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

Yonkers, NY — It’s getting to the nitty and the gritty in both of Yonkers Raceway’s series for older marquee pacers, with the fourth of five preliminary legs scheduled for this weekend.

The George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series continues Saturday night (April 18) with three $50,000 events, going as races six, eight and nine on the 11-race program.

The first Levy event finds King Cat Anvil N (Jordan Stratton, post one) going after a third series and fifth ’09 victory. The 7-year-old Down Under Christian Cullen gelding, trained by Dave Stratton for owner John Kiwczak, is closing in on the $600,000 career earnings figure.

He was snapped on the money a week ago by Atochia (Greg Grismore, post three). The 4-year-old Dragon Again gelding had been 0-for-9 this season before skimming the cones a week ago.

Trainer Ron Burke, who sent out three of the four Round 3 Levy winners, also brings back Lucky Bettor (Grismore, post four) in Saturday night’s second grouping. The 5-year-old statebred Bettor’s Delight gelding, whose 1:52.1 effort last Saturday was the fastest local mile of the season, has hit the board in 9-of-11 seasonal starts (four wins, two seconds, three thirds) with earnings in excess of $103,000. Burke Racing co-owns along with JJK Stables and Weaver Bruscemi.

Psilvuheartbreaker (Jim Meittinis, post two) and J P Jackpot (Stephane Bouchard, post seven) were each second in their respective series races a week ago.

Saturday night’s final Levy legion finds Blueridge Western (Jason Bartlett, post two) out to avenge last week’s upset at the hands of Real Nice (Bouchard, post four). The former had won his previous four starts, while the latter — who went the distance a week ago — has been in-the-money in 10 of his dozen ’09 appearances. Blueridge Western is a 4-year-old Allamerican Ingot gelding trained by Kevin McDermott for owner Francis Azur, while Real Nice is a 4-year-old Real Artist gelding trained by Matt Medeiros for co-owners Beverly and Gary Paganelli.

Friday night (April 17), a pair of $40,000 divisions of the Blue Chip Matchmaker — races two and eight — put Sweet 16 mares on display.

The first division is a battle between Ms. Inside, Chancey Lady (Cat Manzi, post one) and Ms. Outside, Pancleefandarpels (Stratton, post eight).

Chancey Lady notched a win (1:52.2) and a second in two series starts before taking last week off. The millionairess 4-year-old daughter of Camluck, owned by Niele Jiwan and trained by Mark Kesmodel, has won three of her 10 seasonal starts and more than $122,000.

Pancleefandarpels owns a pair of runaway wins sandwiching a third-place finish in her three Matchmaker play dates. The 5-year-old Noble Ability miss, trained by Erv Miller for Peter Pan Stables, has five victories and four thirds in her 10 ’09 efforts ($104,940).

Friday night’s second series event finds Elusive Prey (Bouchard, post one) outdrawing her rivals as she looks for a second Matchmaker victory. The 5-year-old daughter of Western Hanover is trained by Kevin Johnson for co-owners Rebecca Williams and Joe and Joann Thomson.

Ramona Disomma (Stratton, post six) joined the fray last week and quickly made up for lost time, prevailing in customary off-the-pace style. The 4-year-old Pacific Fella lass, owned by Anatolia Racing Stable and trained by Jake Hartline, goes for her fourth win of the season.

Double Dream N (Brent Holland, post seven) has been a bridesmaid in each of her last two series starts.