YONKERS, NY, Saturday, March 23, 2019 – Saturday night's (March 23rd) night second round of Yonkers Raceway's George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series didn't do a whole lot to establish a clear harness racing favorite, though some of the contenders did indeed state their cases.
Another happy half-dozen, $50,000, Free-For-All groups were contested, with a pair of repeaters leading the way.
Here's the succinct story, not necessarily in chronological order…
Second division – Odds-on Rodeo Rock (Andrew McCarthy, $3.50)-from post position No. 5–'ran down' loose leader Gokudo Hanover (George Brennan), prevailing first-up by a head in 1:52.1. The 13-1 latter had open lengths through intervals of -:26.4, :56.1 and 1:24.
Rock the Nite (Mark MacDonald), More the Better N (Scott Zeron) and Major Crocker A (Dan Dube) picked off the remainder, while an amiss Bit of a Legend N (Jordan Stratton) lost touch from a pole-sitting pocket and finished sixth.
For Rodeo Rock, a 6-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven gelding owned by Royal Wire Products and trained by Robert Cleary, it was his third win in as many seasonal starts (2-for-2 in series). The exacta paid $22.60, the triple returned $201 and the superfecta paid $459.50.
"I was hoping Scotty (Zeron, with More the Better N would pull from third, but he was happy where he was and just had to go on with it," McCarthy said. "It was a long way (from fifth) in the wind, but he was actually more comfortable tonight than in last week's race."
Fourth division – After wiring his opening-leg rivals at 9-1, favored Ideal Jimmy (Brent Holland, $4.10) had a more acquaintances at the windows.
From post No. 3, it couldn't have been less simple (:28, :57.4, 1:26, 1:53.3), going the distance by 3¼ lengths. Polester Lochton Luck A (Matt Kakaley), as the 29-1 outsider, and three-hole sitting Bellow's Binge (Jason Bartlett) finished the tickets, while Always at My Place (Brennan) and Bettor Memories (Jim Marohn Jr.) settled for the remainder.
For Ideal Jimmy, a 6-year-old homebred Western Ideal gelding owned by D R Van Witzenberg and trained by Erv Miller, it was his fifth win in eight'19 tries (2-for-2 in series). The exacta paid $49, the triple returned $136 and the superfecta paid $1,379.
"I thought he should have been the favorite last week," Holland said "He's very handy and I'm not surprised he's stepped up in this series."
JJ Flynn
First division – A week after Western Fame (Dube) traversed the fastest local mile (1:51.1) of the season, he was 15-cents-on-the-dollar to do it again.
JJ Flynn (Brennan, $43) was not impressed. After Western Fame led through early fractions of :27.1 and :56.2, JJ Flynn moved-with purpose-from post No. 4. He hooked Western Fame by the 1:24 three-quarters, fighting him off from there.
The final margin was three-quarters of a length in a sharp 1:51.3. Duplicated N (Tim Tetrick) was a pocket third, with Ballerat Boomerang (Joe Bongiorno) and Lyons Steel (MacDonald) also making appearance fees.
For fourth choice JJ Flynn, a 6-year-old Western Ideal gelding co-owned by (trainer) Josh Green, Richard Lombardo and Charles Cochran III, he's now 6-for-8 this season (1-for-2 in series). The exacta paid $119.50, the triple returned $191 and the superfecta paid $362.50.
Third division – Anythingforlove A (Bongiorno) saw his quest for the series two-fer implode from pole-sitting Endeavor (Tetrick, $4.90) pulled from third and rolled right past.
The former offered early foot (:27.3, :57.1), but was backpedaling buy the 1:25 three-quarters. Endeavor, meanwhile, opened a pair of lengths in and out of the final turn, eventually winning by 2¼ lengths in 1:52.4.
Control Tower (Austin Siegelman) was a loose-second-up second, with a trapped Dr. J Hanover (McCarthy), Nocturnal Bluechip (Zeron) and the fading 11-10 fave Anythingforlove A settling for the minors.
For second choice Endeavor, a 6-year-old American Ideal gelding co-owned by (trainer) Jeff Cullipher and Pollack Racing, it was his first win in a pair of seasonal/series starts. The exacta paid $24.40, the triple returned $149.50 and the superfecta paid $530.
Fifth division – The Downtown Bus (Zeron, $17.20) took the always-popular fourth-over route to redemption, snapping 11-10 choice Beckham's Z Tam (Tetrick) by a head in 1:53.1.
The closers, from post Nos. 5 and 3, respectively, had numbers to chase after Sam's a Champ A (MacDonald) set a contested pace (:26.1, :55.3, 1:23.4) after getting stung early and softened by a first-up The Wall (Bongiorno).
Rodeo Romeo (Bartlett) was an outkicked third, with The Wall and Whittaker N (Holland) grabbing the smaller envelopes.
For fifth choice The Downtown Bus, a 4-year-old Mach Three gelding co-owned by (trainer) Jeff Gillis and Ellen Ott, he's now 1-for-2 this season/series. The exacta paid $90.50, the triple returned $196.50 and the superfecta paid $540.
Sixth division – A two-speed number, where second choice Somewhere in L A (Bartlett, $6.10) edged past just-over-even-money I'marocnrollegend N (Brennan) in 1:53.1.
