Fifth Outing For Matchmakers And Levys At Yonkers Builds Broader Battlelines; Winners Await Among The Watched

No one, not even Pennsylvania’s rodent forecaster of February, predicted that going into week five of The Grand Circuit’s older pacer series at Yonkers—the George Morton Levy and the Blue Chip Matchmaker series—the eastern seaboard would begin its first weekend that actually feels like spring. But it’s true. Then nights became shorter but snow continued to blanket tracks from Ohio to New York.

This weekend the older pacers in Yonkers, New York, will present three divisions each in round five of their annual series in downright balmy weather by comparison to former weeks.

Our performance in the series thus far as “severe handicappers” is reviewed below in our analysis of the divisions this weekend.

TwinSpires exclusive horses-to-watch (H2W) list for harness horses also gets hot as it continues to present serious considerations for bettors in any of the bets they engage, so do your own handicapping and then consider our H2W selections.


MATCHMAKER MARES V

Friday, April 13 presents leg five of the Blue Chip Matchmaker series for pacing mares. This week, a trio of divisions goes for $40,000 each in Races 6, 7 and 11. Wagering statistics based on the coverage of this series thus far follow analysis.

Division one
One of the tougher divisions thus far opens the Matchmaker triptych on April 13, with four of the seven mares winners of at least one leg’s division. From the rail, Motu Moonbeam N will again receive the betting praise denied to her when we caught her to place and to win as the highest paying division winner this season so far. Lakeisha Hall has won two weeks’ worth of splits, Lady Shadow a single and Mackenzie A also nabbed a pair.

Mackenzie A lost only once and as the favorite. Her rebound was at a worthy 6-1 and then she won another easily. Post 7 is a challenge she can meet with success as she comes closer to becoming the Matchmaker champ this season. She is clearly the best and here she may once again offer a good price, as the crowd tosses their money on the bright ones (mentioned above) with inside posts.

Division two
Eight pound the surface in this division, where Sell A Bit N, another Peter Tritton mare (he conditions Mackenzie A) gets the rail and probably favorite status. Twinkle will pick up supporters and Mach It A Par should also be within the top three.

Last week, Medusa won when some other hot mares passed on the leg. We liked her in leg two, where she finished fifth at 8-1 because she has shown a lot of spunk in this series last season and races well at Yonkers. She sits in the middle of this field, leaving from post 4 and fits among this group of eight almost as much as she did last week. She will, however, not be bet as much as her chances to win, so we will take her again at a price.
 
Division three
Another eight femmes are collected, with seven of them trying to beat the series’ leader thus far—Shartin N. It looks bad for them because this group is not of her ilk, at least not up until now. If she clobbers them, there is a good chance she could top a strong exacta with 8-hole starter, Gina Grace N.

Gina Grace N has not been giving her best yet this season. She was very game two back, becoming a member of the $4,101 triple results with a third-place finish and her fourth-place finish in the race after that (at 10-1) was good. Her price here will be terrific and if she shames post 8 by winning she will shake the toteboard, as well as she will pump up the exacta with Shartin N if she follows that one home in the exacta. 

OUR MATCHMAKER STATS

Using legs one through four:

Based upon $2.00 win wagers on every outside contender, the investment has been $46.00.
The return on investment has been $80.50.

Based upon $2.00 place and show wagers ($4.00) on every outside contender, the investment has been $86.
The return on investment has been $105.30.


G.M. LEVY V

Saturday, April 14 the older male pacers have three battling divisions, each filled with the series’ top talents at $50,000 a clip in races 5, 6 and 7.

Division one
Six stalwart soldiers of the pacing gait are fighting for their series’ lives. Two in this field haven’t won at all this season. Betting on this won’t be very even. Western Fame and Missile J should lead the pools, which may once again make Chumlee A, leaving from post 6, a decent price. Long Live Rock will probably leave fast from the rail and that could set up some dueling speed that would give Chumlee A a few targets to aim at around the last turn.

