For Opinion, click here for View from the Racetrack Grandstand

Sunday, March 22, 2015

P H SUPERCAM NIPS FOILED AGAIN AS LEVY SERIES BEGINS


BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway

YONKERS, NY, Saturday, March 21, 2015—The annual rite of spring known as the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series began Saturday night, with Yonkers Raceway hosting five, $50,000 divisions for the best Free-For-Allers in training.

The featured foray did not disappoint, as last season’s champ, P H Supercam (Jason Bartlett), picking off the season-debuting, 11-year-old Foiled Again (Yannick Gingras) in the third grouping.

Foiled Again, rounding the bend toward $7 million and making his 225th lifetime start, was in play early from outside post position No. 7. He worked around the two inside numbers—3-2 favorite “Supercam” and a bit-wide Apprentice Hanover (Jody Jamieson)--making the lead  just past a :27.3 opening quarter-mile.

After a soft :56.4 intermission, Big N Bad (Dan Dube) moved from fifth, with Dancin’ Yankee (Brett Miller) in behind.

Meanwhile, Foiled Again found a seemingly-comfy 1:25 three-quarters, taking a length-and-a-half lead into the lane.

However, P H Supercam ducked inside and snapped harness racing’s richest-ever horse late, winning by a hard-fought head in 1:53. Third went to Dancin’ Yankee, with Frankie’s Dragon (George Brennan) and Apprentice Hanover settling for the remainder.

For  P H Supercam, an 8-year-old Million Dollar Cam gelding owned by Bamond Racing and trained by Jeff Bamond Jr., he returned $5 for his third win in six seasonal starts. The exacta (two wagering choices) paid $22.60, with the triple returning $90.50.

“A lot of things went right for him tonight,” Bartlett said. “Obviously, the draw and the fact (Foiled Again) wasn’t going much up front. The best thing about me horse is he can sprint, but Foiled Again is a great horse and tough to get by. I thought we were going right by, especially since (Foiled Again) was making his first start of the season, but it’s always special to beat a horse that’s so good.”

Millionaire Warrawee Needy (Mark MacDonald, $7.30). was left alone on the lead (:28, :57) and made ‘em pay (1:24.2, 1:52.1) in the fourth Levy division. From post No. 2, he whipped a closing 50-1 Windsong Jack (Eric Carlson) by three-quarters of a length. Clear Vision (Gingras) was third, while 11-10 choice Bigtown Hero (Dan Dube) was a tiring pocket sixth.

For Warrawee Needy, a 6-year-old son of E Dee’s Cam co-owned by (trainer) Mark Ford, David Shea and Carl Jamieson, he’s now 4-for-7 this season. The exacta paid $131.50, with the triple returning $433.50.

Saturday night’s other Levy events were won by…

--Beach Memories,g,5 (by Somebeachsomewhere); co-owners Strollin Stable,AWS Stables,King McNamara,Country Club Acres/trainer Ron Burke/driver Gingras; 1:52.2/$5.30;
--Polak A,7 (by Pacific Fella); co-owners Frank Bellino & Sons,Frank J Bellino,Joseph Bellino/trainer Tony O’Sullivan; (U-S parimutuel debut) 1:52/$5.30;
--Michael’s Power,g,6 (by Camluck); breeder-owner Jeff Snyder/trainer Mark Silva/driver Dube; 1:52.1/$21.     

Saturday night’s $42,000 Open Handicap Trot went to Not Afraid (Dube, $3.20), overcoming an assigned eight-hole (1:56.1) for a fourth consecutive victory.


            The Raceway’s live season continues Monday night (post time 7:10 PM). After that, it’s Tuesday (1 PM), then Thursday through Saturday (all at 7:10 PM). Note Sunday matinees are done until November. Evening simulcasting accompanies all night programs, with afternoon simulcasting available daily (save for Palm and Easter Sundays, March 29 & April 5).