Foiled Again wins Levy

May 03, 2009

Foiled Again took over from entrymate Lucky Bettor early, then ran up the Saturday night score,drilling Yonkers Raceway's $370,000 final of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.

The finale of the Levy--Yonkers' premier Free-For-All event and
the sport's richest race of 2009 to date--was reduced to a battle for
the balance for the last half-mile.

Both halves of the Ron Burke-trained entry--sent postward as the
3-10 favorite--were in play at the ouset. Lucky Bettor (Greg Grismore,
post 5) made a quick lead while Foiled Again (Yannick Gingras, post 3)
briefly settling in third. The latter grabbed the baton just after a
:27.3 opening quarter-mile and had no designs on sharing.

That greediness was not good news for Blueridge Western (Jason
Bartlett). The points leader after the five preliminary rounds was
saddled with post position No. 7 in the open-draw finale. He found an
early four-hole, but was doomed to make a second, uincovered move into a
tepid :29.1 second quarter.

That breather was more than enough ammo for Foiled Again, who
found a 1:24.4 three-quarters before slapping 3 1/2 lengths on his foes
turning for the bank.

Foiled Again hit the line a wrapped-up 2 3/4 lengths to the good
in 1:52.3. Pslvuheartbreaker (Jim Meiittinis) edged Lucky Bettor for
second--and became a career millionaire in the process--with Mighty
Young Joe (Stacy Chiodo) and King Cat Anvil N (Jordan Stratton)
completing the cashers.

Wholly Louy (Cat Manzi), Real Nice (Stephane Bouchard) and a
hard-luck Blueridge Western rounded out the order.

For Foiled Again, a 5-year-old Dragon Again gelding co-owned by
Burke Racing, JJK Stables and Weaver Bruscemi, his entry paid $2.60 for
his fifth win (fourth consecutive) win in six seasonal starts
($285,000). The exacta paid $9.60, with the triple returning $61.50.

"Once I made the lead, I knew we'd be hard to catch," Gingras
said. "The draw certainly helped, but this is a very tough horse.

"The more you ask him and work on him during the race, the
better he is."

The race, inaugurated 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. His son, Bob, made the winner's circle
presentation.

While the favorite rolled in the Levy, the people's preference
wasn't as fortunate in the $229,000 final of the inaugural Blue Chip
Matchmaker.

Chancy Lady (Manzi), the 2-5 choice from the pole in the Open
Mare event, picked a bad night to have a bad night. The millionairess
made an early break and was never a factor.

Pancleefandandarpels (Stratton), the series prelim points
leader, pulled first-up from fourth, wore down a stubborn Omen Hanover
(Eric Abbatiello) before edging to a length-and-a-quarter win in 1:54.4.
Justify Full

Double Dream N (Brent Holland) grabbed second over a very good
"Omen," with Hannah Isabel (Pat Lachance) and Elusive Prey (Bouchard)
grabbing the small change. Chancy Lady wound up gapping from
second-over and finished last among the lasses.

For "Pancleef," a 5-year-old statebred daughter of Noble
Ability, owned by Peter Pan Stables and trained by Erv Miller, she paid
$8 (second choice) for her seventh victory in 13 '09 efforts. The
exacta paid $124.50, with the triple returning $600.

"This is my first big stakes win, and I'm really sort of
speechless," Stratton said. "She's such a talented horse and I'm so glad
to drive her."

As for Chancy Lady, "She had a bad week and didn't seem like
herself scoring down," Manzi said. "When I asked her for some speed
early, she ran.

"She came out of the race fine. It's just one of those things."

A pair of series consolations, worth $100,000 (Levy) and $75,000
(Matchmaker), were won by J P Jackpot (Bartlett, $7.70) in 1:52.3 and
Ramona Disomma (Grismore, $7.20) in 1:53.4, respectively.

As an extra perk, the Blue Chip Matchmaker offers three free
breedings for the 2010 season--one each to American Ideal, Art Major and
Bettor's Delight--donated by Blue Chip Farms. Pancleefandarpels now has
first choice of stallions, Double Dream N has the choice of the two
remaining stallions, with Omen Hanover getting a breeding to remaining
stallion.

The Wallkill, NY, farm was well-represented by Mike Kimelman,
who made the winner's circle presentation.

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