by Paul Ramlow, publicity director, the Grand Circuit

This Week: Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy series fourth legs, Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, N.Y.

Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit at Yonkers this week features two $40,000 divisions on Friday (April 7) in the fourth round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker series for open pacing mares. The Saturday (April 8) card at Yonkers will see three $50,000 divisions in the fourth round of the George Morton Levy series for open pacers. Complete entries for the races can be found by clicking on this link.

Last time: Horses aren’t supposed to win races from where Missile J was situated Saturday night (April 1). He didn’t get that memo. Missile J (Tim Tetrick, $2.70) unleashed a filthy stretch move, winning his third race in as many tries during Yonkers Raceway’s George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.

Round three featured another quartet of $50,000 divisions, with Missile J completing his own personal three-peat. After leaving fifth from post position four in the second event, the cause appeared hopeless. Sitting third-over in a stagnant outer tier, Missile J was sixth — 3-3/4 lengths behind Great Vintage (Mark MacDonald) — after that pole-sitter led through intervals of :27.2, :56.4 and 1:24.

Mike Lizzi photo

Missile J captured his third victory in Levy action on April 1 at Yonkers Raceway.

Missile J couldn’t be bothered with such impediments. He not only won, he measured it off, the final margin over Great Vintage being three-quarters of a length in 1:51.3. Third went to Clear Vision (Brett Miller), with Dr J Hanover (Scott Zeron) and Santa Fe Beachboy (Jason Bartlett) relegated to the remainder.

For Missile J, a 4-year-old American Ideal gelding trained by Scott DiDomenico for co-owners John McGill and Brian Carsey, it was his seventh win in eight seasonal starts.

Defending series champ Bit Of A Legend N (Jordan Stratton, $4.90) used a solid, two-move effort in the evening’s final Levy event. An early fourth from post six, he watched as polester Guantanamo Bay (Scott Zeron) offered some rare early foot (:28.2, :57.3, 1:25.3).

Despite those rather comfy fractions, Guantanamo Bay was powerless to stave off Bit Of A Legend N. The people’s choice took over early in the lane and edged away by a length in 1:52.4. Second went to an improved McWicked (Matt Kakaley), with Always At My Place (Yannick Gingras), a tiring Guantanamo Bay and Blood Brother (Bartlett) settling for the minors.

For Bit Of A Legend N, an 8-year-old Down Under son of Bettor’s Delight trained by Peter Tritton for owner Harry von Knoblauch Stable, it was his first win in five seasonal starts.

Saturday night’s first Levy grouping had Soto (Kakaley, $10) work out his third pocket trip in the series and earn his second series win. From post two, he conveniently slid in behind 19-10 choice Somewhere In L A (Bartlett). That job was made easier when Bettor’s Edge (Miller) and his inside speed broke early and vacated the course.

Somewhere In L A laid down the law (:26.3, :55.4, 1:23.4) while being pestered by a second move of Rockin Ron (Gingras). He owned a length lead in and out of the final turn, and held well, but not well enough.

Soto stuck his tongue out on the money, getting the decision over Somewhere In L A in 1:51.4. Wakizashi Hanover (Stratton) closed for third, beaten a neck, with Rockin Ron and Mach It So (Tetrick) earning small coinage.

For third choice Soto, a 5-year-old son of Rock N Roll Heaven trained by Eric Ell for co-owners Kenneth Wood, William Dittmar Jr. and Stephen Iaquinta, it was his sixth win in 11 2017 starts.

As was the case with Soto, Keystone Velocity (Dan Dube, $3.10) grabbed his second series win. Pocketed from the pole in the third event, he was both lucky and good, getting the passing lane after Caviart Luca (George Brennan) tired after setting fractions of :27, :55.1, and 1:23.1. P H Supercam (Miller) cleared first-up, with Provocativeprincen (Stratton) slipping out from behind Keystone Velocity to grab third tow. Provocativeprincen made his first run, but Keystone Velocity was raging. He zipped up the cones, whipping his rival by a half-length in 1:51.3. P H Supercam, Caviart Luca and Texas Terror N (Mark MacDonald) rounded out the payees.

For Keystone Velocity, a 9-year-old son of Western Hanover co-owned by trainer Rene Allard, Kapildeo Singh, Earl Hill Jr. and VIP Internet Stable, it was his second win in four seasonal starts.

Complete recaps of the weekend races are available at the Grand Circuit website.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2017, the Grand Circuit leaders in three categories (driver, trainer and owner) will once again be tracked on a points system (20-10-5 for the top three finishers in divisions/finals and 10-5-2 for the top three finishers in eliminations/legs). Winbak Farms is the sponsor for the 2017 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders following the past weekend at Yonkers:

Drivers: 1. Jason Bartlett – 64; 2. Jordan Stratton – 54; 3. Matt Kakaley – 51; 4. Tim Tetrick – 37; 5. Scott Zeron – 36.

Trainers: 1. Peter Tritton – 52; 2. Rene Allard – 35; 3t. Richard Banca – 32; 3t. Scott DiDomenico – 32; 5. Tony Alagna – 27.

Owners: 1. Harry von Knoblauch Stable – 46; 2. Fred Monteleone Stable – 22; 3t. Rene Allard – 15; 3t. Brian Carsey – 15; 3t. Legacy Racing of DE – 15; 3t. John McGill – 15.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will continue with the final leg of the Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy next weekend. The finals and consolations for both events will be held on April 22.