NZ HARNESS NEWS
The New Zealand breed triumphed at Yonkers Raceway in New York on Saturday night (local time) when three mares from the Shaky Isles filled the first three placings in the US $373,000 Blue Chip Matchmaker Final.
Shartin, a Tintin In America four-year-old, was far too good in the rich feature, streeting her opponents by four lengths in 1.52.4 for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Jim King Jr.
She started life in Canterbury with Broadfield trainer Grant Crabbe, who bred and qualified her before selling her unraced to Victorian trainer Dean Braun in late 2016.
Braun won the Tasmanian and Queensland Oaks with her last year before selling her in a big money deal to Massachusetts owner Richard Poillucci.
She has taken the United States by storm in 2018, this latest win her eighth in 10 starts on the year.
Tetrick gave Yonkers’ Frank Drucker an insight in to his thinking for the race after a rare last-start failure.
“She’s been fussy at times, and she was last week, but she was very good tonight,” Tetrick said.
“She has every attribute to be a good horse, you just have to keep her calm like she was tonight.
“She’s learning how to be an ‘American’ horse, to stop and start and relax.”
“I also warmed her up hard to get some of the sting out of her. I’m glad it worked out. It’s a better feeling than last week, I can say that.”
Trainer King Jr noted that a key gear change appeared to work the oracle.
“We did a lot of work with her, changed some things right up until the race and added a Murphy blind (right side),” he said.
Another Canterbury-bred mare, Sell A Bit, was brave in running second for Peter Tritton.
The daughter of Julius Caesar has been a brilliant earner for the former Australian trainer since he purchased her out of Brent White’s stable after the 2015 Harness Jewels at Ashburton.
Completing the route was Motu Moonbeam, a former Otago mare with Graeme Anderson, who was purchased by Paul Blumenfeld two years ago.
Later on in the night, grand New Zealand-bred pacer Bit Of A Legend continued his storied American career with another big race placing in the US $532,000 George Morton Levy Series Final.
He was no match for Keystone Velocity, who won the race for the second race in a row.
Bit Of A Legend, a multiple Group 1 winner Down under for Cran Dalgety, has now won 23 races and nearly US$1.5 Million since crossing the Pacific Ocean in late 2015.
Earlier on the card, former All Stars stable pacer Mackenzie won a US$75,000 consolation of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series while Franco Rayner won a US$20,000 conditioned pace.
- NZ Harness News
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