Took Hanover, Bono Bests and Palone Ranger win at Yonkers

Took Hanover, Bono Bests and Palone  Rangers posted impressive victories in Saturday night's second preliminary leg of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series at Yonkers Raceway.

Took Hanover, who took it to the house in last week's opening round, served further notice that he's far from a one-trick pacer with a solid 1:51.1 effort in the first $50,000 division. With Greg Merton again driving form trainer Noel Daley, Took Hanover--leaving from post position two steppped arond pole-sitter Rare Jewel (Stephane Bouchard) before stepping lively through a :27 opening quarter. Defending series champ Maltese Artist (Greg Grismore), even-money this evening, settled in third.

Took Hanover rolled along, getting a :55.1 intermission before Maltese Artist offered his second move. A 1:22.4 three quarters, however, kept that one at bay and gave "Took" a couple of lengths to tinker with turning for home.

He finished what he started, whipping Rare Jewel by a 1 1/2 lengths in a season's-best sojourn (for both horse and venue). Home Run Hudson (Jason Bartlett) rounded out the ticket, with Maltese Artist and King Cat Anvil N (Jordan Stratton) completing the cashers.

Took Hanover, a 5-year-old son of The Panderosa, is trained by Noel Daley for co-owners Adam Victor & Son and John Fielding. He paid $5.20 (second choice) for his third consecutive win in six seasonal starts, with the exacta paying $18.40 and the triple good for $46.40.

"He's as good a horse as I've ever sat behind," Merton said. "With the draw, I thought Rare Jewel and Maltese Artist might mix it up. and I'd be in the three hole. Even with those fractions, he was grabbing into me pretty good."

The second Levy event saw Bono Bests (Pat Berry), in his series debut, make up for lost time. Sitting chilly early from post four, he watched as timid 6-5 fave Gold Dust Beach (Catello Manzi) led through fractions of :27.1, :56.3 and 1:24.3. Bono Bests advanced first-over, going right on by the leader in early stretch. He widened to prevail by a 1 3/4 legnths in 1:52.3. Gold Dust Beach held second, with Looselipssinkships (Jim Pantaleano), Radar Installed N (Bouchard) and Tarver Hanover (Larry Stalbaum) also making money.

For Bono Bests, a 5-year-old Pro Bono Best gelding, he returned $4.40 (though the 6-5 second cboice) for his fifth victory in ninth '08 tries.  Ross Croghan traines the winner for co-owners Steven Demeter and Herbert Burns III. The exacta paid $6.40, while the triple was worth $18.60.

"He's just a real gentleman to drive," Berry said, "He was sort of screwing around in the post parade, but when he saw the gate, he was all business. I wanted to stay out of it early and let things settle. I was hoping to come first-over, because I didn't want to move him two- or three-wide. He went on by a horse (Gold Dust Beach) who's not easy to pass."

The final Levy grouping found '06 Messenger winner Palone Ranger (Manzi) grind pace-setting 11-10  favorite Special Report (Stalbaum) into submission in 1:52.2.

Imitating Bono Bests, Palone Ranger, leaving from post five, watched as Special Report led through fractions of :26.3, :55.4 and 1:23.4.  Palone Ranger then went up and over the tiring leader, defeating 78-1 Psilvuheartbreaker (Jim Meittinis) by a 1 1/4 lengths. Mypanmar (Bouchard) was third, with Special Report and KF St. Patrick (Stratton) rounding out the payees. Panaramic Art, who saw his two-season, 20-race win streak end last week, was a non-factor (eighth, placed seventh) this night.

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