BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY,
Saturday, April 7, 2018—Yonkers Raceway Saturday night (Apr. 7th)
hosted a formful fourth of five preliminary rounds in the George Morton Levy
Memorial Pacing Series.
A trio $50,000
events comprised the Free-for-All foray, which was guaranteed a different look
as series (3-for-3 leader) Dr. J Hanover ‘stole’ a week off.
First Division—It was nary more
than a qualifier for money for people’s puny parimutuel preference Bit of a
Legend N (Jordan Stratton, $2.30). From post position No. 2, he worked around
pole-sitting Chumlee A (Larry Stalbaum), then waltzed though a flat, 28-second
opening quarter-mile and :57.2 intermission.
Long Live Rock
(Dan Dube) tried it first-up from third, but even that didn’t sufficiently up
the tempo (1:25.3 three-quarters). Bit of a Legend N opened a couple of lengths
in and out of the final turn, winning by a length-and-a-quarter in a
season’s-best 1:53.2.
Chumlee A saved
second, with Killer Martini (Jason Bartlett) third.
For 2016 series
champ 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 second win in
four seasonal/series starts (career earnings more than $1.97 million).
The exacta (two wagering choices) paid $4.10, with the triple returning $18.60.
Second Division—Pole-sitting favorite Somewhere in L A
(Bartlett, $4.40) retook from 96-1 rank outsider Evenin’ of Pleasure (Joe
Bongiorno) right at a :26.4 opening quarter-mile, then held that one at bay
(:56.3, 1:25, 1:53). Christen Me N (Stratton) was a ground-saving third.
Second- and
third-choices Rockin’ Ron (Yannick Gingras) and Missile J (Tim Tetrick) were
non-factors from first- and second-over, respectively.
For Somewhere
in L A, a 7-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding co-owned by D’Elegance Stable
IX, Carmen Iannacone and T L P & Gandolfo Stables and trained by Richard
Banca, it was his fourth win in six seasonal starts (2-for-4 in series). The
exacta paid $216, the triple returned $2,105 and the superfecta (Rodeo Rock
[Eric Goodell]) paid $4,585.
Third
Division---Odds-on Mach it So (Dave Miller, $3.80)
rebounded from a failed retake a week ago. From the pole, he played early
leapfrog with defending Levy champ Keystone Velocity (Dube) before finishing
his appointed rounds (:56.4, 1:24.3, season’s-best 1:53.1).
Mach it So
held off the pocket pursuer by a length, with Bettor Memories (Tetrick) third.
For Mach it
So, a 9-year-old Mach Three gelding owned by Bamond Racing and trained by
Jeffrey Bamond Jr., he’s 2-for-4 this season/series. The exacta paid $13.60,
with the triple returning $35.
Saturday
night’s $40,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by a down-the-road fave Melady’s
Monet (Bartlett, $3) in 1:55.3 for a 50th career victory.
