YONKERS, NY,
Saturday, March 31, 2018—Yonkers Raceway used the last day of March to feature
the fourth round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.
Four, $50,000
events comprised the Free-for-All foray.
First Division—After a pair of
less-than-stellar series trips, Missile J (Tim Tetrick, $7.30) came to play.
From post position No. 3, he threw down the gauntlet (:27.3, :56 1:24.1, 1:52) en route to the fastest local mile
of the season.
Missile J rebuffed an attempted early hostile takeover from
1-2 favorite Mach it So (Dave Miller), the defeated a good, first-up Bettor
Memories (Kyle Husted) by a length. Caviart Luca was third, while Mach it So
went the wrong way late, fading to sixth.
For second choice
Missile J, a 5-year-old American Ideal gelding co-owned by Brian Carsey &
John McGill and trained by Scott DiDomenico, it was his fourth win in seven
seasonal starts (1-for-3 in series). The exacta paid $40.60, with the triple
returning $123.
Second Division—Odds-on from post
No. 4, Dr. J Hanover (Brett Miller, $3.90) did what he did in the first two
legs. He made an immediate—and ‘cheap’—lead, then again made his rivals pay (:28.3, :58, 1:26.0; 1:53.3).
Bit of a Legend N
(Jordan Stratton) fought the good fight with a two-move second, but missed a
half-length. Another Daily Copy (Jason Bartlett) was a pylon pocket third.
For 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 third win in four seasonal starts (3-for-3 in series). The exacta (two
wagering choices) paid $8.30, the triple returned $29 and the superfecta
(Mister Daytona N [Scott Zeron]) paid $134.
Third
Division---Pole-sitting Western Fame (Mark MacDonald)
snapped 4-5 fave Rockin’ Ron (Yannick Gingras) at the (1:52.4) wire. The
latter led through intervals of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:25, taking a couple of
lengths into the lane.
However, he
could not join Dr. J Hanover as a three-peater, faltering in a photo. Third
went to Killer Martini (Bartlett), beaten four lengths.
Meanwhile,
last season’s series winner, Keystone Velocity (Dan Dube) did not distinguished
himself this night. The second choice was away a loose third, then backpedaled
first-up as a never-factoring sixth.
For third
choice Western Fame, a 5-year-old homebred son of Western Ideal owned by
Brittany Farms and trained by Jimmy Takter, he’s 2-for-4 this season (2-for-3
in series) . The exacta paid $23.20, the triple returned $124 and the
superfecta (89-1 outsider Rodeo Rock [Eric Goodell]) paid $806.
Fourth
Division—Somewhere in L A (Stratton, $6.30) needed two
moves to prevail. Away fourth from post No. 6, he saw Franco Rayner N (Joe
Bongiorno) give his backers an early (:27.3, :56.1) thrill.
Somewhere in
L A went past that one before the 1:23.4 three-quarters, opening 2½ lengths in
in and out of the final turn. He whipped a troubled-trip Long Live Rock (Dube)
by a length in 1:53, with Luciano N (Brent Holland) third.
Long Live
Rock’s angst was caused in large part by 3-2 choice All Bets Off (Yannick
Gingras). After getting away from the pole, he was in disarray second-over,
forcing pursuer Long Live Rock wide very early. All Bets Off wound up seventh,
beaten 10 lengths.
For second
choice 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 third win in five seasonal starts (1-for-3
in series). The exacta paid $28, with triple returning $137.
Saturday
night’s $40,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by a first-up Rubber Duck
(Bongiorno, $12.40) in 1:56.1.
A reminder
that there is no horse race wagering permitted in New York State Easter Sunday
(Apr. 1st), including the Raceway and Empire City Bets.
