BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY,
Saturday, April 11, 2015—Saturday night's fourth
round of Yonkers Raceway's George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series, despite
missing some old, familiar faces, played out in a trio of intriguing events.
Pole-sitting
Windsong Jack (Brian Sears, $6.20) won the opening, $50,000 division, getting
by Mach it So (Tim Tetrick) late and edging way by a length-and-a-quarter
in a season's-best 1:52.4. Mach's Beach Boy (Pat Lachance) was third.
It was
9-5 favorite Bettor's Edge (Yannick Gingras) making the lead and setting
sail through intervals of :27.2, :56.4 and 1:23.4. Eventually tackled by
Mach it So, the leader broke in the final turn. Windsong Jack was able to
extricate himself, then go past a stubborn Mach it So.
For
second choice Windsong Jack, a 5-year-old Santanna Blue Chip gelding traiend by
Jennifer Sabot for owner Little Bapa LLC, it was his second win in eight
seasonal starts (1-for-4 in series) The exacta paid $19.80, with no triple
wagering offered due to the short field
Odds-on
choice Take it Back Terry (George Brennan, $2.90) had few issues in the second
division. Quarter-moving from post No. 2, "Terry" stole way a cheap
second quarter (:27.1, :56.4), then easily held sway (1:25.2, 1:53.1) by a
no-issues three-quarters of a length. A solid, first-up effort from Frankie's
Dragon (Sears) found him getting second, with Fat Man's Alley (Jason Bartlett)
third.
For
"Terry," a 6-year-old Western Terror gelding co-owned (as Burke
Racing) by (trainer) Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi, Larry Karr and
Phil Collura, he's now 4-for-12 this season (2-for-3 in series). The
exacta paid $23.40, with the triple returning $84.
The
evening's final series event saw a contested front end involving Clear Vision
(Gingras) and Lucan Hanover (Tetrick). The former rebuffed the advances of the
latter (:26.3, :54.1), with 7-10 choice Michael's Power (Dan Dube) in behind.
The
early fractions made this a closer's contest, and after a 1:23
three-quarters, the back of the bus was heard from. A from-last Heez Orl
Black N (Sears, $29.20), starting outside his five foes, prevailed in a
hands-and-knees (:30.1) final quarter. He whipped another longshot in National
Debt (Eric Carlson) by a length in 1:53.1. Lucan Hanover held third despite a
brutal trip, while "Michael" wound up last.
For
fourth choice Heez Orl Black N, a 7-year-old Down Under gelding trained by
Anita Vallee for co-owners Shaun Vallee and D P V Racing Stable, it was his
fourth win in 11 '15 tries. The exacta paid $323, with the triple
returning $1,457.
It
should be noted that P H Supercam and Beach Memories, sitting 1-2 in
series points after three rounds, were both given this round off for good
behavior, while Foiled Again, looking to regain his near-$7 million form, also
was not entered.
Series
standings, through fourth leg…1-P H Supercam (225 points), 2t-Beach Memories
(200), 2t-Michael’s Power (200), 2t-Take it Back Terry (200), 5t-Fat Man’s
Alley (187), 5t-Windsong Jack (187), 7-Polak A (175), 8-Sapphire City (170).
Finals for the
Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series are set for
Saturday, Apr. 25 (purses for both TBA).
Note that since
no one took Saturday night’s Pick 5, Monday’s gimmick begins with a carryover
of $4,361.40
($10,000 guaranteed pool).
The Raceway’s live season continues
Monday night (post time 7:10 PM), Tuesday (1 PM, second round of YR/SOA of NY
Bonus Trotting Series), then Thursday through Saturday (all at 7:10 PM, with
Matchmaker and Levy series continuing Fridays and Saturdays). Evening simulcasting
available around all nighttime programs, with afternoon simulcasting daily.
