Omen Hanover and Pancleefandarpels were the leading local ladies, winning Friday night's pair of $40,000 final (fifth) preliminary performances of Yonkers Raceway's Blue Chip Matchmaker
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With Jim Pantaleano catch-driving Omen Hanover, she grabbed immediate control from post position No. 3. It was a good "Omen" through intervals of :27.1, :58.1 and 1:27.3. Meanwhile, 17-10 choice Ramona Disomma (Jordan Stratton) pulled from sixth, only to spin her heels.
"Ramona" kicked it in gear in and out of the final turn, but Omen Hanover had 2 1/2 lengths turning for home. The leader held sway, getting to the wire a half-length ahead of the public choice in a season's-best 1:55.2. Hannah Isabel (Pat Lachance) was third.
For Omen Hanover, a five-year-old daughter of Western Hanover trained by Eric Abbatiello for KDM Stables, she returned $6.60 (second choice) for her second win in a dozen seasonal starts. The exacta paid $19.40, with the triple returning $58.
Friday's second Matchmaker division saw Pancleefandarpels (Stratton) impressively grab her third series win. In play early from post No. 3, she was a bit wide before stepping around Double Dream N (Brent Holland) just after a 27-second opening quarter-mile. "Pancleef" continued to lead the lasses through a :55.3 intermission and 1:24.2 three-quarters.
A week ago, Pancleefandarpels drew an eight-hole and couldn't reach a runaway Chancey Lady. This time, Chancey Lady (Manzi) had the misfortune of being stuck behind the eight-ball. She tried to leave, couldn't find a seat and was out for the duration. Chancey Lady did get a late escort when 7-5 choice Sportsfancy (Jason Bartlett) angled from third, but Pancleefandarpels opened to a pair of lengths entering the lane.
Pancleefandarpels finished it off by a length-and-a-quarter in 1:53. J K Pure Pearl (Stephane Bouchard) and Double Dream N--two 17-1 shots--were second and third, while Chancey Lady and Sportsfancy wound up fifth and sixth, respectively.
For "Pancleef," a five-year-old daughter of Noble Ability owned by Peter Pan Stables and trained by Erv Miller, she paid $5.60 (second choice) for her sixth victory in 12 '09 efforts. The exacta paid $41.60, with the triple returning $193.50.
According to crack statistician, Bob (OUTP) Miecuna, the eight leading ladies who qualify for the final are (alphabetically) Chancey Lady, Double Dream N, Elusive Prey, Hannah Isabel, J K Pure Pearl, Pancleefandarpels, Omen Hanover and Western Graduate.
Friday night's $40,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by American Lane (Manzi, $5.30) in 1:57, the final of Manzi's four winners on the 13-race card.
The fifth/final preliminary round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series goes Saturday night, with a trio of $50,000 events.
Both series conclude next Saturday night, with the Levy, Yonkers' premier Free-For-All event, offering a $370,000 final, while the first-ever finale of the Matchmaker is worth $229,000 (open draw is Tuesday). A pair of series consolations, worth $100,000 (Levy) and $75,000 (Matchmaker), are also scheduled for the same night.
(Yonkers Raceway)