Yonkers Raceway hosted the second of five preliminary rounds of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series Saturday night
, and as was the case in the opening leg a half-dozen $50,000 divisions comprised half the card.
The first Levy division saw the pole-sitting 9-5 favourite Chasin Racin make amends for a poor 2010 debut a week ago. He lasted on the lead through fractions of :27.4, :56.1 and 1:24.3 en route to posting the 1:53.1 victory for Corey Callahan. Winbak Fox came up a head short and settled for second prize while Corky Baran finished third.
Chasin Racin, a four-year-old son of The Panderosa co-owned by trainer George Teague, Jr. and Elmer Fannin, returned $5.60 for his first win in two seasonal starts.
Saturday night's second Levy group was - as advertised - a match race. Defending series champ Foiled Again left around Blueridge Western, then easily held that one at bay.
Foiled Again, leaving from post position six for driver Jason Bartlett, put up intervals of :27.2, :56.4 and 1:25.2 en route to the 1:53.2 score. He won by three-quarters of a length over the even-money favourite Blueridge Western, who threw in a bad step when vacating the pocket. Handsome Harry was third.
Foiled Again, a six-year-old Dragon Again gelding trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and JJK Stables LLC, returned $4.80 for his first win a couple of 2010 tries.
Poker Hat, the fastest of the opening-round winners, doubled up in Saturday night's third division. Leaving into a three-hole from post five for driver Brett Miller, the second choice barely slipped out in front of Smellthecolornine down the backside. Poker Hat then went up and over pace-setting Jeremys Successor, taking two lengths into the lane before winning by that margin in 1:53.1. Mr Wiggles, trapped in behind a tiring leader, settled for second as the 4-5 choice, with Smellthecolornine third.
Poker Hat, a six-year-old Cams Card Shark gelding trained by James Borke for co-owners Robert Lombardo and Howard Taylor, is now 5-for-12 this season.
The fourth event found trainer Ron Burke and the ownership group of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and JJK Stables LLC grab a series double as even-money Atochia held off series-debuting Days Of Courage N by a neck. Jason Bartlett mapped out the winning trip for the pacer, who stopped the clock in 1:53.2. Southwind Tabor was third.
For Atochia, a five-year-old Dragon Again gelding, it was his first win in three seasonal starts.
Favoured River Shark couldn't have had a much easier time in the fifth event. Outdrawing his condensed crowd of five, he rolled through weigh stations of :27.2, :56.3 and 1:25.4 for driver Dan Dube before finishing off the competition in 1:53. River Shark defeated Go Go Solano, with Real Nice third.
River Shark, a four-year-old Four Starzzz Shark gelding trained by Mark Ford for co-owners Aaron Waxman, El Lobo LLC and VIP Internet Stable LLC, returned $4.30 for his third win in five 2010 tries.
The evening's final Levy event saw Tenant In Chief and driver Brent Holland pick off the pacesetting 4-5 favourite, Badlands Nitro, in 1:54.
Leaving from post four, Tenant In Chief found himself buried third on the cones, awaiting the outer tier to back up. It did, and he took advantage, getting off the seasonal schneid by a neck. Psilvuheartbreaker was third.
For Tenant In Chief, a 10-year-old Western Hanover gelding trained by Anita Vallee for owner Alroy Chow, he returned $11.20 for his first win in six seasonal starts.
Saturday's card also included round three of the Sagamore Hill Pacing Series for three and four-year-old colts and geldings.
The trio of $12,500 divisions were won by Giddy Up Delight 1:54.1, Mr Massimo (1:56.2) and Mr Rockford (1:53).
(Yonkers Raceway)