Yonkers: Stratton, Tritton team up with a pair in Saturday's Invitationals

In a post-Thanksgiving salute to those who nominated but never got a chance to race in the Borgata or Blue Chip Matchmaker Series events, Yonkers Raceway will host a pair of Invitationals on Saturday, featuring the best aged performers of both genders. The $100,000 Blue Chip Matchmaker eligible event showcases the return to Yonkers of last year's Horse of the Year Shartin, while the $125,000 Borgata could be a wide-open affair, though Australian import San Domino appears the logical favorite.

Jordan Stratton has seen his star rise in the catch-driving colony throughout North America this year but has done some of his best work over the Yonkers half-mile track. Stratton has a pair of mounts for the growing and quite potent Shane Tritton stable in Saturday's Yonkers invites. San Domino (post four) appears to have the bigger chance of the pair in the Borgata.

"Shane knew the horse from Down Under," said Stratton of San Domino, a horse that the Trittons did not bring with them when they moved their stable in early 2020. San Domino shifted to Tritton before making his debut in October at Yonkers and since then has won three of his five starts while moving up the class ladder. Most recently, San Domino crushed an Open Handicap field with Stratton at the controls in a 1:50 3/5 clocking on November 7. The 7-year-old defeated Leonidas on that night, with that rival upsetting in the $100,000 Potomac a week later at Rosecroft.

Stratton was happy with the draw for his horse as well as where rivals will be positioned.

"It's pretty much like a regular Yonkers Open," said Stratton. "It doesn't hurt that Burke's horse (This Is The Plan) drew post eight."

Clearly of the eight in the field, This Is The Plan has the most Grand Circuit credentials. The 5-year-old ships to Yonkers after a solid third-place finish in the TVG Open last Saturday at the Meadowlands. With $1.6 million in career earnings, This Is The Plan is the richest horse by far in Saturday's Invitational.

Stratton had to choose between two horses in the Borgata invitational and it wasn't easy for him.

"Raukapuka Ruler (a New Zealand-bred) was a horse that we thought was good enough to win the Borgata," said Stratton of the veteran import in trainer Peter Tritton's stable. While that potential was not realized in the early stages of Raukapuka Ruler's North American career, things have improved in recent weeks.

"They made some changes, and he's been getting a lot better," Stratton added about Raukapuka Ruler, who drew post five.

Lady Dela Renta, also bred in Australia, is another import that Shane Tritton did not bring with him when he made the journey to North America but has caught fire at Yonkers since joining the stable in July. The Well Said-sired mare has won five of her last seven starts at Yonkers but drew post eight for Saturday's Blue Chip Matchmaker-eligible Invitational.

"She can race on the outside a long way," said Stratton of the grit and determination he's seen in Lady Dela Renta since her arrival at Yonkers. On October 15 Lady Dela Renta not only overcame post eight but spent much of her time on the outside, as well as racing three-deep. Nevertheless, the 6-year-old overcame the odds with a sterling final-half performance.

Stratton expects to be covering a lot of extra ground once again with Lady Dela Renta on Saturday as the quality of the field is like none she's ever had to tackle before. Shartin drew post seven and figures to be the heavy favorite in the field. Her quickness and courage has been the mark of her greatness, and she's proven so on all-sized tracks, including the Yonkers half-miler where she captured the Blue Chip Matchmaker finals in both 2018 and 2019.

Joining the $2.5 million winning Shartin in the field is the $1.9 million winner Caviart Ally, who landed the pole position in the field of eight. The two rich mares hooked up at Yonkers once before in 2020 on June 30 when Shartin overcame post eight winning in 1:52 as Caviart Ally finished third in the mile.

Snobbytown, the Ron Burke-trained 4-year-old, finished second between those two mares in the June race at Yonkers and could be a major player from post two in this Saturday's field. A mainstay in the weekly Mares Open Handicap at Yonkers, Snobbytown has finished first or second 12 times in 17 starts this year.

Yonkers Raceway hosts a solid 10-race program on Saturday with first post listed at 7:12 P.M.