The annual rite of spring known as the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series began Saturday night, with Yonkers Raceway hosting five $50,000 divisions for the best Free-For-Allers in training.
The featured foray did not disappoint, as last season’s champ, P H Supercam (Jason Bartlett), picking off the season-debuting, 11-year-old Foiled Again (Yannick Gingras) in the third grouping.
Foiled Again, rounding the bend toward $7 million and making his 225th lifetime start, was in play early from outside post position No. 7. He worked around the two inside numbers -- 3-2 favourite “Supercam” and a bit-wide Apprentice Hanover (Jody Jamieson) -- making the lead just past a :27.3 opening quarter-mile.
After a soft :56.4 intermission, Big N Bad (Dan Dube) moved from fifth, with Dancin Yankee (Brett Miller) in behind.
Meanwhile, Foiled Again found a seemingly-comfy 1:25 three-quarters, taking a length and a half lead into the lane.
However, P H Supercam ducked inside and snapped harness racing’s richest-ever horse late, winning by a hard-fought head in 1:53. Third went to Dancin Yankee, with Frankies Dragon (George Brennan) and Apprentice Hanover settling for the remainder.
For P H Supercam, an eight-year-old Million Dollar Cam gelding owned by Bamond Racing and trained by Jeff Bamond Jr., he returned $5 for his third win in six seasonal starts. The exacta (two wagering choices) paid $22.60, with the triple returning $90.50.
“A lot of things went right for him tonight,” Bartlett said. “Obviously, the draw and the fact [Foiled Again] wasn’t going much up front. The best thing about my horse is he can sprint, but Foiled Again is a great horse and tough to get by. I thought we were going right by, especially since [Foiled Again] was making his first start of the season, but it’s always special to beat a horse that’s so good.”
Millionaire Warrawee Needy (Mark MacDonald, $7.30) was left alone on the lead (:28, :57) and made ‘em pay (1:24.2, 1:52.1) in the fourth Levy division. From post No. 2, he whipped a closing 50-1 Windsong Jack (Eric Carlson) by three-quarters of a length. Clear Vision (Gingras) was third, while 11-10 choice Bigtown Hero (Dan Dube) was a tiring pocket sixth.
For Warrawee Needy, a six-year-old son of E Dees Cam co-owned by trainer Mark Ford, David Shea and Carl Jamieson, he’s now four-for-seven this season. The exacta paid $131.50, with the triple returning $433.50.
Saturday night’s other Levy events were won by:
--Beach Memories,g,5 (by Somebeachsomewhere); co-owners Strollin Stable,AWS Stables,King McNamara,Country Club Acres/trainer Ron Burke/driver Gingras; 1:52.2/$5.30;
--Polak A,7 (by Pacific Fella); co-owners Frank Bellino & Sons,Frank J Bellino,Joseph Bellino/trainer Tony O’Sullivan/driver Gingras; (U.S. pari-mutuel debut) 1:52/$5.30;
--Michaels Power,g,6 (by Camluck); breeder-owner Jeff Snyder/trainer Mark Silva/driver Dube; 1:52.1/$21.
Saturday night’s $42,000 Open Handicap Trot went to Not Afraid (Dube, $3.20), overcoming an assigned eight-hole (1:56.1) for a fourth consecutive victory.
The Raceway’s live season continues Monday night (post time 7:10 p.m.).
(Yonkers Raceway)