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.

Long Live Rock takes advantage of an improved trip to capture his first win in the Levy Series.

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.

Mike Lizzi photos

Keystone Velocity scored a much needed victory to earn a place in the final.

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.