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

Yonkers, NY — Maltese Artist, fresh off his world record performance in last Saturday night’s $125,000 Battle of Lake Erie, returns to the big city Saturday night (April 28) for Yonkers Raceway’s George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.

Post time for the 10-race card is 7:40 p.m., with the two, $50,000 Levy divisions — the fifth of sixth preliminary rounds — going as races seven and nine.

Maltese Artist drew the pole in the second, nine-horse Levy extravaganza, with Greg Grismore driving for trainer Mickey Burke. The 6-year-old Artiscape gelding won Northfield’s “Battle” in 1:49.4 — a new world record for older geldings over a half-mile oval (the former record of 1:50.2 was set by Westward Vision at Maywood Park last September).

Maltese Artist has two wins (both with Grismore driving) and a second in his three Levy appearances and enters Saturday night with four victories and nine in-the-money finishes in 10 seasonal starts ($199,675). He joined the millionaire’s club (for co-owners Sylvia Burke, John Howard and James Koran) with his Levy win two weeks ago.

Ironically, Brett Miller, the escort for Maltese Artist’s Battle of Lake Erie win, hits town for his first Yonkers visit behind Mister Big from post four. All Mister Big has done in this series is throw in a pair of monster wins — both from off the pace and both with Grismore at the controls — including a track record (4-year-old horse) 1:52 in the opening round.

The son of Grinfromeartoear, trained by Virgil Morgan, Jr. for owner Joe Muscara, has seven wins and a pair of seconds in 10 ’07 efforts ($182,246).

Saturday night’s opening Levy grouping features another pair of prime pacers — both with wicked early foot — in Special Report (Larry Stalbaum, post two) and Jereme’s Jet (Tomy Morgan, post four).

Special Report, with two wins and two seconds in his four series starts, has been first or second in all but one of 11 seasonal efforts ($135,875). Hugo Iodice owns and Kim Asher trains the 5-year-old Keystone Raider gelding, a track record holder in his weight class.

Jereme’s Jet turned his first Levy appearance a week ago into a public workout. A perfect 2-for-2 this season, the 4-year-old son of Western Hanover is trained by Ton Harmer for Genesis Racing Stable. Millioniare “Jereme” was the sport’s frosh divisional champ in 2005.

The Levy fields, in post position order:

7th Race: 1-Pacific Renegade (Greg Grismore, 8-1); 2-Special Report (Larry Stalbaum, 3-1); 3-Cam’s Fool (Jeff Gregory, 20-1); 4-Jereme’s Jet (Tony Morgan, 2-1); 5-He Wants It All (Eric Goodell, 12-1); 6-Cheyenne Hollywood (Pat Lachance, 7-2); 7-Bay Sign (Pat Berry, 15-1); 8-Eyes On Kassa (Tim Tetrick, 10-1); 9-Pacific Playboy (Stephane Bouchard, 5-1).

9th Race: 1-Maltese Artist (Grismore, 2-1); Grin Some More (Ray Fisher, Jr., 20-1); 3-Spirit Of A Shark (Gregory, 15-1); 4-Mister Big (Brett Miller, 3-1); 5-JK Big Shot (Tetrick, 7-2); 6-Whosurboy (Bouchard, 8-1); 7-Village Jate N (Berry, 12-1); 8-I Can Only Imagine (Morgan, 10-1); 9-True Force (Jim Meittinis, 5-1).

Live racing is currently offered at Yonkers with six programs per week — Monday through Saturday nights at 7:40 p.m. Harness and thoroughbred simulcasting is available seven days a week, while Empire City’s nearly 5,500 video gaming machines are in play daily from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m.