Matchmaker and Levy Series Head to Fourth Round
While the NCAA men's basketball tournament ended with a familiar champion, both the Bluechip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy series are rapidly getting closer to determining their respective elite eight finalists.
Friday's fourth leg of the Matchmaker series will offer only two divisions, although 13 of the 16 entrants have already competed in all three previous elims. Two-time series winners Bedroomconfessions and Regil Elektra will bypass round four, but dual winner Shesjustadelight N will seek a third score from post eight in the second split.
In the opening BCMM division, none of the previous prelim winners drew into the field and several could leapfrog into finals consideration. But the second division includes leg winners Mackenzie A, Mach It A Par, Empress Deo and two-time hero Shesjustadelight N.
Then on Saturday night the fourth round of the Levy series drew enough entrants for only three divisions, but 18 of the 22 possible starters have already competed in each of the first three legs. Clearly, the most noticeable absentee is Missile J, only horse in the series to record three triumphs and a lock to reach the $500,000 final on April 22.
Opening round winner Long Live Rock owns the lone series win among the seven starters, while the second split includes two-time winner Keystone Velocity and Provocativeprince N. The third field encompasses eight starters, including two-time series hero Soto and Bit Of A Legend N, another leg winner last week and the defending Levy series champion.
Soto is the lone Levy starter for trainer Eric Ell, while both Long Live Rock and Keystone Velocity hail from trainer Rene Allard and both Provocativeprince N and Bit Of A Legend N are trained by Peter Tritton. Trainer Ron Burke has a handful of Levy participants, but only Rockin Ron has found the winner's circle while Always At My Place and All Bets Off - last year's final runner-up - have missed at least one leg and are more likely candidates for the consolation than the final.
Friday's fourth leg of the Matchmaker series will offer only two divisions, although 13 of the 16 entrants have already competed in all three previous elims. Two-time series winners Bedroomconfessions and Regil Elektra will bypass round four, but dual winner Shesjustadelight N will seek a third score from post eight in the second split.
In the opening BCMM division, none of the previous prelim winners drew into the field and several could leapfrog into finals consideration. But the second division includes leg winners Mackenzie A, Mach It A Par, Empress Deo and two-time hero Shesjustadelight N.
Then on Saturday night the fourth round of the Levy series drew enough entrants for only three divisions, but 18 of the 22 possible starters have already competed in each of the first three legs. Clearly, the most noticeable absentee is Missile J, only horse in the series to record three triumphs and a lock to reach the $500,000 final on April 22.
Opening round winner Long Live Rock owns the lone series win among the seven starters, while the second split includes two-time winner Keystone Velocity and Provocativeprince N. The third field encompasses eight starters, including two-time series hero Soto and Bit Of A Legend N, another leg winner last week and the defending Levy series champion.
Soto is the lone Levy starter for trainer Eric Ell, while both Long Live Rock and Keystone Velocity hail from trainer Rene Allard and both Provocativeprince N and Bit Of A Legend N are trained by Peter Tritton. Trainer Ron Burke has a handful of Levy participants, but only Rockin Ron has found the winner's circle while Always At My Place and All Bets Off - last year's final runner-up - have missed at least one leg and are more likely candidates for the consolation than the final.
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