Pocketed from post No. 4, 'L A' earned a 40th career win, the margin three-quarters of a length. Don Domingo N (Stratton) was a ground-saving third, with I'm Some Graduate (Kakaley) and Mar Nien A (Greg Merton) earning the remainder of available coinage.
For Somewhere in L A, an 8-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding co-owned by D'Elegance Stable IX, Carmen Iannacone, T L P & Gandolfo Stables and trained by Richard Banca, it was his second win in five seasonal efforts (1-for-2 in series). The exacta paid $14.60, the triple returned $126.50 and the superfecta paid $572.
The series standings, as dutifully compiled by Bob (OUTP) Miecuna, accompany this release.
Saturday night's $44,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by 31-1 rank outsider New Heaven (Stratton, $64) in a season's-best 1:55.3.
Yonkers Raceway | |||||||||
George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series | |||||||||
2019 | March 24, 2019 | ||||||||
Order | Name | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | 3rd Leg | 4th Leg | 5th Leg | 25 pts/start | Total | |
1 | Ideal Jimmy | 50 | 50 | 50 | 150.0 | ||||
2 | Rodeo Rock | 50 | 50 | 50 | 150.0 | ||||
3 | Somewhere In L A | 25 | 50 | 50 | 125.0 | ||||
4 | Western Fame | 50 | 25 | 50 | 125.0 | ||||
5 | Endeavor | 8 | 50 | 50 | 108.0 | ||||
6 | JJ Flynn | 8 | 50 | 50 | 108.0 | ||||
7 | More The Better N | 50 | 8 | 50 | 108.0 | ||||
8 | The Wall | 50 | 8 | 50 | 108.0 | ||||
9 | Anythingforlove A | 50 | 5 | 50 | 105.0 | ||||
10 | Imarocnrollegend N | 25 | 25 | 50 | 100.0 | ||||
11 | The Downtown Bus | 0 | 50 | 50 | 100.0 | ||||
12 | Duplicated N | 25 | 12 | 50 | 87.0 | ||||
13 | Gokudo Hanover | 12 | 25 | 50 | 87.0 | ||||
14 | Beckhams Z Tam | 8 | 25 | 50 | 83.0 | ||||
15 | Control Tower | 0 | 25 | 50 | 75.0 | ||||
16 | Lockton Luck A | 0 | 25 | 50 | 75.0 | ||||
17 | Mach Doro A | 25 | 0 | 50 | 75.0 | ||||
18 | Mac's Jackpot | 25 | 0 | 50 | 75.0 | ||||
19 | Somebaddude | 25 | 0 | 50 | 75.0 | ||||
20 | Rodeo Romeo | 12 | 12 | 50 | 74.0 | ||||
21 | Bellows Binge | 8 | 12 | 50 | 70.0 | ||||
22 | Don Domingo N | 5 | 12 | 50 | 67.0 | ||||
23 | Ballerat Boomerang | 5 | 8 | 50 | 63.0 | ||||
24 | I'm Some Graduate | 5 | 8 | 50 | 63.0 | ||||
25 | Lyons Steel | 8 | 5 | 50 | 63.0 | ||||
26 | Bettors Fire N | 12 | 0 | 50 | 62.0 | ||||
27 | Dr J Hanover | 0 | 12 | 50 | 62.0 | ||||
28 | Luciano N | 12 | 0 | 50 | 62.0 | ||||
29 | Mach It So | 12 | 0 | 50 | 62.0 | ||||
30 | Micky Gee N | 12 | 0 | 50 | 62.0 | ||||
31 | Rock The Nite | 0 | 12 | 50 | 62.0 | ||||
32 | Always At My Place | 0 | 8 | 50 | 58.0 | ||||
33 | Bettor Memories | 0 | 5 | 50 | 55.0 | ||||
34 | Mar Nien A | 0 | 5 | 50 | 55.0 | ||||
35 | Pacing Major N | 5 | 0 | 50 | 55.0 | ||||
36 | Rockathon | 5 | 0 | 50 | 55.0 | ||||
37 | Sams A Champ A | 5 | 0 | 50 | 55.0 | ||||
38 | Whittaker N | 0 | 5 | 50 | 55.0 | ||||
39 | Bit Of A Legend N | 0 | 0 | 50 | 50.0 | ||||
40 | Nocturnal Bluechip | 8 | 25 | 33.0 | |||||
41 | Rockin Ron | 8 | 25 | 33.0 | |||||
42 | Major Crocker A | 5 | 25 | 30.0 | |||||
43 | Christen Me N | 0 | 25 | 25.0 | |||||
44 | Cruise Patrol | 0 | 25 | 25.0 | |||||
45 | Military Master A | 0 | 25 | 25.0 | |||||
46 | Weona Sizzler A | 0 | 25 | 25.0 | |||||
47 | Windcong Leo | 0 | 25 | 25.0 | |||||
48 | Funknwaffles | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||
ADDED MONEY | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | 3rd Leg | 4th Leg | 5th Leg | Nom. Fees | Total | ||
$45,000 | $41,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $280,000 | $366,000 | |||
$200,000 | |||||||||
Total | $566,000 |
Frank Drucker