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

Yonkers, NY — Foiled Again, fresh off wins in the final two preliminary legs, drew post position five for Saturday night’s (Feb. 24)$46,500 final of the Hopeful Pacing Series for 3-year-old colts and geldings at Yonkers Raceway. The finale goes as race 9 during the Raceway’s 13-race program, with first post at 7:40 p.m.

Foiled Again, a Dragon Again colt, hasn’t done a whole lot wrong in his brief career. No worse than second in 10 career tries, he’s won four of his five ’07 efforts for owner Patrick Lacey — he of Yonkers — and trainer Hermann Heitmann. Jack Baggitt, Jr., who has driven Foiled Again in all but one of his purse starts, shall do the honors once again.

“I”d say he’s in eighth grade now,” Baggitt said. “He’s come a long way since kindergarten when we started with him, but he has a long way to go to finish high school.

“You try to race and educate — get the best of both worlds — but sometimes that’s not always possible. I just have to put him in the best possible position to win.”

Foiled Again won his two Hopeful preps in 1:57.4 and 1:57.1, respectively. The latter effort matched the fastest mile in prelim competition.

Artomatic Pilot, a Western Hanover colt, won his first two series tries (1:59.2 and 1:58), but faded to fourth a week ago. He called in a few markers for the open draw finals, landing the pole.

“He’s going to need a trip, and he should get one,” driver Jeff Gregory said. “They probably went a bit faster than he was accustomed to last week, but I’d like to think he can compete with these.”

The field for the final of the Hopeful Pacing Series — soph colts and geldongs — in post position order: 1-Artomatic Pilot (Jeff Gregory); 2-Real Yankee (Victor Kirby); 3-Saratoga John (Steve Smith); 4-Incredibley Rich (Eric Goodell); 5-Foiled Again (Jack Baggitt, Jr.); 6-Rose Street Bliss (Jim Pantaleano); 7-Dragon Master (Stephane Bouchard); and 8-Reverse The Curse (Pat Berry).

Live racing is currently offered at Yonkers with six programs per week — Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at 7:40 p.m., along with a Tuesday matinee at 1:00 p.m. The ’07 stakes schedule continues next Monday and Tuesday, with finals in all five divisions of the Empire City Non-Claming Series.

Harness and thoroughbred simulcasting is available seven days a week, while Empire City’s nearly 4,200 video gaming machines are in play daily from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m.