Division two
Four entered in this division have no victories this season. Mach It So appears to be, once again, in a great spot to wire the field. However, it is obviously he that gets the bulk of the betting money. Keystone Velocity managed to get second last week behind Mach It So and there is little evidence to expect otherwise here, unless Keystone Velocity gets the garden trip an scoops up the win in the final strides.

Evenin Of Pleasure is our bet here. He has won a leg and may wind up a good third choice for the public. In a field of six that should be a fair price,

Division three
The hot trio in this chapter leave from posts 5, 6 and 7 and will share the major portion of the betting pools. Dr J Hanover could top the other two but no matter the shares of all the betting the trio receives, few to none are going to take a shot on our outside contender, who, oddly enough, leaves from the inside.

Luciano N has not show much muscle in the series but his place finish in leg 2 was a light of hope for this veteran who has always like this track. From post 1 he should force the top three to work hard early, giving him a lot of saved ground around the turns and perhaps preserved energy during the race to pass tired ones at the perfect time for the perfect price.


OUR LEVY STATS

Using legs one through four:

Based upon $2.00 win wagers on every outside contender, the investment has been $26.00.
The return on investment has been $7.30.

Based upon $2.00 place and show wagers ($4.00) on every outside contender, the investment has been $60.
The return on investment has been $39.20.


H2W Legend

Review our choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track. These are possible contenders we have judged from reviewing races. The horses’ names are listed beneath the name of the track after the date they will be racing. The race in which they are entered (R and race number) follows. If a + is in front of a horse’s name it means it is appearing on the list for the second (and last) time because it failed to win the first time it appeared. An “ae” signals the horse is entered on the also-eligible list. If a horse is listed twice, refer to the entries on the night of the race since a horse may enter in more than one race. Types of wagering on any of the H2W listed horses are based on your judgment. If you have any questions, email us at TwinSpires.

H2W LIST

Buffalo
4/14/18, +Spring Terror R5; +Nesh Cruiser R11; +Back On Board N R11

Cal-Expo
4/13/18, +Pay Dirt R3; Pa’s Corn Squeezin R10
4/14/18, Get Down Tonight R1; +Boozer Bruiser R5; Little Emma R8

Fraser
4/12/18, +Nice Aint My Color R3; +Pureform Tipsy R5
4/13/18, Workin Them Angels R9; Bettors Mark R10
4/14/18, I Can Dream R11

Freehold
4/13/18, +Great Emancipator R9; Full Explosion R11
4/14/18, Deny Deny Deny R1

Harrington
4/16,18 +Jeremes Best R13

Hoosier
4/12/18, +Courageous Colors R8
4/13/18, Sadiq Hanover R10

Meadowlands
4/13/18, Possessed Fashion R5; +Painite R10

Meadows
4/14/18, +Adios Amigos R10; RJP R11

Monticello
4/12/18, +Longlive Rocknroll R8; +Schwarzkopf R8

Mohawk
4/14/18, +Casimir Quasimoto R5

Northville
4/13/18, +Virtual Princess R2; Noble Prince R3
4/14/18, +Soap Suds R1; Walela R3; Top Notch R7; Keystone Rocco R10

Northfield
4/14/18, +Kathys Kitchen R5; +Lady Gisele R11; +Lotsa Juice R14

Philadelphia
4/13/18, BWT Taj R10
4/15/18, Great Kate R5

Pompano
4/15/18, Mach Power R5; Miso Fast R8

Pocono
4/14/18, Cruise Patrol R7; +Joe Hill R9; +Te Kawau N R9
4/16,18

Saratoga
4/13/18, +Pancakes R3; +Non Pareil R6; +Real Kits R9

Scarborough
4/14/18, +Mighty Touch R1; +SB Mikes Hot Beach R3; Four Starz Louie R8; +Luigi R9

Yonkers
4/12/18, +Bonfire Bliss R7