Yonkers: Favorites dominate opening round of Blue Chip Matchmaker Series

This year's Blue Chip Matchmaker Series for pacing mares kicked off on Friday night at Yonkers Raceway, with the highly thought of Shartin N making the most eye-catching impression in the first $40,000 split.

Driven by Tim Tetrick, the New Zealand import settled in fourth at the 27 1/5 opening quarter, then made a first-up move that carried her into the lead beyond the 57 3/5 half. Shartin N began to open up heading to the 1:25 3/5 three-quarters, and continued to pour it on in the final quarter, reporting home 4 1/4 lengths to the good over Motu Moonbeam N (Brent Holland). Shesjustadelight N (Ron Cushing) was the third-place finisher.

Shartin N, a 5-year-old daughter of Tintin In America trained by Jim King Jr. for owners Richard Poilucci and Jo Ann Looney-King, is now five-for-six in the win column in her initial North American campaign and has 12 career victories. She has earned $66,375 this year and $142,492 lifetime. The 1-5 favorite, she paid $2.50 to win.

Sell A Bit N (Jordan Stratton), who was second in a leg and the consolation of the Matchmaker last year, won the second section in 1:55 2/5. She moved into the lead at the 28 1/5 opening quarter, then backed down the half to just 58 2/5. Sell A Bit N was pressured first-over by Dudesalady (Holland) in the third quarter, but repelled both her challenge and a late inside thrust by pocket-sitter Medusa (Scott Zeron) to win by half a length.

Peter Tritton trains Sell A Bit N, an 8-year-old mare by Julius Caesar, for owner Vonknoblauch Stable LLC. This was the 27th career win for Sell A Bit N, who has put away $740,106 lifetime. Sell A Bit N was the 2-5 choice and returned $2.90 to win.

The heavy favorite parade continued in the third division as Lady Shadow (Jason Bartlett), a Matchmaker round winner last year, scored in 1:54 3/5. She clicked off fractions of 27 3/5, 57 2/5, and 1:26, then closed the door with a 28 3/5 final kicker. She downed a rallying Scandalicious (Tetrick) by half a length, with Eclipse Me N (Dan Dube) brushing from seventh to third in the final quarter.

The victorious 7-year-old Shadow Play mare is trained by Richie Banca for the ownership group of D`Elegance Stable Ix, Thomas Lazzaro, and Richard T. Banca. Lady Shadow now has 34 wins in her racing career, and she pushed her bankroll to $1,942,944. She was also 2-5 and paid $2.90 to win.

Twinkle (Eric Goodell), who won 11 of 12 efforts in overnight competition last year, stepped up to the stakes level in her 2018 debut and won again. She sat in the pocket behind Lispatty (George Brennan) through stations of 27 4/5, 57 2/5, and 1:25 3/5, tipped to the outside turning for home, and went by for a 1:54 2/5 decision. Dewar N Soda (Bartlett) got up for second, while Lispatty faded back to third.

Unraced at two and three, Twinkle is trained by Ross Croghan for owners Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Mr. Dana Parham. She has banked $121,250 from her 12 victories and one second-place finish, and she returned $8.10 to win as a 3-1 shot.