Trainer Kevin McDermott is anticipating the $370,000 final of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series this Saturday at Yonkers Raceway, and he has spoken with the track media department about Blueridge Western, the 8-5
second morning line selection.
An entry consisting of Foiled Again and Lucky Bettor has been installed as the 6-5 early choice in the dash, carded as Race 9. First race post time is 7:10 p.m. (ET). Blueridge Western will start from Post 7.
Blueridge Western had his dance card filled in the preliminary rounds, racing all five weeks and leading the point parade with four wins and a second. For the season, the four-year-old Allamerican Ingot gelding has won six of his 14 starts and $146,875. That success has come as no surprise to his trainer.
"He was a good horse when he came to us," trainer Kevin McDermott said. "He had been second (to Shadow Play) in the American-National, and I knew about him."
Choosing him, however, was strictly the owner's call.
"It was Mr. Azur's decision, 100 per cent," McDermott said. "He was coming from the (Ron and Mickey) Burke's barn and I didn't know how much room for improvement there was. In fact, the only reason he was for sale is that his owner (George Leon) doesn't want to race horses past their three-year-old season.
"Ronnie was great," McDermott said. "He told me everything about the horse, and 'Blueridge' kept on going."
In 2008, a third -- to a couple of fair foes named Somebeachsomewhere and Shadow Play -- and a second-place finish (to Dali) in the Matron, "and Mr. Azur had recouped about 70 per cent of his investment before the end of the season," McDermott said.
However, the outset of 2009 saw a different animal. "He just wasn't finishing his races well," McDermott said." He seemed sour."
So, McDermott made him a house guest.
"I took him home between starts and just let him have the run of the farm. That seemed to get his my mind back on business."
'Blueridge's fondness for the smaller surfaces has been evident throughout the Levy series. Yonkers' leading driver, Jason Bartlett, will again steer Blueridge in the final.
"Jason's just a professional driver," McDermott said. "Even when I didn't make to it (for the Levy), he always called and we'd go over things."
Regarding Blueridge's outer starting spot for the final -- where, ironically, Blueridge Western runs into two current members of the Burke stable in Foiled Again and Lucky Bettor -- McDermott deferred to someone who ought to know.
"John Campbell's line of, 'it's only a starting point,' fits," McDermott said. "I'm coming there Saturday thinking I have a big chance."
The race, first contested in 1978 -- a year after Levy's death -- honours the founder of Roosevelt Raceway and a 1966 inductee into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame.
Post - Horse, Driver, Line
1 - Psilvuheartbreaker, Jim Meittinis, 5-1
2 - King Cat Anvil N, Jordan Stratton, 10-1
3 - Foiled Again, Yannick Gingras, 6-5
4 - Mighty Young Joe, Stacy Chiodo, 20-1
5 - Lucky Bettor, Greg Grismore, 6-5
6 - Wholly Louy, Catello Manzi, 12-1
7 - Blueridge Western, Jason Bartlett, 8-5
8 - Real Nice, Stephane Bouchard, 15-1.
(With files from Yonkers)