Thirty-one of the finest Free-For-Allers in training invaded Yonkers Raceway Saturday night for the opening round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series
. The series, with a million dollars in total purses, offers five preliminary rounds leading to a $200,000-plus final the first Saturday in May.
Four, $50,000 divisions went postward to begin this test of attrition.
Blueridge Western (Jason Bartlett) toyed with the late-card raindrops and seven outclassed rivals, winning the last--and fastest--foray in 1:52.2.
Leaving from post position No. 2, the people's preference quarter-moved around J P Jackpot (Jordan Stratton), rolled through fractions of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:24.3 while running up the score. The final margin was 4 1/2 lengths, with Foiled Again (Yannick Gingras) second and Philos Hanover (Cat Manzi) another length-and-a-half back in third.
For Blueridge Western, a four-year-old Allamerican Ingot gelding trained by Kevin McDermott for owner Francis Azur, he paid $3.80 for his third consecutive win 10 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $10.80, with the triple returning $177. The time was just one-fifth off the track standard for Blueridge Western's age grouping.
Saturday night's first division saw Wholly Louy (Ryan Anderson) be both lucky and good. In play early from post No. 3, he sat second behind 1-2 favourite Share The Delight (Gingras), "Louy" managed to keep his head when the leader couldn't. Share The Delight broke going into the final turn, and Wholly Louy was the main beneficiary.
He defeated McCedes (Greg Grismore) by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:53.4---off early fractions of :28.1, :56. and 1:24.3--with Test Flight (Manzi) closing for third.
For Wholly Louy, a five-year-old Camluck gelding owned by Bob Hamather and trained by Casie Coleman, he paid $11.40 (third choice) for third win in seven '09 tries. The exacta paid $47, with the triple returning $298.50 and the superfecta (Noble Falcon [Bartlett]) paying $1,784.
The second division saw 9-5 choice Palone Ranger (Manzi) the best in a blanket finish. Leaving inside his seven rivals, 'Palone' sat a loose pocket while defending series champ Special Report (Larry Stalbaum) winged his way through weigh stations of :28.1, :56 and 1:24.3. Special Report was surrounded on both sides early stretch, with Palone Ranger getting first "run" at the tiring leader.
He outgamed Thisbigdogwilfight (Anderson) by a head in 1:53.3, with Real Nice (Bartlett) third, beaten a half-length. Special Report was a credible fourth.
For Palone Ranger, a six-year-old millionaire son of Western Ideal, owned by Four Friends Racing Stable and trained by Greg Peck, paid $5.60 for his third consecutive and local win in seven seasonal starts. The exacta paid $49.60, with the triple returning $463.
Odds-on favourite King Cat Anvil N (Stratton) took the short way home in the third division, outdrawing his six rivals and leading at every pylon. The consistent local Open Handicap force eased through fractions of :28, :57.3 and 1:26, before prevailing by an unpressured length-and-three-quarters in 1:54.
Beau Rivage N (Cat Manzi) chased from the pocket to completed an all-Kiwi exacta, with Lookout Hanover (Bartlett) third.
For King Cat Anvil N, a seven-year-old Down Under Christian Cullen gelding owned by John Kiwczak and trained by Dave Stratton, he paid $3.70 for his third win in five seasonal starts. The exacta paid $10, with the triple worth $39.60.
Saturday's card also included six, $12,500 trials in Round 2 of the Sagamore Hill Pacing Series for threee and four-year-olds. The winners are listed below.
• Future Cruiser, 4 (by Yankee Cruiser); owner Pinske Stables/trainer Richard Norman/driver Jeff Gregory; 1:55.4/$2.50;
• Ironstone Wiz, g, 4 (by Magical Mike): co-owners Bryan & Richard Naftalis/trainer Ned Urbanski/driver Gregory; 1:56.2/$8.70;
• Sign Of Thunder, g, 4 (by Life Sign); owner All Star Racing/trainer Mark Ford/driver Ryan Anderson; 1:55/$9.10;
• Blue Boy, g, 4 (by Real Artist); owners Mack Racing Stables/trainer Julie Miller/driver Jason Bartlett; 1:54.2/$2.50;
• Cry For Cash, g, 4 (by Bettors Delight); co-owners Joseph Critelli, William Switala & James Martin/trainer Linda Toscano/driver Bartlett; (life-best) 1:54.2/$2.40;
• Internationalstyle, 4 (by Life Sign); co-owners Sylvia Burke, JJK Stbs & Weaver Bruscemi/trainer Ron Burke/driver Grismore; 1:56.1/$4.50.
(Yonkers)