No longer subjected to sidebar status, the Sagamore Hill Pacing Series wrapped up with a $66,400 Yonkers Raceway final Saturday night
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Giddy Up Delight (Jason Bartlett, four winners on the 12-race card) negated an outer post and seven rivals in one fell swoop, going the distance in a solid effort to complete his own personal (four-for-four) series sweep.
Leaving from post position No. 7 in the Sagamore--a series for three- and four-year-old colts and geldings--Giddy Up Delight shot right to the lead, stepping around pole-sitting Riopelle (Jim Meittinis) well before a tepid :29-second opening quarter-mile.
Giddy Up Delight then rated a :58.4 intermission before 4-5 people's choice Woodstock Hanover (Stephane Bouchard) moved from third. He engaged the leader past the 1:26.1 three-quarters, ducking in for a coffee break when Riopelle abruptly called it a night.
It was a "Delight"-ful length-and-a-quarter lead turning for home, and he was never seriously threatened, winning by that exact same margin in 1:55. Eragon (Greg Griismore), who left for position from the eight-hole, knifed through traffic to grab second with a slick drive. Mr Rockford (Dan Dube) was third, with "Woodstock" and Mr Massimo (Corey Callahan) finishing in dead-heat for fourth.
For Giddy Up Delight, a four-year-old Bettors Delight gelding owned by David Shea and trained by Mark Ford (whose stablemates finished 1-3), he returned $13 (third choice) for his sixth win in 11 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $309 (always popular half-mile track numbers of 7 & 8), the triple returned $809 and the superfectas paid $900 (Woodstock Hanover fourth) and $2,909 (Mr Massimo fourth), respectively.
"He's proven he can leave the gate so well, I had my mind set on getting him out of there," Bartlett said. "We were able to get a cheap half and he's been very good this whole series."
"David [Shea] sent him down to me from Canada just before this series," Ford said. "He thought he'd do well, and he was right.
"As for what's next, I really don't know. They go for such good money here, we may just keep him around."
A $25,000 series consolation was won by Bet The Town (Jeff Gregory, $3.20) in 1:55.
Saturday's card also featured five $50,000 divisions in Round 3 of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.
The first division saw even-money Atochia (Bartlett, $4.30) parlay a pocket trip into a length-and-a-quarter win 1:52.4 - his second consecutive series victory.
Legal Litigator (Brett Miller) cut the mile, dealt with a serious bid by Winbak Fox (Gregory), then weakened late. He did hold second over Winbak Fox. Four Trumps A (Larry Stalbaum) was fourth, while pole-sitting second choice Chasin Racin (Callahan) jumped it off at the start.
For Atochia, a six-year-old Dragon Again gelding trained by Ron Burke for co-owners Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, JJK and M1 Stables, it was his second win in four seasonal starts. The exacta paid $30.60, the triple returned $250.50 and the superfecta returned $2,208.
Saturday's second Levy event found a game and determined Southwind Lynx (Callahan, $5.80) gut it out in 1:53.2. The 2007 Art Rooney Pace champ went by a stubborn Dave Aint Here (Jim Pantaleano) at the half, dueled with 3-5 fave Poker Hat (Miller)--already a two-leg winner--before that one grudgingly gave way. Then, Real Nice (Bouchard) uncorked a late rally, only to miss a neck.
For Southwind Lynx, a six-year-old Real Artist gelding co-owned by (trainer) George Teague and K&R Racing, it was his fourth win in seven seasonal starts (two-for-three in Levy). The exacta paid $95.50, with the triple returning $172.50.
Defending series champ Foiled Again (Bartlett, $3.40) put forth a race-and-a-half in winning the third (1:53.2) division. He went first-up into a pedestrian (:58.1) half, then was able to outgame Corky Baran (Dube) by a head in a zippy :55.1 back portion. Badlands Nitro (Callahan) was third, with Blueridge Western (Cat Manzi) fourth.
For Foiled Again, a six-year-old Dragon Again gelding trained by Burke for Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi and JJK Stables, is now two-for-three this season - all races in Levy competition. The exacta paid $8.90, the triple returned $23 and the superfecta paid $69.50.
Saturday night's penultimate series event saw Pangiorno (Dube, $10) join the Levy legion, and equal the fastest local mile (1:52.3) of the season. After taking over from longshot Meant To Be Me (Manzi), Pangiorno was the beneficiary of some confusion behind when Meant To Be Me threw in some steps. Southwind Tabor (Greg Merton) received the worst it it, while Special Report (Stalbaum) offered a serious, uncovered challenge.
Pangiorno then saw Go Go Solano (Miller) and even-money Western Ace (Callahan) make the scene late, with the leader beating Western Ace by a head.
For Pangiorno, a four-year-old The Panderosa gelding co-owned by trainer Peter Kleinhans and AJKS Racing, it was his second win in 10 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $22, with the triple returning $77.50.
The evening's final Levy event saw Wholly Louy (Manzi) get banged down to 2-5 on the tote board, but it was Tenant In Chief (Brent Holland, $20) rolling by off cover and prevailing by a neck for a second series win in a row. Mr Wiggles (Callahan) couldn't reach that one from third-over, with Days Of Courage N (Bouchard) third. "Louy" faded to fourth
For Tenant In Chief, a 10-year-old son of Western Hanover trained by Anita Vallee for owner Alrioy Chow, it was has second win in seven seasonal starts. The exacta paid $104.50, with the triple returning $390.50.
(Yonkers Raceway)