Thirty-four of the finest Free-For-Allers in training have been nominated to the George Morton Levy
Memorial Pacing Series, a staple of Yonkers Raceway’s stakes schedule.
The 2009 Levy, with an estimated total purse of $1 million, begins with the first of five preliminary legs - each race worth $50,000 – this Saturday night. The series continues on Saturday evenings throughout the month of April, culminating with a $200,000 (added) final and $100,000 (guaranteed) consolation on Saturday, May 2.
Leading the list of nominees is defending champion, and millionaire, Special Report. The seven-year-old Keystone Raider gelding, who earned just under $600,000 a season ago, tries to become the first repeat winner of this event.
Special Report’s 1:51 effort in last year’s final of the Levy was a fifth of a second off the now-16-year-old all-age track record (Silver Almahurst’s 1:50.4 in 1993 Levy).
Riggins, a standout New York-bred, earned in excess of $200,000 in each of his first two racing seasons. In 2009, the four-year-old son of Art Major has two wins, two seconds and a third in five tries.
Palone Ranger, a millionaire who won the 2006 Messenger here, and Share The Delight, fresh from matching his personal best (1:50.2), are also among the eligibles.
A companion event to the Levy - the Blue Chip Matchmaker - debuts this season, showcasing the best pacing mares. A total of 26 talented lasses have been nominated to the $750,000 (est.) series, which begins Friday, March 27.
The Blue Chip Matchmaker offers five successive Friday nights of prelim legs - each race worth $40,000 - leading to $125,000 (added) final and $75,000 consolation. Both the final and consolations are scheduled for Saturday, May 2, same night of the final of the Levy.
Double-millionairess Darlins Delight is the leading lady. The six-year-old state-bred daughter of Bettors Delight lists among her array of stakes wins the 2006 Lady Maud here.
Chancey Lady is herself a seven-figure performer. The four-year-old daughter of Camluck has won 18-of-34 career starts.
Sportsfancy, thrice a winner in 2009 and closing in on $700,000 in career earnings, is also one of the nominees.
As an added bonus, the new distaff series comes complete with three free breedings - to Art Major, Bettors Delight and American Ideal - donated by Blue Chip Farms. The winner of the final gets first choice of stallions, with the second-place finisher getting the choice of the remaining two and the third-place finisher “matched” with the remaining one.
Click here to access links for the list of eligibles for both the Levy and Blue Chip Matchmaker.
(Yonkers Raceway)