by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers, NY — Yonkers Raceway Saturday night (April 14) concluded the preliminaries, with the fifth round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series . A trio of windy, $50,000 events featured many of the best Free-For-Allers in their final shot to be social climbers.
First Division—Pole-sitting Long Live Rock (Dan Dube, $16), victimized by a series of bad fortune trip through the series, took matters into his own hooves here. He stuffed his rival in behind in post position order, then finished his rounds (:27.3, :57.2, 1:25.3, 1:53.3).
Long Live Rock, repelling an early pocket pull by Bettor Memories, owned a 1-1/2 lead into the lane. He held off a first-up Western Fame (Mark MacDonald) by a half-length. Missile J (Tim Tetrick) rallied, losing the place photo as the 6-5 favorite.
For fourth choice Long Live Rock, a 9-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding owned and trained by Rene Allard, it was his third win in a nine seasonal starts (1-for-5 in series). The exacta paid $71, with the triple returning $216.50
Second Division—Driver and trainer doubled their pleasure as Keystone Velocity (Dube, $4.50), the defending series champ, prevailed. Winning the draw, he sat pocketed to Evenin Of Pleasure (Joe Bongiorno) and that one’s handiwork of :27.2, :56.2 and 1:24.2.
Keystone Velocity engaged the leader early in the final turn, then went by. He defeated Christen Me N (Tetrick) by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:52.1, with Mach It So (Dave Miller) third. Evenin Of Pleasure faded to fourth.
For Keystone Velocity, a 10-year-old son of Western Hanover co-owners as Allard Racing by trainer Allard, Kapildeo Singh, Earl Hill Jr. and VIP Internet Stables, it was his first win in five seasonal/series starts. The exacta paid $28.80, with the triple returning $64.50.
Third Division-A down-the-road Killer Martini (Yannick Gingras, $16.40) was quite good in getting off the series schneid.
From post two, he didn’t give much else a shot (:27.1, 56.2, 1:24.2, season’s-best 1:52.4). Opening 3-1/2 lengths in and out of the final turn, Killer Martini defeated a from-last Bit Of A Legend N (Jordan Stratton) by 3-2/4 lengths. Dr. J Hanover (Brett Miller), as the 4-5 choice, was a conservatively-raced third.
For Killer Martini, a 6-year-old Camluck gelding owned and trained by Ricky Bucci, the fourth choice is now 3-for-12 this season (1-for-4 in series). The exacta paid $133.50, with triple returning $271.50.
Saturday night’s $40,000 Open Handicap Trot, where half the octet misbehaved, was won by In Secret (George Brennan, $13.40) in 1:57.4.
The final Levy prelim standings accompany this release. Be advised these are not necessarily the entrants for the Saturday (April) 21 final (purse $532,000) and consolation ($100,000).
Those participants shall be determined by the race office in accordance with the conditions of the series and in advance of Monday afternoon’s (April 16) draw.
- Final Matchmaker and Levy legs in Grand Circuit spotlight (Wednesday, April 11, 2018)
The Grand Circuit at Yonkers this week features three $40,000 divisions on Friday (April 13) in the fifth and final round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker series for open pacing mares. The Saturday (April 14) card at Yonkers will see three $50,000 divisions in the fifth and final round of the George Morton Levy series for open pacers.
- Mach It So continues to build off solid 2017 campaign (Wednesday, April 11, 2018)
When trainer Jeff Bamond Jr. looks at Mach It So this season at age 8, he sees a horse that looks a lot like the one he saw a year ago at age 7. Considering that Mach It So established a career high for purses in 2017, the similarity is enough to bring a hopeful smile to Bamond’s face.
- Defending champion Keystone Velocity seeks berth in Levy final (Saturday, April 14, 2018)
Last year, Keystone Velocity used a victory in the George Morton Levy Series as a springboard to a successful season. In addition to the Levy, Keystone Velocity posted wins in the Ben Franklin final and the Potomac Pace. His accomplishments ultimately earned him the Dan Patch Award for Older Pacing Male. Keystone Velocity will start from post one in tonight’s $50,000 Levy split, the second of three on the 12-race program.