Favorites prevail in two Levy splits; Mighty Young Joe upsets

A trio of $50,000 divisions in round four of Yonkers Raceway's George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series went postward on Saturday night, giving the participants a next-to-last chance to impress the judges.

The first free-for-all division saw Mighty Young Joe and trainer-driver Stacey Chiodo author a 15-1, second-over surprise. Leaving from post position number five, he watched early as Noble Falcon (Jason Bartlett) grudgingly gave way to Atochia (Greg Grismore) just after a zippy, :26.2 opening quarter-mile.

The pole-sitting, 3-10 favorite, King Cat Anvil N (Jordan Stratton), moved from third to engage Atochia before the :56 intermission, and Mighty Young Joe, three wide briefly when Moon Beam (Eric Abbatiello) slipped out before retreating to the cones, advanced for the tow behind the favorite. Atochia was stubborn at the 1:24.4 three-quarters, taking a tenuous lead into the lane.

While King Cat Anvil N began to fade, Mighty Young Joe fanned wide for the drive. "Joe" was able to get the jump on Wholly Louy (Stephane Bouchard) and beat that one by a neck in a season's-best 1:53.3. Thisbigdogwilfight (Brent Holland) grabbed third, while the people's choice ended up fifth.

Mighty Young Joe, a 6-year-old Blissfull Hall gelding owned by Pamela Jane Mensoky, paid $32 as the fifth choice, for his second win in 11 season’s starts. The longshot led a $453 exacta and $2,357 triple. Meanwhile, the bridgejumpers found themselves searching for solace, as nearly $7,400 of the $8,261 in the show pool was washed away after King Cat Anvil N abdicated. The show payoffs for the three on-the-board finishers were $34.40, $42.40 and $43.60, respectively.

Saturday night's second series division had the 1-2 people's preference, Lucky Bettor (Greg Grismore), two-move around Special Report (Larry Stalbaum), then hold sway for consecutive victories.

Leaving from post number four, Lucky Bettor regained the rostrum after a :27.1 first two furlongs. He then found a :56 intermission and 1:24.4 three-quarters before Psilvuheartbreaker (Jim Meittinis) moved from third. Lucky Bettor was tough, though, holding off "Heartbreaker" by one-half length, in 1:52.4, with Special Report third.

Lucky Bettor, a 5-year-old state-bred Bettor's Delight gelding trained by Ron Burke for co-owners Burke Racing, JJK Stables and Weaver Bruscemi, paid $3 for his fifth victory in a dozen '09 tries. The exacta returned $5.60, with the triple, featuring the three wagering choices, in order, paying $17.60.

The final stakes division saw Blueridge Western (Jason Bartlett) grab a third preliminary round victory. Offering minimal suspense from post number two, the 2-5 choice had to work a bit to get around the pole-sitting Albert Chief A (Pat Berry). From there, "Blueridge" sailed unpressured through fractions of :27.2, :57.2, 1:25.2 and 1:53.2, winning by 2 1/2 lengths.

Test Flight (Cat Manzi) grabbed second, as the 33-1 rank outsider, Real Nice (Bouchard), who scaled "Blueridge" a week ago, was buried before closing for third.

Blueridge Western, a 4-year-old Allamerican Ingot-gelding trained by Kevin McDermott for owner Francis Azur, paid $2.90 for his fifth win in 13 season’s starts. The exacta paid $34.60, with the triple returning $85.50. (Yonkers)

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