Panaramic Art, Bono Bests and Special Report win at Yonkers

April 27, 2008

A trio of abbreviated fields went postward in Saturday night's fifth and final preliminary leg of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series at Yonkers Raceway with two favorites, Panaramic Art and Bono Bests, and a second choice, Special Report, winning their respective, $50,000 events.

Panaramic Art (Greg Grismore), as the 1-2 favorite, sat pocketed to last week's upset winner Tarver Hanover (Jason Bartlett). The latter led the quintet through fractions of :28.1, :56.1 and 1:24.1, but was done turning for home.

Panaramic Art ducked inside, getting the jump on Psilvuheartbreaker (Jim Meittinis) to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:52.3. Ghee's House (Eric Abbatiello)--first-up in his first series start--Tarver Hanover and Home Run Hudson (Catello Manzi) completed the finishers.

For Panaramic Art, a 4-year-old Hot Pans gelding co-owned by Squawk Box Stable & Keep the Dream Going ansd trained by Al Meyer, he returned $3 for his seventh win in 10 seasonal tries. The exacta paid $9.30, while there was no triple wagering.

A resurgent Bono Bests (Pat Berry), the 13-10 favorite, won his fourth consecutive race and seventh in his last eight tries. Seemingly done first-over while chasing Rare Jewel (Stephane Bouchard) through weigh stations of :28, :56.4 and 1:25, Bono Bests found his second wind in this second division.

He found the wire a neck before 23-1 shot Radar Installed N (Jordan Stratton) in 1:52.3, with Rare Jewel tiring to third. Took Hanover (Greg Merton), already in the final and racing from the back of the field this evening, was fourth, while Palone Ranger (Manzi) was fifth.

For Bono Bests, a 5-year-old Pro Bono Best gelding, he returned $4.70 for his seventh win in 11 tries this year. Ross Croghan trains for co-owners Herbert Burns and Stephen Demeter. The exacta paid $57.50, with the triple worth $124.

Special Report (Larry Stalbaum) and '07 Levy champ Maltese Artist (Grismore) reprised last season's series finale, only this time, Special Report finished what he started.

The 6-year-old Keystone Raider gelding led through fractions of :28, :57.1 and 1:25.1, holding off even-money favorite Maltese Artist by a neck in 1:52. Mypanmar (Bouchard) was more than five lengths away in third, with KF St. Patrick (Stratton) and JK Big Shot (Bartlett) grabbing the small change.

Special Report, owned by Hugo Iodice and trained by Kim Ashers, paid $6.50 for his fifth victory in 14 seasonal starts (career earnings now over $800,000). He led a $10.40 exacta and $17.80 triple.

The series final, richest North American race of the season to date with a purse of $390,000, is scheduled for next Saturday night. (Yonkers Raceway)

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