Mighty Mares And Stalwart Males Pace Onward In Fourth Legs Of Yonkers’ Super Series

 

Week four of The Grand Circuit’s George Morton Levy and the Blue Chip Matchmaker series at Yonkers is once again the highlight of 2018’s never-ending winter, per se. The April chill continued through the past week and it is forecast to pursue its nasty presence for a few weeks yet. Although bad weather postponed the New York Yankee’s opening home game, the older pacers north of Yankee Stadium at Yonkers, persisted in the lucrative series, which we cover again this week.

TwinSpires exclusive horses-to-watch (H2W) list for harness horses knows no ill winds ad 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 IV

Friday, April 6 presents leg four of the Blue Chip Matchmaker series for pacing mares. This week, a trio of divisions goes for $40,000 each in Races 5, 6 and 7.

Division one
Only six are present for the evening’s first division. The short field, with five entrees that have been busy losing in most of seven or more starts, gives a huge edge to Lady Shadow. Although she has only won a single race this season for new connections she has only been out three times and that one win was in a Matchmaker. Still, she does not look to be rolling as she has in past seasons and though she may still be the favorite, the wrath of Miss Irish Rose A could show in this field. We backed her last week and she delivered a show price better than any winner in a division. Her offering here may be worth less but the best expected in a short field with questionable authority.
 
Division two
Another sextet appears in this division, which also collects a few hard-timers in the series. Gina Grace N, who played a role in our delivery of a $4,000-plus triple two weeks back, returns with a better post while showing the best earning record so far this season. She is bound to pick up supporters. Of this group, only Call Me Queen Be can brag about racing with better horses the last few seasons. Trainer Ross Croghan keeps her exclusively racing in this series for good reason and this race could be her seasonal debut in the winner’s circle.
 
Division three
The biggest field of the trio by one mare concludes the series’ presentation of round four. The winner of our $4,000-plus triple, Motu Moonbeam N gets the rail here after suffering in post 8 and the third of that exotic strike, Safe From Terror, returns after last week’s place finish. Neither will be ignored as they have been with our backing. But also taking money will be Ron Burke’s Lakeisha Hall, who won a division over favorites and sits in the catbird seat raring to make it two wins in only four starts. The true outsider, then, is our choice from last week, Dudesalady. She remains a contender after failing to win three divisions and has every reason to perform an upset here.


G.M. LEVY SERIES IV

Here go the stalwart pacing horses in round three of the season’s lucrative series. This week, Saturday, April 7, three divisions are each worth, again, $50,000.

Division one
Seven of the more off-beat guys go in this split, with Bit Of A Legend N and Long Live Rock apt to get most of the bettors’ attention. We respect those probabilities but not what prices they may deliver. We offered “Bit” in last week’s round and he finished second. However, in another division we offered Chumlee A for the second time. He raced well, finishing fourth at 20-1. In his first try of the series he was 7-2, finishing fourth. Even with the rail spot on his side, he may be a good price as the public’s second or third choice because the crowd won’t totally dismiss Change Stride N or Caviart Luca.
 
Division two
The joust in this mile is between Somewhere In LA and Rockin Ron. Both have won divisions and both are inside of the other terror from this field of eight—Missile J. Something about this race looks exactly like one of the divisions last year when Missile J had to pace his fastest strides late and won with some stuff left. The aforementioned two on the inside are earmarked as the choices, hopefully, and Missile J, who has shown more vulnerability than last season, will offer a good price.

Division three
Mach It So from the rail will soar out to try a four-turn lead and win and will be followed in the betting by Always At My Place. So where does that leave us for an outside contender? Easy—Keystone Velocity. We can hope that most bettors will dismiss last year’s champion per his poor performances already in the series but we like his chances, and at a price, this time due to the addition of Mac’s Jackpot. “Velocity” could come off of a fast pace as “Jackpot” may want to contest the first two quarters close to the lead. This scenario puts Velocity in the kind of spot that won him later divisions last year and took the final..


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
4/7/18, +Nesh Cruiser R9; Back On Board N R12

Cal-Expo
4/6/18, Boozer Bruiser R2; +Lilmessinaround R11
4/7/18, +Blue Star Maverick R9; +Cowboy Dirtyboots R10; Pa’s Corn Squeezin R11

Fraser
4/6/18, Blue Grotto R2; Nice Aint My Color R6; +Shezgotdawoogies R9

Freehold
4/6/18, Renegade Hussy R4; Great Emancipator R9

Harrington
4/9/18, +Too Darn Hot R2; +Owosso Flash R2; +Cash Is King R3; Jeremes Best R13

Hoosier
4/5/18, Hot Rod Mindale R6
4/6/18, Courageous Colors R3; +Want Me R6; +Elite Awards R8; +Bluebird Pacific R10

Meadowlands
4/6/18, Painite R3; Julios Girl R5; Jack Vernon R6; Triumphants Chip R9
4/7/18, Thebestofjoel R5

Meadows
4/7/18, Rebel Soul R5; Olympic Son R6; Adios Amigos R11

Miami
4/5/18, Candy Con Session R5
4/6/18, Rockinthepines R7
4/7/18, +Ruthless Call R4

Monticello
4/5/18, Longlive Rocknroll R2; Schwarzkopf R6

Northfield
4/7/18, Kathys Kitchen R1; Lotsa Juice R2

Northville
4/6/18, +Little Point Sable R1; Major Hanover R2; +Motor City Steel R4; Virtual Princess R6
4/7/18, Soap Suds R9

Pompano
4/8/18, +Unlce Reimis R7
4/9/18, +Sophia Seelster R6

Pocono
4/7/18, Rescue Plan R7; Te Kawau N R12
4/8/18, Joe Hill R9

Saratoga
4/6/18, Moonshine Bliss R1; Pancakes R4; +Under The Bus R5; Non Pareil R6; Real Kits R12

Scarborough
4/7/18, Luigi R7
4/8/18, SB Mikes Hot Beach R5; +Janinne R6; +Muscolo R9

Woodbine
4/5/18, +Deepfave Hanover R9