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

Yonkers, NY — Foiled Again took over from entrymate Lucky Bettor early, then ran up the Saturday night score, drilling Yonkers Raceway’s $370,000 final of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.

The finale of the Levy — Yonkers’ premier Free-For-All event and the sport’s richest race of 2009 to date — was reduced to a battle for the balance for the last half-mile.

Foiled Again crossed the finish line in 1:52.3 to win the Levy Final.

Both halves of the Ron Burke-trained entry — sent postward as the 3-10 favorite — were in play at the ouset. Lucky Bettor (Greg Grismore, post five) made a quick lead while Foiled Again (Yannick Gingras, post three) briefly settled in third. The latter grabbed the baton just after a :27.3 opening quarter-mile and had no designs on sharing.

That greediness was not good news for Blueridge Western (Jason Bartlett). The points leader after the five preliminary rounds was saddled with post position seven in the open draw finale. He found an early four-hole, but was doomed to make a second, uncovered move into a tepid :29.1 second quarter.

That breather was more than enough ammo for Foiled Again, who found a 1:24.4 three-quarters before slapping 3-1/2 lengths on his foes turning for the bank.

Foiled Again hit the line a wrapped-up 2-3/4 lengths to the good in 1:52.3. Psilvuheartbreaker (Jim Meittinis) edged Lucky Bettor for second — and became a career millionaire in the process — with Mighty Young Joe (Stacy Chiodo) and King Cat Anvil N (Jordan Stratton) completing the cashers. Wholly Louy (Cat Manzi), Real Nice (Stephane Bouchard) and a hard-luck Blueridge Western rounded out the order.

Foiled Again, a 5-year-old Dragon Again gelding co-owned by Burke Racing, JJK Stables and Weaver Bruscemi, paid $2.60 for his fifth win (fourth consecutive) in six seasonal starts ($285,000). The exacta paid $9.60, with the triple returning $61.50.

“Once I made the lead, I knew we’d be hard to catch,” Gingras said. “The draw certainly helped, but this is a very tough horse. The more you ask him and work on him during the race, the better he is.”

The race, inaugurated in 1978 — a year after Levy’s death — honors the founder of Roosevelt Raceway and a 1966 inductee into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame. His son, Bob, made the winner’s circle presentation.

While the favorite rolled in the Levy, the people’s preference wasn’t as fortunate in the $229,000 final of the inaugural Blue Chip Matchmaker.

Mike Lizzi photos

Pancleefandarpels was a 1:54.4 winner in the Blue Chip Matchmaker.

Chancy Lady (Manzi), the 2-5 choice from the pole in the Open Mare event, picked a bad night to have a bad night. The millionairess made an early break and was never a factor.

Pancleefandarpels (Stratton), the series prelim points leader, pulled first-up from fourth, wore down a stubborn Omen Hanover (Eric Abbatiello) before edging to a 1-1/4 length win in 1:54.4. Double Dream N (Brent Holland) grabbed second over a very good Omen Hanover, with Hannah Isabel (Pat Lachance) and Elusive Prey (Bouchard) grabbing the small change. Chancy Lady wound up gapping from second-over and finished last among the lasses.

The winner, a 5-year-old statebred daughter of Noble Ability, owned by Peter Pan Stables and trained by Erv Miller, paid $8 (second choice) for her seventh victory in 13 ’09 efforts. The exacta paid $124.50, with the triple returning $600.

“This is my first big stakes win, and I’m really sort of speechless,” Stratton said. “She’s such a talented horse and I’m so glad to drive her.”

As for Chancy Lady, “She had a bad week and didn’t seem like herself scoring down,” Manzi said. “When I asked her for some speed early, she ran. She came out of the race fine. It’s just one of those things.”

A pair of series consolations, worth $100,000 (Levy) and $75,000 (Matchmaker), were won by J P Jackpot (Bartlett, $7.70) in 1:52.3 and Ramona Disomma (Grismore, $7.20) in 1:53.4, respectively.

As an extra perk, the Blue Chip Matchmaker offers three free breedings for the 2010 season — one each to American Ideal, Art Major and Bettor’s Delight — donated by Blue Chip Farms. Pancleefandarpels now has first choice of stallions, Double Dream N has the choice of the two remaining stallions, with Omen Hanover getting a breeding to the remaining stallion.

The Wallkill, N.Y., farm was well-represented by Mike Kimelman, who made the winner’s circle presentation.