Yonkers Raceway Saturday night hosted the second round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series with another six $50,000 divisions, and on the night before April Fool's Day, the big boys weren't fooling around
.
Defending series champion Real Nice (Jason Bartlett), fresh from throwing down the fastest local mile of the season and earning millionaire status in round one, was a repeat winner in round two.
Outdrawing his six rivals in the first division, he was in play early, as was Mainland Key N (Eric Goodell) and Dreamlands Art (Yannick Gingras). After a :26.3 opening quarter-mile, the short-priced fave was able to rate a :29.1 second quarter (:55.4) before an identical :55.4 back half for a 1:51.3 effort. Show Me Up (Mark MacDonald) rallied inside for second--albeit six and a quarter lengths behind the winner--with Dancing Yankee (Tyler Buter) third and Valentino (catch-driver George Brennan) fourth.
For Real Nice, a seven-year-old Real Artist gelding co-owned by Beverly and Gary Paganelli and Anthony Scussel, and trained by Rich Banca, it was his second win in five seasonal starts. The exacta paid $53, the triple returned $381 and the superfecta returned $1,487.
All last season's Pacer of the Year--the 2009 and '10 Levy winner and triple millionaire--Foiled Again (Gingras, $2.20) did in the evening's final series soiree was do Real Nice one tick better.
Leaving from post position No. 2 as the 1-9 favourite, he was stuffed into a seat by Blatantly Good (Jordan Stratton). That one led through fractions of :26.3, :55 and 1:23.3.
Foiled Again was out by the three-quarters, meeting minimal resistance from the leader en route to a two and a quarter length victory. The mile of 1:51 is now the local seasonal standard. Second went to Blatantly Good, with Rock To Glory (Goodell) third.
For Foiled Again, an eight-year-old Dragon Again gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing) by trainer Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi and JJK Stables, it was his first win in a pair of seasonal starts (second to Real Nice a week ago). The exacta paid $4.10, with the triple returning $12.20.
Saturday night's other Levy groupings presented these outcomes:
Like Real Nice and Foiled Again, odds-on, pole-sitting Atochia (Gingras, $2.40) was left to his own devices and--surprising very few--finished what he started (:28, :56.3, 1:24.2, 1:52.1).
Atochia, a seven-year-old Dragon Again gelding trained by Burke for himself (as Burke Racing), Weaver Bruscemi, JJK Stables and M1 Stables, is now two-for-three this season (25 career victories). The exacta paid $4.70, with the triple returning $14.40. He also won his opening leg division.
Flipper J (Brian Sears, $5.60) flipped off cover, then edged away, winning by a couple of lengths in 1:53. Silent Swing (MacDonald), part of the early scrum, was a pocket second, with Urgent Action (Bartlett) third. One More Laugh (Ray Schnittker), who paid a price to secure the lead, then rated a soft second quarter, folded in the lane.
For Flipper J, a four-year-old statebred son of Art Major owned by Fran Azur and trained by Kevin McDermott, it was his third win in nine '12 tries. The exacta paid $20.40, with the triple returning $87.
A series-debuting, third-choice Sea Venture (Brennan, $8.40), from the pylons as the only leaver, crawled through early fractions of :28.1 and :57.2. He then held off pocket-sitting, 13-10 choice River Shark (MacDonald) by a neck in 1:53, with fave Southern Allie (Gingras)--who had left for a seat--a first-up third.
For Sea Venture, a four-year-old statebred Western Terror gelding co-owned by trainer Lou Pena and Racing Team of America, it was his second (consecutive) win in nine seasonal starts. The exacta paid $16.60, with the triple returning $31.80.
Nob Hill High (Stratton, $5.70) left from the pole as the favourite, yielded to Summer Camp, then beat him up...the inside. The margin was a going-away two lengths. Power Of A Moment (Brent Holland) closed for third, with first leg champ Clear Vision (Gingras) a first-up fourth.
For Nob Hill High, a six-year-old son of McArdle trained by Bruce Saunders for co-owners Robert Mondillo and Donald Robinson, is now four-for-12 this season. The exacta paid, $13.60 the triple returned $191 and the superfecta paid $342.50.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)
(Yonkers Raceway)