Levy Returns At Yonkers

The last night of March saw a first of sorts at Yonkers Raceway...the first renewal of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series in some 11 years.

Once a stellar metropolitan area Free For All staple, the Levy returned with five, $50,000 opening-round divisions. Of the 55 nominees in this event named for the founder of Roosevelt Raceway, 36 came to play Saturday night and Mister Big came to play the fastest.

With Greg (four winners on the 12-race card) Grismore doing the honors, Mister Big was short for Mister Big Mile. Drawing post four in the fifth--and by far the toughest--Levy grouping, the 4-year-old son of
Grinfromeartoear came uncovered against track record holder (aged pacing gelding) Special Report (Larry Stalbaum) and wound up with a line in Yonkers' record book all his own.

Special Report did what he figured to do--grab the lead--gunning from post seven and setting fractions of :27.2 to the quarter and :55.1 to the half. Hot Delaware invader Roddy's Bags Again (Jeff Gregory) was in close pocket proximity, while Mister Big was away fifth.

Grismore wait until halfway into the third turn to ask his charge, and the answers all came back good. Mister Big engaged Special Report--the favorite at 75 cents on the dollar--toward the 1:23.2 three quarters before collaring him in early stretch.

He strode out to win by a length-and-a-quarter in 1:52. That effort clipped one-fifth off the previous Westchester record for 4-year-old horses, which was held by Artsplace for more than 14 years (Aug. 15, 1992).

Not bad for a horse who began his career with a pair of qualifiers at Maywood Park but had never been over a four-turn oval since.

I Can Only Imagine (Tony Morgan, three winners Saturday) was able to get by a no-excuse "Roddy" for third. Eyes On Kassa (Pat Berry) earned the final pay envelope.

Mister Big, who crossed the river after winning the $74,000 final of the Aquarius last month at the Meadowlands, now has six wins and a pair of seconds in eight seasonal starts ($150,996).

The winner, the 7-2 second choice, was trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. for owner Joe Muscara.

"He was tremendous," Grismore said. "I didn't have to move him for more than a half mile, and once I did, I really didn't want anyone pulling in front of me.

"I knew Larry's horse had been super the past two starts, but when I came up alongside him, mine felt really good and I was sure I was going to go by."

Mister Big returned $9.10, leading a $24.20 exacta and $76 triple.

The four other first-round Levy winners were:

--Maltese Artist,g,6 (by Artiscape); co-owners Burke, Howard, Koran; trainer Mickey Burke; driver Grismore;
1:53.2 (27.2 home)/$2.90;

--True Force,g,5 (by Falcon Seelster); co-owners Larry Baron & VIP Internet Stable; trainer Bruce Saunders; driver Jim Meittinis; 1:53.2/$10.60;

--Village Jate N,g,7 (by Village Jasper); co-owner Joe Alflen & (trainer) Kelvin Harrison; driver Morgan; (season's-best) 1:53.2/$20.20;

--Tarver Hanover,6 (by Ball and Chain); owner The Wiz Kids Stable/tirainerRoy Dinges; driver Berry; 1:52.3/$3.40. (Yonkeres Raceway)

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