Beautiful Seaside & Aardie B Miki N repeat in Matchmaker Series

The second leg of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series saw a pair of 1-9 harness racing favorites taken down in the first two $50,000 divisions at MGM Yonkers Raceway on Friday night (April 4). Beautiful Seaside (Downbytheseaside)and driver Tim Tetrick put an end to the four-race win streak of Walkin On Sunshine in dramatic fashion, winning at 10-1 in the second division, completing her mile in 1:53 at the expense of the heavy favorite.

Tetrick got away from post two and allowed three of the seven mares to duke it out in the early stages. Silk Cloud A and Jordan Stratton were first to the front on the opening bend and Lloyd’s Loves and Brent Holland pursued before taking over shortly before the 27.2 first quarter was reached.

Jason Bartlett made a bullet move with Walkin On Sunshine into the second turn and managed to back down the second quarter, reaching the halfway marker in 56.4.

Bartlett had the favorite in gear down the backstretch, but Tetrick pulled the Scott DiDomenco-trained Beautiful Sunshine and got instant response, moving towards the leader with three-quarters clocked in 1:24.4.

Tetrick sensed the favorite was vulnerable and kept the attack heavy through the final turn with Beautiful Sunshine, a 5-year-old daughter of Downbytheseaside, gutting it out and passing the favorite in the shadow of the wire. Walkin On Sunshine settled for second with Silk Cloud A coming on late for the show spot.

BEAUTIFUL SEASIDE REPLAY

Owned by Matt Rowe, Beautiful Sunshine has now won back-to-back Blue Chip Matchmaker legs, both times at decent odds, with her victory on Friday coming at a $22.40 win mutuel. The exacta with the favorite second paid $48.60 and triple returned $91.00.

High Flyin’ Filly popped out of the pocket before the three-quarters to challenge 1-9 favorite Rocket Deo and then surged to the front in the homestretch in the first $50,000 Blue Chip Matchmaker division. Trained by Ron Burke and driven by Yannick Gingras, High Flyin’ Filly blasted to the front into the first turn and forced Cheryls Shadow into a two-hole. Jason Bartlett quarter-moved the heavy favorite Rocket Deo to the front off the opening bend and they were in control through a 27.1 opening fraction.

Bartlett and Rocket Deo hit the half in 56.2 but found company from the winner before the 1:24.4 three-quarters had been hit. Off the final turn High Flyin’ Filly surged to the front, with Cheryls Shadow coming along the pylons late for the second spot. Rocket Deo faded to third.

Owned by Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi, High Flyin’ Filly, a 5-year-old by Domethatagain, returned $17.60 to win and keyed a $140.50 exacta and $338.50 trifecta payout. The victory was the second in eight starts this year and first in the Matchmaker for High Flyin’ Filly.

The upsets continued in the third $50,000 division as last year’s champion Lit De Rose rallied in the homestretch for trainer-driver Pat Lachance to overtake the leaders in a 1:54 mile. The 10-year-old daughter of Leader Bayama was sent off as the 5-2 third choice in the field of seven.

Action was fast and furious in the early stages in this division as Turn The Page N and Seaside Diva left hard from the inside and Talk Curdy To Me blasted from the outside of the starting car. Seaside Diva took control off the first bend but yielded to Talk Curdy To Me before the opening quarter clocked in 27.4. Ron Cushing had Turn The Page N making a second move shortly after the quarter and the pair held control through a 56.4 half-mile.

Lit De Rose and Lachance fished cover from Seaside Diva late on the third turn, but when Talk Curdy To Me and Todd McCarthy vacated the pocket, Seaside Diva and Yannick Gingras returned to the pylons, and Lit De Rose closed the gap behind Talk Curdy To Me in second-over position. With the leaders dueling through a 1:25.2 three-quarters, Lachance was poised and called on the now 55-time career winner for her best in the stretch, and Lit De Rose finished in style, securing the win late. Turn The Page N fought bravely with horses on both sides for the place spot, with Millwood Bliss N on the scene late for third.

Guy Corbeil owns Lit De Rose, who went over the $1.3 million mark in career earnings with the win. Lit De Rose paid $7.70 to win and keyed the $26.60 exacta and $98 trifecta payoff.

A favorite finally had her moment as Aardie B Miki N (Always B Miki) made a power move past Grace Hill off the final turn and rolled off to an easy score in a 1:53 2/5 clocking in the fourth and final Blue Chip Matchmaker division.

Grace Hill took control off the first turn from Uptown Hanover and set a reasonable pace to the quarter of 28.2 for driver David Miller. Miller was in no hurry, slowing the half to 57.3 with Bartlett sitting chilly in fourth with the prohibitive favorite Aardie B Miki N.

Bartlett got instant acceleration from Aardie B Miki N down the backstretch, and she reached Grace Hill nearing the 1:25.3 three-quarters. Once on even terms Aardie B Miki N had too much power and made quick work of the leader, posting a 27.4 final quarter. Grace Hill held gamely for second ahead of Intothemysticmoon.

For Aardie B Miki N, it was her second straight Blue Chip Matchmaker victory for owner M T Stables Ontario Inc. and trainer Per Engblom. It was Bartlett’s fourth victory of the evening as well. Aardie Miki N returned $2.30 to win while heading a $5.60 exacta and $31.20 payoff.

The preliminary rounds of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series will continue through Friday, April 25, with the leading point earners advancing to the final on Friday, May 9. A major change in 2025 revolves around the added money for the final of the Blue Chip Matchmaker, which gets a boost from $125,000 to $200,000, equaling the MGM Borgata Pacing Series total. With that increase the Blue Chip Matchmaker final will certainly offer the richest purse in recent history and far eclipse the $276,200 purse from 2024.

SERIES ACTION RESUMES ON MONDAY & WEDNESDAY:  The MGM Borgata Pacing Series will have its second preliminary round on Monday (April 7) with five $50,000 divisions. The featured event is race nine where round one winners Verdun (post one), Mossdale Ben N (post six) and Aardies Flash N (post seven) square off. Also looking to improve to two-for-two in the Borgata will be For Once Inmy Life (post one, race seven) and Binge On Yankee (post four, race eight).

The John Brennan Trotting Series then picks back up on Wednesday (April 9) with a trio of $30,000 splits of the second leg. Named in honor of the longtime SOA of NY horsemen’s representative who passed away from complications of COVID-19 in March 2020, the John Brennan Trotting Series will have a third round on April 16 before a $100,000 guaranteed final and $50,000 guaranteed consolation on April 23.

PICK 5 POOL GETS A BOOST ON MONDAYS & FRIDAYS:  Continuing for every Monday and Friday card during the legs of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series and Blue Chip Matchmaker Series, MGM Yonkers Raceway, in conjunction with the SOA of NY, will offer a $20,000 guaranteed Pick 5 pool in race five.

The guaranteed Pick 5 pool on Mondays is also a 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 each night at 6:45 p.m. (EDT).

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

From Yonkers Raceway