First-leg Levy winners all return for round 2

Stakes action remains very much in vogue this weekend, with Yonkers Raceway offering 16 series events Friday and Saturday nights. Saturday night, it's round two of the popular George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series. As was the case in last week's opener, a happy half dozen of $50,000 Free-For-All divisions go postward.

Each and every one of last week's winners have returned to double down, with two of them--Blueridge Western (Corey Callahan, post 1) and Clear Vision (Cat Manzi, post 7)--squaring off in the second division of the Levy. The former was given a slick Dave Palone drive, while the latter fought off all comers to last from the pylons.

Kevin McDermott trains Blueridge Western, a 5-year-old Allamerican Ingot gelding, while Clear Vision, a 4-year-old Western Hanover gelding, is trained by Richard Norman.

Jason Bartlett, triple-listed (Blueridge Western, Handsome Harry, Foiled Again) on the overnight sheet, elected to drive Foiled Again, the defending series champ.

"(Foiled Again) is the only horse I wouild have chosen over Blueridge Western," Bartlett said.

"If Jason plans on leaving, he's going to get a lot of Yonkers air," McDermott said.

Wholly Louy (Manzi, post 7), who rarely throws in a clunker here, landed in Saturday night's first division. The 6-year-old Camluck gelding--a second-up winner a week ago--is trained by Casie Coleman and goes after a 32nd lifetime victory.

Poker Hat (Brett Miller, post 5)--he of the fastest (1:52.4) opening-leg mile--landed in this week's third division. It was the 30th career victory for the 6-year-old Cam's Card Shark gelding, trained by James Borke.

Trainer George Teague and driver Callahan teamed to win twice in this series a week ago, with Western Ace and Southwind Lynx each landing six holes in Saturday's fourth and fifth events, respectively.

Friday night's second round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series duplicates the first, with three, seven-horse fields going for $40,000 each.

In fact, 20 of last week's 21 pacing mares are back at it, including all three winners--Makerbark, Ubetterthink Think and Call Me Yours--trained by Mark Ford.

Makerbark landed post position six in the opening group, with Stephane Bouchard again getting the assignment. The 5-year-old daughter of Dragon Again, who rolled by at 16-1 in round one, has hit the board in her last four tries. Her 1:54.1 effort was the fastest in the first round.

On the Glass (Bartlett, post 7) had won her last three races before tiring to fourth as the odds-on choice in her Matchmaker event a week ago.

Ubetterthink Think (Brandon Simpson, post 6) began her series with a sold, blowout mile. The 6-year-old Bettor's Delight ma'am led at every pylon as she moves toward $600,000 in lifetime earnings.

Go on BB (Bartlett, post 2) and Lightning Treasure (Manzi, post 4) were both bridesmaids in their opening-round trials.

Call Me Yours (Bouchard, post 3) eyes a third consecutive victory in Friday night's final Blue Chip event. The homebred (Stephen Gillard) 5-year-old daughter of Your Nemesis has won her last couple decisively from off the pace, including last week's 15-1 upset.

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