Rodeo Rock, Ideal Jimmy double up in Levy Series
March 24, 2019,Yonkers, NY – Saturday night’s (March 23) second round of Yonkers Raceway’s George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series didn’t do a whole lot to establish a clear favorite, though some of the contenders did indeed state their cases.
Another happy half-dozen, $50,000, Free-For-All groups were contested, with a pair of repeaters leading the way.
Here’s the succinct story, not necessarily in chronological order…
Second division—Odds-on Rodeo Rock (Andrew McCarthy, $3.50)—from post position five–‘ran down’ loose leader Gokudo Hanover (George Brennan), prevailing first-up by a head in 1:52.1. The 13-1 latter had open lengths through intervals of :26.4, :56.1 and 1:24. Rock the Nite (Mark MacDonald), More the Better N (Scott Zeron) and Major Crocker A (Dan Dube) picked off the remainder, while an amiss Bit of a Legend N (Jordan Stratton) lost tough from a pole-sitting pocket and finished sixth.
For Rodeo Rock, a 6-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven gelding owned by Royal Wire Products and trained by Robert Cleary, it was his third win in as many seasonal starts (two-for-two in series). The exacta paid $22.60, the triple returned $201 and the superfecta paid $459.50.
“I was hoping Scotty (Zeron) with More the Better N would pull from third, but he was happy where he was and I just had to go on with it,” McCarthy said. “It was a long way (from fifth) in the wind, but he was actually more comfortable tonight than in last week’s race.”
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Ideal Jimmy won for second consecutive week in Levy Series at Yonkers Saturday night. Mike Lizzi Photo.
Fourth division—After wiring his opening-leg rivals at 9-1, favored Ideal Jimmy (Brent Holland, $4.10) had more acquaintances at the windows. From post three, it couldn’t have been less simple (:28, :57.4, 1:26, 1:53.3), going the distance by 3-¼ lengths. Polester Lochton Luck A (Matt Kakaley), as the 29-1 outsider, and Bellow’s Binge (Jason Bartlett) finished the tickets, while Always at My Place (Brennan) and Bettor Memories (Jim Marohn Jr.) settled for the remainder.
For Ideal Jimmy, a 6-year-old homebred Western Ideal gelding owned by D Van Witzenberg and trained by Erv Miller, it was his fifth win in 10 tries in 2019 (two-for-two in series). The exacta paid $49, the triple returned $136 and the superfecta paid $1,379.
“I thought he should have been the favorite last week,” Holland said “He’s very handy and I’m not surprised he’s stepped up in this series.”
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JJ Flynn paid $43 in winning in Saturday’s Levy Series at Yonkers. Mike Lizzi Photo.
First division—A week after Western Fame (Dube) traversed the fastest local mile (1:51.1) of the season, he was 15-cents-on-the-dollar to do it again. JJ Flynn (Brennan, $43) was not impressed. After Western Fame led through early fractions of :27.1 and :56.2, JJ Flynn moved—with purpose—from post four. He hooked Western Fame by the 1:24 three-quarters, fighting him off from there. The final margin was three-quarters of a length in a sharp 1:51.3. Duplicated N (Tim Tetrick) was a pocket third, with Ballerat Boomerang (Joe Bongiorno) and Lyons Steel (MacDonald) also making appearance fees.
For fourth choice JJ Flynn, a 6-year-old Western Ideal gelding co-owned by (trainer) Josh Green, Richard Lombardo and Charles Cochran III, he’s now six-for-eight this season (one-for-two in series). The exacta paid $119.50, the triple returned $191 and the superfecta paid $362.50.
Third division—Anythingforlove A (Bongiorno) saw his quest for the series two-fer implode from pole-sitting Endeavor (Tetrick, $4.90) pulled from third and rolled right past. The former offered early foot (:27.3, :57.1), but was backpedaling by the 1:25 three-quarters. Endeavor, meanwhile, opened a pair of lengths in and out of the final turn, eventually winning by 2-¼ lengths in 1:52.4. Control Tower (Austin Siegelman) was a loose-second-up second, with a trapped Dr. J Hanover (McCarthy), Nocturnal Bluechip (Zeron) and the fading 11-10 fave Anythingforlove A settling for the minors.
For second choice Endeavor, a 6-year-old American Ideal gelding co-owned by (trainer) Jeff Cullipher and Pollack Racing, it was his first win in a pair of seasonal/series starts. The exacta paid $24.40, the triple returned $149.50 and the superfecta paid $530.
Fifth division—The Downtown Bus (Zeron, $17.20) took the always-popular fourth-over route to redemption, snapping 11-10 choice Beckham’s Z Tam (Tetrick) by a head in 1:53.1. The closers, from posts five and three, respectively, had numbers to chase after Sam’s a Champ A (MacDonald) set a contested pace (:26.1, :55.3, 1:23.4) after getting stung early and softened by a first-up The Wall (Bongiorno). Rodeo Romeo (Bartlett) was an outkicked third, with The Wall and Whittaker N (Holland) grabbing the smaller envelopes. For fifth choice The Downtown Bus, a 4-year-old Mach Three gelding co-owned by (trainer) Jeff Gillis and Ellen Ott, he’s now one-for-two this season/series. The exacta paid $90.50, the triple returned $196.50 and the superfecta paid $540.
Sixth division—A two-speed number, where second choice Somewhere in L A (Bartlett, $6.10) edged past just-over-even-money I’marocnrollegend N (Brennan) in 1:53.1. Pocketed from post four, ‘L A’ earned a 40th career win, the margin three-quarters of a length. Don Domingo N (Stratton) was a ground-saving third, with I’m Some Graduate (Kakaley) and Mar Nien A (Greg Merton) earning the remainder of available coinage.
For Somewhere in L A, an 8-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding co-owned by D’Elegance Stable IX, Carmen Iannacone, T L P & Gandolfo Stables and trained by Richard Banca, it was his second win in five seasonal efforts (one-for-two in series). The exacta paid $14.60, the triple returned $126.50 and the superfecta paid $572.
The series standings, as dutifully compiled by Bob (OUTP) Miecuna, accompany this release.
Saturday night’s $44,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by 31-1 rank outsider New Heaven (Stratton, $64) in a season’s-best 1:55.3.