The Blue Chip Matchmaker Series for pacing mares continued on Friday, March 22 at MGM Yonkers Raceway with no repeat winners in the second leg.
Ontario-bred Intothemysticmoon and driver Yannick Gingras blasted to the front on the opening turn and never looked back in posting a mild upset in the first of three $54,054 divisions in the second round of the series. The victory followed up a nose defeat in last week's opening leg for the five-year-old Artspeak-Mystical Moon mare trained by Mickey Burke Jr.
Gingras had the outside post six with Intothemysticmoon and was assertive at the outset while Coachellabound N and Brent Holland left well from post two to keep outside rivals at bay. Once Gingras crossed over, Coachellabound N got steppy midway on the opening bend, giving Karma Seelster and Jordan Stratton the ability to tuck in second position. Intothemysticmoon had the front in :28.1 at the quarter and 1-2 favourite Incaseyoudidntknow and Andrew McCarthy came off the pylons on an expected first-over journey midway on the second turn.
Gingras was able to get a comfortable half of :56.4 with the 3-1 second choice and Intotheymisticmoon was unchallenged as she picked up the pace on the third turn as the favourite struggled to make up ground. After three-quarters in 1:25.1, Gingras called on his mare and she responded with a solid: 28.3 final quarter to win convincingly by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:53.4. Karma Seelster held late for second, while Incaseyoudidntknow held third ahead of Coachellabound N.
Intothemysticmoon earned her second win of the season from eight starts for Pennsylvania owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and Phil Collura. Bred by Stephen Upson of Georgetown, Ont., she now has 15 career wins and lifetime earnings totalling $361,494.
Intothemysticmoon returned $8.30 to win while keying a $35.40 exacta, $80.50 triple and a $12 superfecta for a 10-cent wager.
Speed and upsets continued in the second division as Jive Dancing A (pictured above) and Matt Kakaley dominated from start to finish, taking advantage of the pole position to win wire-to-wire as the 7-2 second choice in the field of six mares. Trained by Tahnee Camilleri, Jive Dancing A was the fastest winner of the second leg as she scored in 1:52.3.
Jive Dancing A left alertly and forced 1-5 favourite Dougs Babe A to take a seat in the three-hole on the opening bend. Kakaley got Jive Dancing A to the quarter in :27.3 and kept the pace lively, hitting the half in :56.2 with horses in straight alignment.
Jive Dancing A was still motoring towards three-quarters when Dexter Dunn, behind the heavy choice Dougs Babe A, attempted to make a coverless bid. That bid was rebuffed in short order as Jive Dancing A sprinted home in a :28.2 final quarter to complete the mile a half-length in front. Dougs Babe A held her ground for second, with Easy To Please and Jordan Stratton third across the wire and Man Dontforget Me fourth for Jim Pantaleano.
Owned by Queen Of Hearts Stables and Lav Racing Stable of New York, Jive Dancing A earned her first win in two 2024 starts and her 43rd win lifetime. The 10-year-old by Rock N Roll Heaven out of Dance Teacher boosted her bankroll over the $600,000 mark.
Jive Dancing A, who finished fifth in the opening round of the series, returned $9.70 to win and led a $20.80 exacta, $42.60 triple and $3.72 superfecta for 10 cents.
The favourite came to play in the final division when odds-on choice Mikala quarter-moved to the top for driver George Brennan and controlled the remainder of the pace, scoring in 1:53.2 for trainer Nik Drennan.
Delitfulcatherin N and driver Jordan Stratton blasted right to the front as the wings opened with Tonys Mom, the 5-2 second choice, grabbing the pocket as Brennan left patiently with Mikala. Once the field had aligned, Brennan made his move abruptly and had Mikala, a daughter of Always B Miki and Shes Some Treasure, moving with purpose to get control before the :27.2 opening quarter. Once on the lead, Brennan cagily stalled the half to :56.3 and awaited challengers.
Gingras and Tonys Mom pulled shortly before the three-quarters, with first leg winner Lit De Rose and Pat Lachance on her back, but neither posed a serious threat to the winner, who clicked three-quarters in 1:25.1 and appeared quite comfortable heading into the final turn.
Brennan asked Mikala for her best in the stretch and she responded with a :28.1 final quarter to garner her third win in four starts this year and first victory in the series following a third-place finish in the opening leg. Stratton had ample clearance with Delitfulcatherin N and the mare held solidly for second, 1-1/4 lengths behind the winner, with Lit De Rose advancing to third and Sale El Sol hugging the pylons in fourth over the line for Jason Bartlett.
Mikala is owned by Brad Shackman of Calgary, Alta., along with New Jersey partners Joseph Davino, Anthony Perretti Farm and Drennan Stable. The six-year-old with 17 career wins to her credit lifted her bankroll to $641,965.
As the even-money choice, Mikala paid $4.20 to win with the exacta worth $23.40, triple payoff of $49.60 and the 10-cent superfecta returning $25.05.
The Blue Chip Matchmaker preliminary legs continue through Friday, April 12 before the $125,000 USD added final takes place on Monday, April 22.
Yonkers' stakes action continues on Monday, March 25 with the second leg of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series. Four $50,000 USD divisions will be featured on the program.
Live racing takes place at Yonkers on a Monday through Friday schedule with post time each night at 7 p.m. (EDT).
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)