Kakaley enjoys new view of McWicked
April 19, 2017,by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications
Ken Weingartner
Freehold, NJ — Matt Kakaley saw many of McWicked’s victories during the horse’s Dan Patch Award-winning campaign in 2014, but not from a favorable vantage point. Kakaley drove horses that lost nine times to McWicked that season, which culminated with McWicked being named harness racing’s best 3-year-old male pacer.
Last weekend McWicked won again, but this time Kakaley was much happier with the view. Kakaley began driving McWicked three weeks ago in the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series and the two teamed to advance to Saturday’s $529,000 championship at Yonkers Raceway by getting last week’s crucial triumph following two second-place finishes.
“It’s cool how it’s worked out where I finally get to drive him,” Kakaley said. “I raced against him many, many times and he usually beat me every time I raced him. I think I got the better of him once or twice.
“This has worked out good. He’s getting sharp at the right time. He was super the other night.”
Mike Lizzi photo
Matt Kakaley steered McWicked to a 1:51.4 score in last weekend’s final preliminary round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.
McWicked will start Saturday’s Levy final from post No. 1 and is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line behind favorite Somewhere In L A, who enters the race off back-to-back victories. Missile J, the only three-time winner in the event’s five preliminary rounds, is 4-1 while defending champion Bit Of A Legend N is 5-1.
“It’s going to be a good race,” Kakaley said. “It’s a good group of horses. Missile J is the one to beat, but Somewhere In L A has been racing good, Bit Of A Legend has been racing good. I don’t think any one horse lays over (the field). There are probably four or five that have a really big shot.”
McWicked, owned by Ed James and trained since last year by Steve Elliott, was stymied at ages 4 and 5 by throat issues that resulted in two surgeries. This year, the 6-year-old son of McArdle-Western Sahara has won three of seven races and earned $71,000 to push his career purses to $1.83 million.
Kakaley and McWicked needed last Saturday’s win to secure a place in the Levy final. A week after losing by a nose to Clear Vision in a gate-to-wire attempt, McWicked rallied from four lengths back at the half to win by three-quarters of a length over Caviart Luca.
“He’s been getting better and better each start,” Kakaley said. “The (previous) start, when I had him on the front, he was just kind of waiting on a horse and Clear Vision got him. I asked Steve to make a little bridle change and he was sharp. He was super.
“He’s getting right at the right time for this series and the rail always helps at Yonkers. He’s just a pleasure to drive. He’ll do anything you want. He’s all professional. Steve has got him really good right now. Hopefully I can work out a good trip and give him a big chance to get the job done.”
Chris Brokate photo
Medusa had one win in the five preliminary rounds of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series.
Two races prior to the Levy championship, Kakaley will drive Medusa in the $310,600 Blue Chip Matchmaker Series final. Medusa, who had one win in the five preliminary rounds for trainer Andrew Federico Jr. and owners Randy Bendis and Tom Pollack, is 20-1 on the morning line from post six.
Mach It A Par, who shared the points lead in the prelims with Shesjustadelight N, is the 2-1 choice from post three. Regil Elektra, a three-time winner in the series, is 5-2 from post five and Shesjustadelight N is 4-1 from post two.
“I wasn’t too thrilled about the draw,” Kakaley said. “She drew outside a couple of the main contenders. But she’s been really good. She was really sharp when she won and she was really good last week, I just didn’t really have much room up the passing lane. But she finished with a good amount of steam.
“I was really looking forward to her being a live shot in there. Hopefully things will work out because she’s been good. I think she still has a shot; she just needs the race to set up for her.”
Complete entries for the Saturday races at Yonkers can be found by clicking on this link.
- McWicked seeks memorable Grand Circuit return in Levy (Thursday, March 16, 2017)
Moments after his purchase of McWicked at the 2013 Standardbred Mixed Sale in Harrisburg, Ed James was reaching into his pocket. On this occasion it was not to extract his wallet, but to answer his phone.
- Missile J, DiDomenico primed for 529K final of Levy Pacing Series (Wednesday, April 19, 2017)
It’s one thing to stand out against many of the finest older pacers in training. It’s quite another to do it as a young’un.Missile J, a relative toddler at the age of four, finds himself worthy of a seat at Saturday night’s (April 22) adult table for Yonkers Raceway’s $529,000 final of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series. This race, and its companion, the $310,600 Blue Chip Matchmaker, are the sport’s two richest of the season to date.
- Banca sends out two early favorites for Yonkers’ Grand Circuit action (Friday, April 21, 2017)
When trainer Rich Banca purchased Somewhere In L A at the 2016 Harrisburg Sale, he thought he was getting a solid older gelding with potential to race in the upper-level conditions at Yonkers Raceway. Instead, heading into Saturday (April 22) night’s $529,000 George Morton Levy Series Final, Somewhere In L A tops the leader board with 287 points earned in the series’ five preliminary legs and leads all standardbreds in North America by earnings in the young racing season with $180,750 on his card.
- Keystone Velocity and Mackenzie A upset Levy and Matchmaker (Saturday, April 22, 2017)
Keystone Velocity charged through the stretch to overtake pacesetting McWicked and then held off Somewhere In L A by a head to win Saturday’s $529,000 George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series championship for older male pacers in 1:51.2 over a track labeled “good” at Yonkers Raceway. Even-money favorite Missile J finished third and Bit Of A Legend N, the defending champion, was fourth.