YONKERS, NY, Wednesday, April 25, 2012—Nowhere, not even in the fine print,
does the word "handicap" appears, and as a sage of the sport once
said, "Post position is just a starting point."
That power of positive thinking figures to be the mantra of Yannick Gingras
entering Saturday night's $455,000 final of Yonkers Raceway's George Morton
Levy Memorial Pacing Series, the Raceway’s signature, Free-For-All event.
Gingras and Foiled Again needed better friends in the race office after 2011's
Pacer of the Year landed the ever-popular eight-hole. Foiled Again, twice a
series champion (2009 & 2010) and thrice a millionaire, finished third to
Real Nice in last season's renewal.
"It is what it is," Gingras said. "It's my job to get him the
best trip I can."
Foiled Again, an 8-year-old Real Artist gelding co-owned (as Burke
Racing) by (trainer) Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi and JJK Stables, began his
season with a second-place finish to Real Nice in the opening round of this
series.
He then reeled off three consecutive victories--including a 1:51 effort March 31 which stood (before being matched by Valentino last week)--as the fastest local mile of the season. Foiled Again took last week off, and Saturday night, goes after his 62nd career win in his 150th lifetime start.
He's a Yonkers millionaire alone with any payday Saturday, entering with a
career local resume of 23 wins in 31 starts and earnings of $977,535.
Foiled Again is coupled in the wagering with millionaire Atochia (Ron Pierce,
post 3), with the tandem accorded (by the author) the title of 6-5 morning-line
choice.
"(Foiled Again) has come back great, There's a long season on his
schedule, and the Levy is an important race," Gingras said. "He's
had to overcome bad posts and bad trips before, so why wouldn't I be
confident?"
The 32-year-old Gingras, who first made his mark in Westchester a decade ago,
won his 4,000th career race this past Sunday afternoon at Harrah's Chester.
"I was hoping I would have drawn the rail with Foiled Again in the Levy,
and that would have been my 4,000th win, but I'm very happy to have reached
that number," Gingras said.
"I don't know what's going to happen (Saturday), but I wouldn't trade my
horse for anyone in the race."
The complete lineup, with declared drivers and morning line odds...1-Blatantly
Good (George Brennan, 8-1), 2-Art Z (Brett Miller, 6-1), 3-Atochia (Ron Pierce,
6-5, coupled with Foiled Again), 4-Fitz's Z Tam (Brian Sears, 8-1), 5-Strand
Hanover (Luc Ouellette, 10-1), 6-Nob Hill High (Jordan Stratton, 20-1), 7-Real
Nice (Jason Bartlett, 9-5), 8-Foiled Again (Yannick Gingras, 6-5, coupled
with Atochia).
Note that the final is Race 9 on the 12-race card (approximate post 10 PM).
There is also a $100,000 series consolation (8th race) and a $50,000
Levy-eligible event (6th race).
Saturday's
$297,000 final of the Blue Chip Matchmaker (7th race, approximate
post 9:20 PM) for Open mares finds See You at Peelers leaving from the pylons.
The complete draw, with drivers and morning-line odds...1-See You at Peelers
(Sears, 4-5), 2-Rocklamation (Gingras, 5-1, coupled with Ginger and Fred),
3-Anndrovette (Tim Tetrick, 3-1), 4-Fox Valley Sage (Cat Manzi, 30-1), 5-Ginger
and Fred (Bartlett, 5-1, coupled with Rocklamation), 6-Billmar Scooter (Eric
Goodell, 20-1), 7-Chancey Lady (Andy Miller, 10-1), 8-Western Silk (Brennan,
4-1). Anndrovette and Chancey Lady go uncoupled due to bona fide separate
ownership.
A $75,000 series consolation is carded as the fifth race.
The Levy and Matchmaker are the sport's two richest North American races of the
season to date.
The Raceway's five-night-per-week (Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday)
live schedule continues. First post for all programs remains at 7:10 PM.
Evening simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting
available around the NYRA schedule.
