FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Saturday, March 17, 2018—Saturday night (March 17th)
offered a quintet of $50,000 divisions of Free-for-Allers in the opening round
of Yonkers Raceway’s George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.
First Division—From post
position No. 2, season-debuting Mach it So (Tim Tetrick, $4) threw down an
early series gauntlet, retaking from Chumlee A (Larry Stalbaum) en route to a
handy (:28.2, :57.3, 1:25.3, 1:53.3)
win. Chumlee A chased, beaten a length-and-three-quarters, with pole-sitting Bettor
Memories (Kyle Husted) a three-hole third.
For Mach it
So, an 8-year-old Mach Tree gelding owned by Bamond Racing trained by Jeffrey
Bamond Jr., it was a 41st career victory as he nears $2.5 million in
career earnings. The exacta (two wagering favorites) paid $11, with triple
returning $52.50.
Second
Division—It was first-up from and first home for Always
at My Place (George Brennan, $12.60). From post No. 2, he engaged last
season’s series winner, Keystone Velocity (Dan Dube) after that one’s intervals
of :27.2; :56.4 and 1:24.3.
Always at My
Place forged by late, beating a pylon-skimming Mister Daytona N (Jordan
Stratton) by a head in 1:54. Christen Me N (Tetrick), angling from the pocket
as Keystone Velocity tired, was third, beaten a neck.
As for 3-2
choice Waikiki Beach A (Scott Zeron), his local debut was dreadful. Never
involved, he finished seventh (last), beaten nearly 14 lengths.
For third
choice Always at My Place, a 7-year-ol Always a Virgin gelding co-owned (as
Burke Racing) by (trainer) Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi, Larry Karr and Phil
Collura, he, too, made a successful ’18 bow. The exacta paid $73.50, with the
triple returning $185.50.
Third
Division—Polester Dr. J Hanover (Brett Miller, $6.30)
took one step forward and the of the field deferred. The result (:28.2, :58.1,
1:26.4, 1:55) was a nary
more than a public workout. Dr. J Hanover won by a length-and-a-quarter,
with Somewhere in L A (Jason Bartlett) a first-up second and 19-10 fave All
Bets Off (catch-driver Yannick Gingras) a loose-pocket third.
For second
choice Dr. J Hanover, a 5-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding co-owned by Brad
Grant, Robert Leblanc, Steven Wienick & Irwin Samelman and trained by Tony
Alagna, it was his first win in a pair of seasonal starts. The exacta paid
$24.20, with the triple returning $50.50.
Fourth
Division—Odds-on Rockin’ Ron (Gingras, $2.90)—from post
No. 4—rebounded from a poor effort in his final pre-series overnight event and
went the distance (:27.1 :56.4, 1:24.3, 1:53). Evenin’ of Pleasure (Joe
Bongiorno) chased the winner in a good try, beaten three-quarters of a length.
Western Dynasty (Bartlett) sat a three-hole and pocked off the rest.
For Rockin’
Ron, a 6-year-old Real Desire co-owned (as Burke Racing) by (trainer) Burke,
Weaver Bruscemi, RTC and J&T Silva Stables, it was his first win in three
seasonal starts. The exacta paid $18.80, with the triple returning $56.50.
Fifth
Division—Bit of a Legend N (Stratton, $21.60) seemed to
be minding his own affairs in his ’18 purse debut, when things worked out quite
well for him. From post No. 3, the 2016 Levy champ worked out a second-over
trip behind 1-2 fave Missile J (Tetrick). He then rolled over his tow,
winning by a neck in 1:53.3. Long Live Rock (Dube) rallied for third.
Great Vintage
(Gingras), after fractions of 26.3; 56.4; 1:25, led to the lane before fading
to fifth.
For fourth
choice Bit of a Legend N, a 9-year-old Down Under son of Bettor’s Delight owned
by Von Knoblauch Stable and trained by Peter Tritton, it was his 42nd
career win (earnings $1.93 million). The exacta paid $52, with the triple
returning $279.50.
Sunday racing
is back tomorrow (March 18th), with first post at 11:45 AM.
