Dr J Hanover won again in the George Morton Levy Series, winning for the third time as Yonkers Raceway hosted the third preliminary of the springtime series Saturday, March 31.
Odds-on from post four, Dr J Hanover made an immediate lead, went fractions of :28.3, :58 and 1:26 on the lead, then sprinted home to win in 1:53.3.
Bit Of A Legend N fought the good fight with a two-move second, but missed a half-length. Another Daily Copy was third off a pocket trip.
For Dr J Hanover, a five-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding co-owned by Brad Grant, Robert Leblanc, Steven Wienick and Irwin Samelman and trained by Tony Alagna, it was his third win in four starts this season. Driven by Brett Miller, he paid $3.90 to win.
After a pair of less-than-stellar series trips, Missile J (Tim Tetrick, $7.30) rebounded to win the opening division. From post position three, he led through splits of :27.3, :56 and 1:24.1, holding off all rivals as he advanced to a 1:52 score.
Missile J rebuffed an attempted early hostile takeover from 1-2 favourite Mach It So, then held off first-up Bettor Memories by a length. Caviart Luca was third, while Mach It So faded to sixth.
For second-choice Missile J, a five-year-old American Ideal gelding co-owned by Brian Carsey & John McGill and trained by Scott DiDomenico, it was his fourth win in seven seasonal starts. Driven by Tim Tetrick, he paid $7.30 to win.
Pole-sitting Western Fame snapped 4-5 favourite Rockin Ron at the (1:52.4) wire in the third division. The latter led through intervals of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:25, taking a couple of lengths into the lane. However, the favourite faltered in a photo. Third went to Killer Martini, beaten four lengths.
Meanwhile, last season’s series winner and second-betting choice Keystone Velocity was away a loose third, then backpedaled first-up and finished sixth.
For third-choice Western Fame, a five-year-old homebred son of Western Ideal owned by Brittany Farms and trained by Jimmy Takter, he’s two for four this season. Driven by Mark MacDonald, he paid $11.00 to win.
Somewhere In L A needed two moves to prevail in the final division. Away fourth from post six, he sat off leader Franco Rayner N posting early fractions of :27.3 and :56.1.
Somewhere In L A went past that one before the 1:23.4 three-quarters, opening two-and-a-half lengths in and out of the final turn. He whipped a troubled-trip Long Live Rock by a length in 1:53, with Luciano N third.
For second-choice Somewhere In L A, a seven-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding co-owned by D’Elegance Stable IX, Carmen Iannacone and T L P & Gandolfo Stables and trained by Richard Banca, it was his third win in five starts this season. Driven by Jordan Stratton, he paid $6.30 to win.
Saturday night’s $40,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by a first-up Rubber Duck, a $12.40 winner driven by Joe Bongiorno, in 1:56.1.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)