Rodeo Rock, Ideal Jimmy double up in Levy Series

Yonkers, NY – Saturday night’s (March 23) second round of Yonkers Raceway’s George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series didn’t do a whole lot to establish a clear favorite, though some of the contenders did indeed state their cases.

Another happy half-dozen, $50,000, Free-For-All groups were contested, with a pair of repeaters leading the way.

Here’s the succinct story, not necessarily in chronological order…

Second division—Odds-on Rodeo Rock (Andrew McCarthy, $3.50)—from post position five–‘ran down’ loose leader Gokudo Hanover (George Brennan), prevailing first-up by a head in 1:52.1. The 13-1 latter had open lengths through intervals of :26.4, :56.1 and 1:24.   Rock the Nite (Mark MacDonald), More the Better N (Scott Zeron) and Major Crocker A (Dan Dube) picked off the remainder, while an amiss Bit of a Legend N (Jordan Stratton) lost tough from a pole-sitting pocket and finished sixth.

For Rodeo Rock, a 6-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven gelding owned by Royal Wire Products and trained by Robert Cleary, it was his third win in as many seasonal starts (two-for-two in series). The exacta paid $22.60, the triple returned $201 and the superfecta paid $459.50.

“I was hoping Scotty (Zeron) with More the Better N would pull from third, but he was happy where he was and I just had to go on with it,” McCarthy said. “It was a long way (from fifth) in the wind, but he was actually more comfortable tonight than in last week’s race.”

Ideal Jimmy won for second consecutive week in Levy Series at Yonkers Saturday night. Mike Lizzi Photo.

Fourth division—After wiring his opening-leg rivals at 9-1, favored Ideal Jimmy (Brent Holland, $4.10) had more acquaintances at the windows. From post three, it couldn’t have been less simple (:28, :57.4, 1:26, 1:53.3), going the distance by 3-¼ lengths. Polester Lochton Luck A (Matt Kakaley), as the 29-1 outsider, and Bellow’s Binge (Jason Bartlett) finished the tickets, while Always at My Place (Brennan) and Bettor Memories (Jim Marohn Jr.) settled for the remainder.

For Ideal Jimmy, a 6-year-old homebred Western Ideal gelding owned by D Van Witzenberg and trained by Erv Miller, it was his fifth win in 10 tries in 2019 (two-for-two in series). The exacta paid $49, the triple returned $136 and the superfecta paid $1,379.

“I thought he should have been the favorite last week,” Holland said “He’s very handy and I’m not surprised he’s stepped up in this series.”

JJ Flynn paid $43 in winning in Saturday’s Levy Series at Yonkers. Mike Lizzi Photo.

First division—A week after Western Fame (Dube) traversed the fastest local mile (1:51.1) of the season, he was 15-cents-on-the-dollar to do it again. JJ Flynn  (Brennan, $43) was not impressed. After Western Fame led through early fractions of :27.1 and :56.2, JJ Flynn moved—with purpose—from post four. He hooked Western Fame by the 1:24 three-quarters, fighting him off from there. The final margin was three-quarters of a length in a sharp 1:51.3. Duplicated N (Tim Tetrick) was a pocket third, with Ballerat Boomerang (Joe Bongiorno) and Lyons Steel (MacDonald) also making appearance fees.

For fourth choice JJ Flynn, a 6-year-old Western Ideal gelding co-owned by (trainer) Josh Green, Richard Lombardo and Charles Cochran III, he’s now six-for-eight this season (one-for-two in series). The exacta paid $119.50, the triple returned $191 and the superfecta paid $362.50.

Third division—Anythingforlove A (Bongiorno) saw his quest for the series two-fer implode from pole-sitting Endeavor (Tetrick, $4.90) pulled from third and rolled right past. The former offered early foot (:27.3, :57.1), but was backpedaling by the 1:25 three-quarters. Endeavor, meanwhile, opened a pair of lengths in and out of the final turn, eventually winning by 2-¼ lengths in 1:52.4. Control Tower (Austin Siegelman) was a loose-second-up second, with a trapped Dr. J Hanover (McCarthy), Nocturnal Bluechip (Zeron) and the fading 11-10 fave Anythingforlove A settling for the minors.

For second choice Endeavor, a 6-year-old American Ideal gelding co-owned by (trainer) Jeff Cullipher and Pollack Racing, it was his first win in a pair of seasonal/series starts. The exacta paid $24.40, the triple returned $149.50 and the superfecta paid $530.

Fifth division—The Downtown Bus (Zeron, $17.20) took the always-popular fourth-over route to redemption, snapping 11-10 choice Beckham’s Z Tam (Tetrick) by a head in 1:53.1. The closers, from posts five and three, respectively, had numbers to chase after Sam’s a Champ A (MacDonald) set a contested pace (:26.1, :55.3, 1:23.4) after getting stung early and softened by a first-up The Wall (Bongiorno). Rodeo Romeo (Bartlett) was an outkicked third, with The Wall and Whittaker N (Holland) grabbing the smaller envelopes. For fifth choice The Downtown Bus, a 4-year-old Mach Three gelding co-owned by (trainer) Jeff Gillis and Ellen Ott, he’s now one-for-two this season/series. The exacta paid $90.50, the triple returned $196.50 and the superfecta paid $540.

Sixth division—A two-speed number, where second choice Somewhere in L A (Bartlett, $6.10) edged past just-over-even-money I’marocnrollegend N (Brennan) in 1:53.1. Pocketed from post four, ‘L A’ earned a 40th career win, the margin three-quarters of a length. Don Domingo N (Stratton) was a ground-saving third, with I’m Some Graduate (Kakaley) and Mar Nien A (Greg Merton) earning the remainder of available coinage.

For Somewhere in L A, an 8-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding co-owned by D’Elegance Stable IX, Carmen Iannacone, T L P & Gandolfo Stables and trained by Richard Banca, it was his second win in five seasonal efforts (one-for-two in series). The exacta paid $14.60, the triple returned $126.50 and the superfecta paid $572.

The series standings, as dutifully compiled by Bob (OUTP) Miecuna, accompany this release.

Saturday night’s $44,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by 31-1 rank outsider New  Heaven (Stratton, $64) in a season’s-best 1:55.3.

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