by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Blue Boy completed a series sweep Saturday night (April 11), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $70,600 final of the Sagamore Hill Pacing Series for 3- and 4-year-olds, the Raceway’s richest ’09 race to date.

Blue Boy was a 1:54.1 winner for Jason Bartlett in the Sagamore Hill Series Final.

With Jason Bartlett driving for trainer Julie Miler, Blue Boy — 3-for-3 in prelim action — left from post position six as the 3-4 wagering favorite. He wasted no time taking matters into his own hands, grabbing the lead just after a :27.1 opening quarter-mile. Cry For Cash (Brent Holland) protected the pocket, while Internationalstyle (Greg Grismore, four winners Saturday) left outside of the favorite, but was parked for his troubles.

Blue Boy reached the half in :56 and the three-quarters in 1:25, then opened up three lengths turning for home. He defeated Future Cruiser (Jeff Gregory) by that same margin in 1:54.1, with Cry For Cash, Ironstone Wiz (Stephane Bouchard) and Fischers Majorrisk (Jordan Stratton) completing the cashers.

“I had to use him pretty good to get the lead,” Bartlett said. “No one left underneath (inside) me, which helped. I wanted to control the race, but if I had to take a hole, I would have.

“He’s a big horse, but gets over the ground well enough. He proved he was the best in this series.”

Blue Boy, a 4-year-old Real Artist gelding owned by Mack Racing Stable, returned $3.50 for his seventh win in 11 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $10.20, with the triple returning $21.40.

A pair of Sagamore Hill Series consolations, worth $25,000 and $12,500 respectively, were won by Blindsided (Greg Grismore, $3.60) in 1:54.2 and Touch And Go (Pat Berry, $4.60) in 1:55.3.

Saturday night also featured four, $50,000 divisions in the third round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series, the Raceway’s premier Free-for-All event.

The first Levy grouping saw Atochia (Grismore) leave from post two, sit a three-hole to 4-5 choice King Cat Anvil N (Stratton), then get that one in the passing lane. King Cat Anvil N led through fractions of :27.4, :57 and 1:25.2, but fell a head shy in 1:53.2. Mighty Young Joe (Stacy Chiodo) sat pocketed to the pacesetter, went out for the drive and was photoed for second.

Atochia, a 4-year-old Dragon Again gelding trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, M1 Stable and JJK Stables, returned $6.20 (second choice) for his first win in 10 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $14.20, with the triple returning $40.60.

Saturday night’s second Levy division had Foiled Again (Yannick Gingras) give the Burke brigade consecutive series wins with his own repeat performance.

The 2-5 people’s choice, leaving from post six, took an early seat fourth before stepping around J P Jackpot (Bouchard). Controlling through fractions of :27.3, :56.2 and 1:24.3, Foiled Again easily dealt with a second move from longshot Booze Cruzin (Ryan Anderson) and opened to a four length win in 1:53. J P Jackpot was second, with Philos Hanover (Cat Manzi) third.

Foiled Again, a 5-year-old Dragon Again gelding co-owned by Burke Racing, JJK Stables and Weaver Bruscemi, paid $2.90 for his third win in four seasonal starts. The exacta paid $14.20, with the triple returning $41.60.

Mike Lizzi photos

Lucky Bettor won the fastest of four Levy splits on Saturday, scoring in 1:52.1.

The third event had the Burke battalion posing for a picture once again, this time with 6-5 favorite Lucky Bettor (Grismore).

Leaving from post four, he went right to the lead before yielding to Psilvuheartbreaker (Jim Meittinis). Those two ran away and hid from the other gang members through fractions of :27, :55.3 and 1:23.4.

Lucky Bettor, sitting a tight pocket, eased out and over Psilvuheartbreaker by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:52.1, fastest local mile of the season. Test Flight (Bouchard) was a best-of-the-rest third.

Lucky Bettor, a 5-year-old statebred Bettor’s Delight gelding co-owned by Burke Racing, JJK Stables and Weaver Bruscemi, paid $4.50 for his fourth victory in 11 ’09 tries. The exacta returned $9.10, with the triple paying $131.50.

Saturday night’s final Levy get-together was a wire-to-wire effort by Real Nice (Bouchard). Leaving from post three, he grabbed the throttle through intervals of :27, :56.1, and 1:24. Blueridge Western (Bartlett), 2-5 and going for a series three-peat, dropped in fourth before engaging the leader.

Blueridge Western ducked in for a breather while Palone Ranger (Manzi) gapped the pocket, but no matter. Real Nice was too tough, winning by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:52.3, matching his season’s best. Albert Chief A (Pat Berry) was third.

Real Nice, a 4-year-old Real Artist gelding co-owned by Beverly and Gary Paganelli and trained by Matt Medeiros, paid $15.80 (third choice) for his fifth win in a dozen seasonal starts. He led a $35 exacta and $596 triple.