Yonkers Raceway Saturday night played host to the fifth and final preliminary round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series. A very formful barbershop quartet of $50,000 divisions were the last chance to impress the judges, wrapped up thusly.
Before the scintillating summaries, some hot-off-the-presses news...series points leader Something for Doc has been sold to trainer Mark Ford, who paid "a lot more than I wanted" in partnership with James Snyder and Dean Davis.
"Doc," and Annie'swestercard, both of whom won their Levy divisions tonight (see below), would, by condition of this series, have kept two-time Levy champ Foiled Again from competing in this season's finale.
"If you want to play the game, you have to pay to be in it and there aren't many high-end horses for sale," Ford said. "I just think Something for Doc is young enough (five) and he's proven he's very handy. He gets around Yonkers very well, and the money's tremendous.
"Hopefully, we draw well for the (Levy) final."
We now return you to our regularly-scheduled missive...
First division--Once Annie'swesterncard (Yannick Gingras, $2.40) won the draw, this didn't exactly figure to be a suspense thriller. Aided by an early break from Sapphire City (Brent Holland), "Annie" was on a lonely lead through intervals of :27.4 and :56.3 and . Loose pocket-sitting Dancin' Yankee (Tim Tetrick) close some ranks by the 1:23.1 three-quarters, though never threatening the people's preference. "Annie" won by a measured half-length in 1:51.4, with Here We Go Again (Brian Sears) a best-of-the-rest third. The winner's entrymate, Stonehouse Adam (Dan Dube), wound up fifth.
Annie'swesterncard, co-owned (as Burke Racing) by trainer Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi, M1 and Panhellenic Stable, it was his sixth win in10 seasonal starts (4-for-5 in series).. The exacta paid $5.60, with the triple returning $29.80.
Second division--"Wire to Wire with Gingras and Burke, the Sequel" saw series points leader Something for Doc ($2.40)--from post position No. 2--win for the fourth time in five series starts (:27.2, :57.2, 1:25.1, 1:52.4). Versado (Sears) saved second from the pocket, beaten 2ΒΌ lengths, with Bet on the Law (Tetrick) a credible, first-up third. Something for Doc's barn buddy, Clear Vision (George Brennan), was fifth.
"Doc," 5-year-old Western Hanover gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing) by his trainer (at least through this race), Weaver Bruscemi and Strollin' Stable, has won seven of his 11 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $4.40, with the triple (three wagering choices in order) returning $8.10.
Third division--Pole-sitting Razzle Dazzle (Sears, $2.50) took the baton in the relay race for the puny parimutuel propositions (:27.3, :56.4, 1:24.1, 1:52). Eighteen (Dube) protected the pocketed and held second, beaten a length, with a first-up Second Wind N (Tetrick) third.
Razzle Dazzle, a 6-year-old Real Desire gelding trained by Mark Silva for owner Ira Kristel, it was his third win five seasonal starts (3-for-4 in series). The exacta paid $12.80, with the triple returning $51.
Fourth division--See division No. 1, and substitute "Annie'swestercard" with "Foiled Again". No one left against harness racing's richest-ever pacer (Gingras, $2.30) as he toured the terrain through fractions of :27.4, 57.1, 1:25.2 and 1:53.2. Silent Swing (Sears) stalked from second, beaten a measured length, with Electrofire (Eric Goodell) third.
The exacta (two faves) paid $3.20, with the triple returning $24.
Foiled Again, a 9-year-old Real Artist gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing) by his trainer, Weaver Bruscemi and JJK Stables, now has these updated numbers...3-for-5 this season/series, 68 wins in 174 career starts and earnings of $4,719.484.
Please note the entrants for the Apr. 27 final ($450,000) and consolation ($100,000) shall be determined by the race office. (Yonkers)
