Trainer Ron Burke entered nine horses in the opening round of the six-week-long George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series, which begins with six divisions, each going for $50,000, on Saturday night at Yonkers Raceway
. The $495,000 final is scheduled for April 30.
Among the Burke horses is two-time defending series champion Foiled Again. Last year, Foiled Again won 10 of 24 races and earned $922,535. The seven-year-old gelding has earned $2 million in his career. In his first race of this season, March 12 in the invitational at the Meadowlands, Foiled Again was second to favourite River Shark in 1:49.
Foiled Again will start from Post 1 in the second of the six Levy divisions on Saturday.
“He’s been super,” Burke said about Foiled Again. “His first effort was very good. He drew the rail (Saturday) so I would expect that he’s going to be very good.”
Also entered in the Levy from the Burke Stable are Atochia, Dreamlands Art, Dymond Joe Mindale, Lucky Bettor, McApulco, McCedes, Southern Allie, and Versado.
“Atochia is the one most likely to do well,” Burke said. “Last year at the end he seemed like he was really starting to close in on them, so I would think he’s my second-best shot. But all of them if they get the right spot, draw inside, will be competitive with the whole group. A lot of it comes down to the draw there and how sharp they are during the series.”
River Shark, out of the stable of trainer Mark Ford, is in the sixth Levy division. Ford also sends Gallant Yankee, Handsome Harry, Keystone Rideau, and Lahaye into the series.
Trainers Casie Coleman and George Teague Jr. both have three Levy representatives. Coleman entered Legal Litigator, Royal Morn, and Wholly Louy while Teague has Barber Pole, Southwind Lynx, and Windfall Blue Chip.
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit ustrotting.com.