Yonkers hosts Levy, Bluechip finals
Saturday offered racing fans the chance to see the best older horses compete in a trio of lucrative stakes at two different venues.
At Yonkers Raceway in New York on Saturday night, Bit Of A Legend N (Jordan Stratton) capped a perfect run through the George Morton Levy Memorial Series for Free-For-All pacers by capturing the $609 final as the stronger half of the 1-5 favorite for trainer Peter Tritton and owner Harry Von Naublauch.
Having won all five preliminary rounds - including a dead-heat win with reigning horse of the year Wiggle It Jiggleit - Bit Of A Legend N drew post position two for the final and had ample speed to take advantage of the inside draw.
When the gate folded in the Levy final, Take It Back Terry (George Brennan) and entry mate All Bets Off (Matt Kakaley) both left alertly, with All Bets Off brushing to command before the opener in 27 flat with Bit Of A Legend N away in third.
But Stratton had no intention of staying in the three hole for long. He sent the favorite on a successful quarter move to command and led the field by the midway mark in 55.2.
Bit Of A Legend N continued to show the way down the backside where he met token pressure from Take It Back Terry by three-quarters in 1:23.1, shook loose from that one on the far turn and held safe All Bets Off to score in 1:51.
A seven-year-old Bettors Delight stallon, Bit Of A Legend N has now won six straight starts and eight of 1o outings overall this year and banked over $350,000. He has now won 28 of 73 lifetime outings and has now earned over $1.1 million in a career that began 'down under' in New Zealand.
One race earlier on the card, Wiggle It Jiggleit (Montrell Teague) also lived up to his billing as the 1-20 favorite in the $100,000 consolation when he left alertly to overcome post seven and lead throughout to score by two lengths in 1:51.
A four-year-old Mr Wiggles gelding trained by George Teague, jr., Wiggle It Jiggleit has won four of five starts this year and banked over $135,000 after just missing a spot in the much more lucrative final. The 2015 horse of the year has now won 23 of 32 lifetime starts and banked over $2.3 million. He and Bit Of A Legend N will likely meet again this summer in several events including the $150,000 Bobby Quillen Memorial at Harrington Raceway.
One race earlier, Yagonnakissmeornot (Daniel Dube) benefited from a second over trip and surged clear in the lane to capture the $309,000 Bluechip Matchmaker final for pacing fillies and mares by two lengths in 1:51.4.
A seven-year-old daughter of The Panderosa trained by Rene Allard, Yagonnakissmeornot has won three straight races and four of seven seasonal outings and banked over $220,000 on the year. It was her 39th win in 122 lifetime tries, pushing her career bankroll past $1.35 million.
At Yonkers Raceway in New York on Saturday night, Bit Of A Legend N (Jordan Stratton) capped a perfect run through the George Morton Levy Memorial Series for Free-For-All pacers by capturing the $609 final as the stronger half of the 1-5 favorite for trainer Peter Tritton and owner Harry Von Naublauch.
Having won all five preliminary rounds - including a dead-heat win with reigning horse of the year Wiggle It Jiggleit - Bit Of A Legend N drew post position two for the final and had ample speed to take advantage of the inside draw.
When the gate folded in the Levy final, Take It Back Terry (George Brennan) and entry mate All Bets Off (Matt Kakaley) both left alertly, with All Bets Off brushing to command before the opener in 27 flat with Bit Of A Legend N away in third.
But Stratton had no intention of staying in the three hole for long. He sent the favorite on a successful quarter move to command and led the field by the midway mark in 55.2.
Bit Of A Legend N continued to show the way down the backside where he met token pressure from Take It Back Terry by three-quarters in 1:23.1, shook loose from that one on the far turn and held safe All Bets Off to score in 1:51.
A seven-year-old Bettors Delight stallon, Bit Of A Legend N has now won six straight starts and eight of 1o outings overall this year and banked over $350,000. He has now won 28 of 73 lifetime outings and has now earned over $1.1 million in a career that began 'down under' in New Zealand.
One race earlier on the card, Wiggle It Jiggleit (Montrell Teague) also lived up to his billing as the 1-20 favorite in the $100,000 consolation when he left alertly to overcome post seven and lead throughout to score by two lengths in 1:51.
A four-year-old Mr Wiggles gelding trained by George Teague, jr., Wiggle It Jiggleit has won four of five starts this year and banked over $135,000 after just missing a spot in the much more lucrative final. The 2015 horse of the year has now won 23 of 32 lifetime starts and banked over $2.3 million. He and Bit Of A Legend N will likely meet again this summer in several events including the $150,000 Bobby Quillen Memorial at Harrington Raceway.
One race earlier, Yagonnakissmeornot (Daniel Dube) benefited from a second over trip and surged clear in the lane to capture the $309,000 Bluechip Matchmaker final for pacing fillies and mares by two lengths in 1:51.4.
A seven-year-old daughter of The Panderosa trained by Rene Allard, Yagonnakissmeornot has won three straight races and four of seven seasonal outings and banked over $220,000 on the year. It was her 39th win in 122 lifetime tries, pushing her career bankroll past $1.35 million.
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