FOILED AGAIN FOILED FOR FIRST TIME AS LEVY PRELIMS CONCLUDE

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

            YONKERS, NY, Saturday, April 19, 2014—Foiled Again lost Saturday night. Not exactly the stuff that breaks into regularly-scheduled programming, but rare enough.

Harness racing’s richest-ever performance added nothing to his $6.1 million bankroll, winding up a non-factor sixth in the third and final $50,000 division of Yonkers Raceway’s George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.

Starting outside his six rivals as the fifth and final preliminary round concluded, he and driver Yannick Gingras had Mach it So (Tim Tetrick) leave directly inside of him. “Foiled”—his place in next week’s final already secure—took back to last and never reached contention.

Meanwhile, stablemate Easy Again (George Brennan), leaving from post position No. 3, saved the souls, and the wallets, of the bridge jumpers. As on third of the 1-20 entry, Easy Again coasting through comfy fractions of :28.1. :57.3, 1:25.1 and 1:52.3 before winning by a couple of lengths.

Mach it So, who left into a four-hole, was a solid, first-up second, with Mr. Hasani N (Eric Goodell) third. Foiled Again, racing  from third-up behind a gapping entry partner Special Forces (Ron Pierce), beat only that one home. He wound up sixth, 7½ lengths behind Easy Again.

For Easy Again, a 5-year-old Dragon Again ridgling co-owned (as Burke Racing) by (trainer) Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi, M1 and Panhellenic Stables, he and his parimutuel partners returned the minimum $2.10. He is now 5-for-12 this season (3-for-5 in series). The exacta paid $4, with no triple wagering.

“He was able to get away with cheap fractions,” Brennan—who turns 47 Easter Sunday—said. “I figured that once Tim (Tetrick) left with Mach it So, Foiled Again might have to take back and it worked out.”

The evening’s other two Levy events were won by P H Supercam (Jason Bartlett, $21.40) and Dancin’ Yankee (Pierce, $5.90).

The former, from post No. 6, left for a seat, wound up in a three-hole, then angled wide in and out of the final turn. He picked a dueling Clear Vision (Brennan) and Apprentice Hanover (Jody Jamieson). The final margin was a length over Clear Vision in a  life best-matching 1:51.1.

            For P H Supercam, a 7-year-old Million Dollar Cam gelding owned by Bamond Racing and trained by PJ Fraley, it was his second win in 11 ’14 tries (1-for-5 in series). The exacta paid $32.40, with no triple wagering.

“I love him,” Bartlett said. “He can get a last eighth as well as anyone. When I made up ground in the last turn, I thought I had a shot.”

            As for Dancin’ Yankee, he negated his outside seven-hole at the start, rebuffed a quarter-move from Bettor’s Edge (Gingras) and finished it off in 1:51…matching Foiled Again’s effort of a week as the fastest mile of the series and locally this season.

     

            The margin was a length-and-a-quarter, with Bettor’s Edge second and Texican N (Brian Sears) third.

            For Dancin’ Yankee, a 6-year-old son of Yankee Cruiser co-owned by Baron Racing &  Richard  Lombardo and trained by Josh Green, he’s now 6-for-11 this season (1-for-5 in series). The exacta paid $7.40.

            “He gets over the track very well and I left a lot in the tank for the final,” Pierce said.

(Note…final preliminary leg standings accompany this story, but the eight eligible finalists [and those for the consolation] shall be determined by the race office.)

            The $567,000 final of the Levy and the $371,400 final of the Blue Chip Matchmaker both go next Saturday night, with open draws taking place Tuesday afternoon.

            Also Saturday night, 67-1 bomber RU Ready to Rock (Jordan Stratton, $136.50) won a blanket photo in the $20,000, eighth-race pace, providing the largest win mutuel of the season to date.  

            The Raceway's five-night-per-week live schedule continues, with first post every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:10 PM. Evening simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting available daily.