Off to a perfect start in the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series, Amazing Dream N was the fastest of the popular third leg winners on Friday night (March 31) at MGM Yonkers Raceway.
Dougs Babe A found the winner's circle for the first time in the U.S. as Dexter Dunn guided the recent import from off-the-pace and scored in 1:53 to capture the first of three $40,000 divisions.
Jason Bartlett and Mabalene N were airborne at the outset, leaving over second choice Majorca N and Corey Callahan into the first turn. Dunn and Dougs Babe A had thought of leaving but elected to tuck in fourth on the opening bend with no other options.
Callahan guided Majorca N on a regaining move off the first turn and the veteran mare hit the quarter in :28.2 and half in :57.1. The field remained in line until Dunn moved just before the three-quarters with the Nifty Norman-trained Dougs Babe A.
Majorca N hit three-quarters in 1:25.2 and held the favourite at bay through the final turn, but once in the homestretch, Dougs Babe A asserted her will and sprinted home to an easy victory with a :27.3 final quarter. Majorca N held second with Man Dontforget Me and Matt Kakaley closing sharply for the show spot.
Owned by Tom Vassiliou, Nicholas Tallarico, Patricia Stables and Enzed Racing, Dougs Babe A is now a 12-time winner in her career and has banked $173,026.
As the favourite, the six-year-old Western Terror mare returned $3.30 to win and led a $5.80 exacta and a $33.80 trifecta.
Amazing Dream N and driver Yannick Gingras continued their winning ways in the series, popping the pocket on the final turn and rolling past pacesetter Racine Bell on her way to a 1:51.4 victory in the second $40,000 division.
Racine Bell and Bartlett used high speed to out-sprint the Linda Toscano-trained Amazing Dream N on the first turn and take control off that bend. Racine Bell controlled the fractions of :27.3 and :56.2 with Amazing Dream N content to travel in second and Hot Mess Express third with Scott Zeron aboard.
On the backstretch the final time, Lit De Rose and Pat Lachance began a first-over assault, followed by Drama Act and George Brennan. Gingras didn't wait for trouble, moving Amazing Dream N to the outside past the 1:24 three-quarters. The Bettors Delight mare was able to wear down the leader and sprint home in :27.4 for the win. Racine Bell did well to hold on to the place, with Lit De Rose and Drama Act following in third and fourth.
Owned by Enviro Stables, Richard Gutnick, Tom Pontone and Joseph Lozito Jr., Amazing Dream N is now three-for-three this season/series and made her 29th lifetime appearance in the winner's circle.
The seven-year-old millionairess paid $3.20 as the public's choice. The exacta and trifecta were worth $5.50 and $16.60, respectively.
Incaseyoudidntknow and driver Andrew McCarthy went overland in the third $40,000 Blue Chip Matchmaker division and overpowered Gias Surreal in the stretch on her way to a solid score in a 1:52.3 clocking.
McCarthy looked to leave the gate at the outset but was looped when Watch Me Now N and Jordan Stratton blasted by them from post eight into the first turn. McCarthy settled for a tuck instead, as did Watch Me Now N behind Karma Seelster. Driven by Matt Kakaley, Karma Seelster had settled things on the opening bend, but was soon under attack from Gias Surreal and Bartlett, who hustled to the front in a snappy 27-second opening quarter.
McCarthy didn't wait very long to energize the 2-1 favourite and had Incaseyoudidntknow on the offensive first-over with Morning Has Broken and Lucky Artist A trailing her in second and third-over positions. Incaseyoudidntknow turned up the pressure past the :56.1 half and was on even terms with Gias Surreal through three-quarters in 1:24.2.
Gingras came three-deep on the final turn with Morning Has Broken, looking for the upset, but McCarthy had something in reserve and Incaseyoudidntknow responded with a :28.1 final quarter to secure the victory. Morning Has Broken settled for second with Karma Seelster getting room along the pylons and finishing third. Lucky Artist A, driven by Braxten Boyd, settled for fourth in the mile.
Incaseyoudidntknow earned her third win from 11 starts in 2023 and her 19th victory overall, leaving her just shy of the $300,000 earnings mark. Les Givens trains the five-year-old daughter of Always B Miki for owners James Magno and Joseph Forte.
Incaseyoudidntknow returned $6 as the betting favourite and was atop a $51 exacta and a $140 trifecta.
Preliminary round action in the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series runs through Friday, April 14 and will conclude with a $125,000 added final that should go for at least $250,000 on April 24. The final of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series and companion consolation races for both events will also occur that night.
Stakes action will resume on Monday, April 3 at MGM Yonkers Raceway with four $50,000 splits of the third leg of the MGM Borgata Series for free-for-all pacers. Trotters will also be in action next week as the John Brennan Series gets underway on Wednesday, April 5.
Also, continuing into April, the Pick 5 pool on Thursdays at MGM Yonkers Raceway will be seeded with $10,000 and also have a guaranteed pool of $25,000. This initiative is being offered in partnership with the Standardbred Owners Association of New York as part of the United States Trotting Association's Strategic Wagering Program.
MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday through Friday live racing schedule with post time at 7 p.m. (EDT).
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)