YONKERS, NY, Saturday, April 6, 2019-Fourth round, four divisions, go 'fourth'.
Get the picture?
Yonkers Raceway Saturday night (Apr. 6th) hosted the next-to-last preliminary get-together of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.
Four, $50,000 Free-For All harness racing events were carded, one fewer than a week ago.
Here's the vivid re-enactment…
First division–There weren't many styles point for odds-on JJ Flynn (Tim Tetrick, $3.80), but he did last (:26.4, :57, 1:24.2; 1:52.2) from post position No. 4.
After looping Endeavor (Jason Bartlett) early, he held off a second-over Major Crocker A (Dan Dube) by a neck, with a first-up Pacing Major N (Jordan Stratton) said third.
I'marocnrollegend N (Scott Zeron) and Always at My Place (George Brennan) settled for the remainder. Endeavor lost touch and finished sixth of seven.
For JJ Flynn, a 6-year-old Western Ideal gelding co-owned by (trainer) Josh Green, Richard Lombardo and Charles Cochran III, it was his seventh win in 10 seasonal starts (2-for-4 in Levy). The exacta paid $17.60, the triple returned $54 and the superfecta paid $204.50.
"I had to use (JJ Flynn) more than I wanted," Tetrick said. 'Even last week, as soon as I made the lead, they came at me, but he raced well. They went in (1):50 and change (Lyons Steel's 1:50.4), so I've been very happy with him."
Second division–A week after some noticeable traffic issues, Bettor's Fire N (Ron Cushing, $19.40) was left to his own devices, and promptly made 'em play.
From post No. 5, he went the distance (:27.4, :57.4, 1:25.4, 1:53.2), whipping pole-sitting, 2-1 choice Anythingforlove A (Joe Bongiorno) by a three-quarters of a length.
More the Better N (Zeron) and Nocturnal Bluechip (Tetrick) came away with the minors
For sixth choice Bettor's Fire N, an 11-year-old Down Under Bettor's Delight gelding co-owned by his driver, Kevin Sywyk & Frank Ranaldi and trained by Heidi Gibbs, he's now 2-for-9 this season (1-for-4 in Levy). The exacta paid $67.50, the triple returned $508 and the superfecta paid $4,631.
Third division–The last time there were equally-insane early substations of :26.4 here?
Hard-pressed to remember one, so it was no surprise that after a :53.3 intermission, neither tepid 2-1 fave The Downtown Bus (Zeron) nor Lyons Steel (Stratton) were around to tell about it.
The former, after getting trapped in the pocket a week ago, was bent on taking no prisoners this time. The speed summarily surrendered around the 1:22 three-quarters, as Mar Nien A (Greg Merton) took his turn as a short-term leader.
When the stonedust settled, a from-last The Wall (Bongiorno, $31.60)-from post No. 5–snapped Ideal Jimmy (Brent Holland), winning by three-quarters of a length in 1:51.2, matching a life-best effort. Somebaddude (Brennan), Bettor Memories (Bartlett) and Mar Nien A also made appearance fees.
For fifth choice The Wall, a 5-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding owned by J L Benson Stables and trained by Nick Surick, it was his second win in a 11 seasonal starts (2-for-4 in Levy). The exacta paid $146.50, the triple returned $1,977 and the superfecta paid $2,602.
"I couldn't believe how fast they were going," Bongiorno said. "No way I could even keep up. The way the race developed, I thought I'd be second to Ideal Jimmy. I didn't know how he'd do after competing in non-winners of $20,000, but he's been solid the whole series."
Fourth division–Odds-on Western Fame (Dube, $2.40) restored some normal to the gathering with an as-expected romp (;27.2, 56., 1:23.4, 1:50.4). From post No, 3, the series points leader drilled his foes by 5½ lengths, a personal '19 best and matching Lyons Steel for the fastest Westchester mile of the Levy and season.
Western Fame -Mike Lizzi photo
Gokudo Hanover (Brennan) was a very loosely-pocketed second, with Rock the Nite (Mark MacDonald), Somewhere in L A (Bartlett) and Ballerat Boomerang (Bongiorno) earning the minor moolah.
For Western Fame, a 6-year-old son of Western Ideal owned by Go Fast and B&I Stables, Stephen Klunowski & Gilbert Short and trained by Rene Allard, he's now 3-for-5 this season (2-for-4 in Levy). The exacta (two wagering choices) paid $5, the triple returned $45.80 and the superfecta paid $109.
The series standings, as dutifully compiled by Bob (OUTP) Miecuna, accompany this release.
Saturday night's $44,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by an odds-on In Secret (Brennan, $3.30) in a season's-best 1:54.4, matching the fastest local trot mile of 2019.
Frank Drucker
Director of Publicity
Yonkers