Blueridge Western leads field into Saturday's Levy final

Spending money to make money...and already playing with house money, such is the saga of Blueridge Western, whose owner, Francis Azur, plunked down $240,000 for him at Harrisburg last fall and reaped the rewards. And that's even before Saturday night when Blueridge Western drew post position seven for Yonkers Raceway's $370,000 final of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.

The race, first contested in 1978--a year after Levy's death--honors the founder of Roosevelt Raceway and a 1966 inductee into the Harness Racing Hall of  Fame. It is this season's richest harness race to date.

Blueridge Western had his dance card filled in the preliminary rounds, racing all five weeks and leading the point parade with four wins and a second. For the season, the 4-year-old Allamerican Ingot gelding won six of his 14 starts and $146,875. That success has come as no surprise to his trainer. 

"He was a good horse when he came to us," trainer Kevin McDermott said. "He had been second (to Shadow Play) in the American-National, and I knew about him.”

Choosing him, however, was strictly the owner's call.

"It was Mr. Azur's decision, 100 percent," McDermott said. "He was coming from the (Ron and Mickey) Burke's barn and I didn't know how much room for improvement there was. In fact, the only reason he was for sale is that his owner (George Leon) doesn't want to race horses past their 3-year-old season.

"Ronnie was great," McDermott said. "He told me everything about the horse, and 'Blueridge' kept on going."

A third--to a couple of fair foes named Somebeachsomewhere and Shadow Play--and a second-place finish (to Dali) in the Matron (after wining his  elimination) "and Mr. Azur had recouped about 70 percent of his investment before the end of the season," McDermott said.

However, the outset of 2009 saw a different animal. "He just wasn't finishing his races well," McDermott said." He seemed sour."

So, McDermott made him a house guest.

"I took him home (Millstone, N.J.) between starts and just let him have the run of the farm. That seemed to get his my mind back on business."

His fondness for the smaller surfaces has been evident throughout the Levy series, where "Blueridge" has retained the services of Yonkers' leading driver, Jason Bartlett.

"Jason's just a professional driver," McDermott said. "Even when I didn't make to it (for the Levy), he always called and we'd go over things.

As far as the outer impost for the final--where, ironically, Blueridge Western runs into two current members of the Burke stable in Foiled Again and Lucky Bettor--McDermott deferred to someone who ought to know.

"John Campbell's line of 'It's only a starting point' fits," McDermott said. "I'm coming there Saturday thinking I have a big chance."

The field for the Levy, in post-position order with drivers and morning-line odds…1-Psilvuheartbreaker, Jim Meittinis, 5-1; 2-King Cat Anvil N, Jordan  Stratton, 10-1; 3-Foiled Again, Yannick Gingras, 6-5; 4-Mighty Young Joe, Stacy Chiodo, 20-1; 5-Lucky Bettor, Greg Grismore, 6-5, coupled with Foiled Again;  6-Wholly Louy, Catello Manzi, 12-1; 7-Blueridge Western, Jason Bartlett, 8-5; 8-Real Nice, Stephane Bouchard, 15-1.

By the way, Blueridge Western and Psiluvheartbreaker would become career millionaires with respective first- or second-place finishes in the Levy.

The all-age Yonkers Raceway track record--Silver Almahurst's 1:50.4--was set in this event 16 seasons ago. The Levy was discontinued after 1996 before its return in 2007.

Saturday's card also features the $229,000 final of the inaugural Blue Chip Matchmaker, an event for pacing mares. Millionairess Chancey Lady (Manzi) drew post No. 1 and was installed as the even-money morning-line favorite. (Yonkers)

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