by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Real Nice (George Brennan) was all that and more on Saturday night (April 30), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $495,000 final of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.

Tom Berg photo

Real Nice lived up to his name with a 1:51.2 score in the Levy final.

The 24th (and richest-ever) Levy for Free For Allers — also the richest North American harness race of the season to date — began with Real Nice swooping to the lead from post position No. 5. He was in command well before the :26.4 opening quarter-mile. This Is Wyatt (Eric Goodell) was pocket-protecting, with Gallant Yankee (Tim Tetrick) away third and two-time defending series champ Foiled Again (Yannick Gingras) floating in for a four hole.

Real Nice gave himself a bit of a breather (:28.4) with a 55.3 intermission before Gallant Yankee moved from third. That one prompted a :27.2 backside (1:23 three-quarters), with Foiled Again — the stronger half of the 3-4 favored entry — ambling up from second-up.

Real Nice worked from a 1-1/2 length lead into the lane. Pocket-sitting This Is Wyatt came up barren, Foiled Again kept challenging, and a way-out-wide Giddy Up Lucky (Daniel Dube) was showing up late as the 31-1 rank outsider.

In the end, it was a real tough Real Nice, gutting it out by a neck in 1:51.2. Giddy Up Lucky snapped second, with Foiled Again, Gallant Yankee and Foiled Again’s running mate, Southern Allie (David Miller), completing the cashers. Foreign Officer (Jim Pantaleano) –stablemate to This Is Wyatt — Blatantly Good (Jason Bartlett) and This Is Wyatt rounded out the order of finish.

Real Nice, a 6-year-old Real Artist gelding trained by Rich Banca for co-owners Beverly and Gary Paganelli and Anthony Scussel, returned $20.80 (fourth choice) for his sixth win in 10 seasonal efforts (earnings in excess of $341,000). The exacta paid $244, with the triple returning $892.

“His game is speed,” Brennan — whose game is also speed — said. “He drew poorly in the first two legs and had no shot. He won the next two weeks (from the inside and the six hole), and even though he was beaten last week, he raced well.

“Tonight, I knew I’d have to pay a price to get the lead, and when I saw Gallant Yankee moving, I couldn’t have him smothering me, so I picked it up again.

“He was just incredibly game tonight. Rich (Banca) had him on his toes. It’s a great race to win. He beat some terrific horses and I’m very pleased.”

A $100,000 series consolation was won by Mr Massimo (Brennan, $9) in 1:51.2.