Older Pacers Have One Final Audition for Levy Series
With the March 1 deadline to nominate older pacers to the lucrative George Morton Levy Memorial Series at Yonkers Raceway rapidly approaching, owners and trainers with horses on the bubble for joining the fray and facing the likes of Wiggle It Jiggleit and Bit Of A Legend N will have one last chance to see whether or not their pacers belong in the ultra-tough series.
This Saturday's card features the $50,000 Open Handicap - a race that will likely send a handful of horses to the Levy - and a strong overnight card with dozens of potential nominees to the Levy looking to justify the $5000 nomination fee due on March 1 and then subsequent $1000 starting fee each week through the preliminary rounds. The April 22 final could exceed $600,000 again and the $100,000 consolation is a healthy sidebar.
This Saturday's card features the $50,000 Open Handicap - a race that will likely send a handful of horses to the Levy - and a strong overnight card with dozens of potential nominees to the Levy looking to justify the $5000 nomination fee due on March 1 and then subsequent $1000 starting fee each week through the preliminary rounds. The April 22 final could exceed $600,000 again and the $100,000 consolation is a healthy sidebar.
Saturday's first four races are non-winners of $15,000 last five starts classes for older pacers and at least one horse in each split should be headed to the Levy. In the opener, American Rage will attempt to solidify his case, while both Statesman N and Cowboy Terrier highlight the second race. In The Huddle will have one last chance to make his case for the Levy and in the fourth Clear Vision, Bettorever and Big B Bad - all likely Levy noms - will have their final auditions.
Then in the Open Handicap, Guantanamo Bay, Roland N Rock, Somewhere In LA and Caviart Luca all have already sent their checks to the racing office, but First Class Horse and Soto will likely need another audition to convince their connections their belong. Soto raced very well in his first start over the strip after campaigning at Dover Downs the last four months, but he may want to justify his nom payment with a first or second-place effort.
Then in the remaining conditioned events on the cards, Casimir Jitterbug and Twin B Impressive in the seventh, Limelight Beach, Vegas Vacation and Santa Fe Beach Boy in the eighth, Burning N, Rockin Ron and Ideal Cowboy in the ninth, Lucan Hanover, Artistic Major, Polak A and Orillia Joe in the 10th and Cooperstown, Te Kawau N, Hillbilly Hanover and PH Supercam in the finale all look Levy bound. With a win on Saturday, Lucan Hanover will become the sport's newest millionaire, while PH Supercam is a longtime Levy regular and 2014 final hero.
Then in the Open Handicap, Guantanamo Bay, Roland N Rock, Somewhere In LA and Caviart Luca all have already sent their checks to the racing office, but First Class Horse and Soto will likely need another audition to convince their connections their belong. Soto raced very well in his first start over the strip after campaigning at Dover Downs the last four months, but he may want to justify his nom payment with a first or second-place effort.
Then in the remaining conditioned events on the cards, Casimir Jitterbug and Twin B Impressive in the seventh, Limelight Beach, Vegas Vacation and Santa Fe Beach Boy in the eighth, Burning N, Rockin Ron and Ideal Cowboy in the ninth, Lucan Hanover, Artistic Major, Polak A and Orillia Joe in the 10th and Cooperstown, Te Kawau N, Hillbilly Hanover and PH Supercam in the finale all look Levy bound. With a win on Saturday, Lucan Hanover will become the sport's newest millionaire, while PH Supercam is a longtime Levy regular and 2014 final hero.
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