Six splits slated Saturday

March 28, 2007

The George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series, long a Free For All staple in the metropolitan area, returns to Yonkers Raceway Saturday night with five divisions with each going for $50,000 (as does every prelim leg in this event), with some of the finest older pacers in training hitting town in search of their share of the quarter mil.

The series, named for the founder of Roosevelt Raceway, offers a half-dozen preliminary rounds leading to a $200,000 (est.) final and $100,000 (est.) consolation, both scheduled for Saturday night,. May 12.

Of the 55 nominees in the series with more legs than a centipede, 37 dropped in for the series' opening round.

Leading the first division is Maltese Artist (Yannick Gingras, post 1), a handy winners-over winner a week ago at the Meadowlands. The 6-year-old Artiscape gelding has banked more than $938,000 in his career.

Saturday night's second Levy event finds Palone Ranger (Catello Manzi, post 4) returning to the scene of his $546,830 Messenger Stakes triumph last November.

The 4-year-old son of Western Ideal did make his lone victory of the past two seasons count and is back in
Westchester looking to add to his nearly $725,000 in lifetime earnings.

Fox Valley Appeal (Driver TBA, post 5) has been first or second in five-of-seven tries this season, while Whosurboy (Stephane Bouchard, post 6) rolled off cover to overcome the eight-hole a week ago.

The third Levy division sees Western Guy (Pat Berry, post 2) a resurgent winner in last week's $35,000 Open Pace, opposing the likes of Armbro Animate (Bouchard, post 1) and consistent Delaware commodity Dream Rocket (Steve Smith, post 6).

Saturday night's penultimate Levy grouping includes Tarver Hanover (Berry, post 1) a handy winner across the river last Saturday night; Allamerican Inca (Jim Pantaleano, post 2), who won an Open Handicap event here three weeks ago, and Bono Bests (Driver TBA, post 5), with 10 victories to his credit a season ago.

The final opening-round Levy event drew track record-holder Special Report (Larry Stalbaum, post 7). The 5-year-old Keystone Raider gelding smoked around the oval in 1:51.3 and 1:51.2, respectively, in his last two tries, each a new Raceway standared for aged pacing geldings.

Mister Big (Bouchard, post 4) won the $74,000 final of the Aquarius late last month, while Roddy's Bags Again (Gingras, post 2) comes to town after a solid win at Dover. (Yonkers)

« Back