Matchmaker and Borgata head Grand Circuit

This Week: Blue Chip Matchmaker and MGM Borgata Pacing series third legs, Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, N.Y. This is the opening event of the 2022 Grand Circuit season.

Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit at Yonkers features three $40,000 divisions on Friday (April 1) in the third round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker series for open pacing mares. The Monday (April 4) card at Yonkers will see five $50,000 divisions in the third round of the MGM Borgata Pacing series for open pacers.

Each series offers five preliminary rounds leading to the finales, both set for Monday (April 25).

Complete entries for the races can be found by clicking on this link.

Last Time: Nandolo N repeated his first leg victory, Scott Zeron guided Whichwaytothebeach and American Dealer N to triumphs, Ostro Hanover pulled off a major upset, and Jack’s Legend N turned a pocket trip off hot fractions into a win in the five $50,000 divisions of the second round of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series on Monday night (March 28) at Yonkers Raceway.

Nandolo N put Poseidon Seelster away in the lane, then pulled clear to prevail by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:51.4. Georgia Panagi photo.

Driven by Jason Bartlett in the opening split, Nandolo N sat in third while Elver Hanover (Yannick Gingras) and Poseidon Seelster (George Brennan) left in front of him.

Elver Hanover got to the point from post seven off the first turn, but Brennan wanted the front with Poseidon Seelster and got him there after a :26.3 opening quarter. Poseidon Seelster would go on to reach the half in :55.1 and the three-quarters in 1:23.1, but Nandolo N had attacked first-over on the third turn and was up to engage the tempo-setter at three-quarters.

After a battle around the last turn, Nandolo N put Poseidon Seelster away in the lane, then pulled clear to prevail by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:51.4. Dean B Hanover (Jordan Stratton) rode Nandolo N’s cover and wound up second, and Poseidon Seelster had to settle for third.

Shane Tritton and Team Tritton Inc. are the winning trainer-owner combo with Nandolo N, an 8-year-old Betterthancheddar gelding. Nandolo N, the 1-2 favorite, now has 17 career victories, has stashed away $338,210, and paid $3.10 to win.

Following a nose loss in the first leg of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series, Racine Bell came to play in the second round and obliterated her rivals, overcoming post seven and powering off to a 1:51.4 victory in the first of four $40,000 divisions Friday night (March 25) at Yonkers Raceway.

Racine Bell led Friday’s quartet of Blue Chip Matchmaker preliminary events with a powerful 1:51.4 score. Darragh Riordan photo.

Jason Bartlett and Racine Bell, sent off as the even-money second choice in the field, took control from 4-5 choice Scarlett Hanover off the opening bend. Racine Bell hit the opening quarter in :27 with the field stretched out and the favorite on her back. Bartlett managed a :29.3 second fraction, putting the field to sleep with minimal dispute, and from there, the race to catch her was on, with few getting within hailing distance.

Racine Bell hit three-quarters in 1:24.4, and after that, Bartlett asked her for a response. He got the one he was looking for, as the 5-year-old by So Surreal flew around the final bend and coasted off to an open-lengths victory with a final quarter of :27.

Scarlett Hanover and driver Yannick Gingras managed to hold second, with Lucky Artist A finishing well along the pylons for third. Mystifying finished fourth.

Owned by Chris and Dale Lawton, Racine Bell was a winner for the second time in five 2022 starts.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2022, the Grand Circuit leaders in three categories (driver, trainer and owner) will once again be tracked on a points system (20-10-5 for the top three finishers in divisions/finals and 10-5-2 for the top three finishers in eliminations/legs). Winbak Farms is the sponsor for the 2022 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders (through the races on 3-28-22):

Drivers: 1. Jordan Stratton – 40; 2. Jason Bartlett – 37; 3. Dexter Dunn – 34; 4. Marcus Miller – 33; 5. Yannick Gingras – 27.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 43; 2. Erv Miller – 33; 3. Cory Stratton – 30; 4. Jen Bongiorno – 22; 5. Shane Tritton – 20.
Owners: 1t. Mystical Marker Farms – 20; 1t. Team Tritton Inc. – 20; 3. The OK Corral – 12. 4t. (eight owners are tied for fourth with 10).

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will continue with legs of the Blue Chip Matchmaker and MGM Borgata over the next two weeks. The finals for both events will be held on April 25.

by Paul Ramlow, for the Grand Circuit