Yonkers Raceway's premier Free-for-All event, the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series, continued Saturday night with four $50,000, second-round divisions
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It may not quite be Christmas season, but Blueridge Western toyed with his five rivals in the first division.
Leaving from post position No. 2, the 1-5 favorite put up walk-around fractions of :29 and :58.2. A 56-second back half (1:26.4 three-quarters) en route to a 1:54.2 effort gave "Blueridge" a couple of lengths over Up Front Peyton (Ryan Anderson) at the wire. Psilvuheartbreaker (Jim Meittinis) was third.
For Blueridge Western, a four-year-old Allamerican Ingot gelding trained by Kevin McDermott for owner Francis Azur, he paid $2.40 for his fourth (consecutive) win in 11 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $8.90, with the triple returning $64.
Like Blueridge Western, an encore series performance was turned in by King Cat Anvil N (Jordan Stratton). Leaving from post No. 4--as the very slight 17-10 favourite--he went first-up against Booze Cruzin (Brent Holland). That one stuffed Lucky Bettor (Greg Grismore) in behind and rolled though speedy stations of :27, :56.1 and 1:25.
Booze Cruzin was done in and out of the final turn, surrounded on both sides. King Cat Anvil N outgamed Lucky Bettor by three-quarters of a length in 1:54.2, with Lis Deo (Cat Manzi) along for third.
For King Cat Anvil N, a seven-year-old Down Under Christian Cullen gelding owned by John Kiwczak and trained by Dave Stratton, he paid $5.50 for his fourth win (third consecutive) in six seasonal starts. The exacta paid $12.80, with the triple worth $70.50.
A week ago, Wholly Louy was pocketed when the leader, Share The Delight, broke going into the final turn. Wholly Louy proved the main beneficary then, but this night, Wholly Louy showed he can giveth as well as taketh.
Outdrawing his six, third-division rivals, "Louy" (Anderson)--the 17-10 fave--put up early intervals of :27.2 and :57. He then misbehaved, throwing the entire field into disarray.
Lookout Hanover (Yannick Gingras) grabbed the slippery baton past the 1:25.3 three-quarters, but company was coming. Real Nice (Bartlett) angled inside, while McCedes (Grismore) went outside.
McCedes, who drew post No. 6, prevailed by a half-length in 1:54.3, with Lookout Hanover holding second in a photo.
For McCedes, a four-year-old McArdle gelding trained by Ron Burke for co-owners Burke Racing, JJK Stables, Weaver Bruscemi and James Koran, he returned $31.40 (fifth choice) for his first win in three '09 work nights. The exacta paid $235.50, with the triple returning $495.50.
Foiled Again (Gingras) gave the Burke brigade consecutive series wins. The 3-5 people's choice, leaving from post No. 4 in the final Levy legion, stepped around Philos Hanover (Manzi) and was never threatened through weigh stations of :27.1, :57.1, 1:25.4 and 1:54.2.
He defeated Philos Hanover by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:54.2, with Mighty Young Joe (Stacy Chiodo) third.
For Foiled Again, a five-year-old Dragon Again gelding co-owned by Burke Racing, JJK Stables and Weaver Bruscemi, he paid $3.30 for his second win in three seasonal starts. The exacta paid $7.40, with the triple returning $67.
Saturday night's 11-race card also included five, $12,500 trials in Round 3--final prelim--of the Sagamore Hill Pacing Series for three and four-year-olds. The winners were:
• Noble Cruiser, g, 4 (by Yankee Cruiser): co-owners Alto Cavallo Endeavs, David Miller, Eva Shaw/trainer Ron Coyne Jr./driver Jeff Gregory; 1:57.2/$15.40;
• Blue Boy, g, 4 (by Real Artist); owners Mack Racing Stables/trainer Julie Miller/driver Bartlett; 1:55.4/$2.40;
• Fischers Majorrisk, g, 4 (by Art Major); owner Larry Fischer/trainer Scott DiDomenico/driver Jordan Stratton; 1:57/$18.40;
• Internationalstyle, 4 (by Life Sign); co-owners Sylvia Burke, JJK Stables, Weaver Bruscemi/trainer Ron Burke/driver Grismore; 1:56.3/$2.50.
• Future Cruiser, 4 (by Yankee Cruiser); owner Pinske Stables/trainer Richard Norman/driver Gregory; 1:57.4/$2.50;
Next weekend's finals of both the Petticoat and Sagamore Hill are worth $63,400 (Friday) and $70,400 (Saturday), respectively.
(Yonkers)