Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy finals and consolations.
(with files from The Grand Circuit)