Yonkers hosts second Levy series leg

March 26th, 2016

While thoroughbred racing fans will be up bright and early on Saturday morning to catch the lucrative Dubai World Cup card, standardbred fans will spend the latter portion of the evening watching the second round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Series for Free-For-All pacers.

While the opening round one week earlier was split into six divisions, Saturday nights second leg of the Levy series will offer five divisions. But all six winners from the opening round will be on hand again this evening.

The first division on Saturday night features Lucan Hanover (George Brennan), a sharp 1:51.3 opening round winner despite being idle three weeks. This six-year-old Western Ideal gelding trained by Andrew Harris has won all three of his starts this year and will look to secure a spot in the April 23 final with another tally.

Texican N (Jordan Stratton) was a good second to Take It Back Terry in their opening split and he drew well again this week. Both Limelight Beah and Mcerlean were third in their splits, while Te Kawau N makes his series and seasonal debut after arriving from down under with a stellar contingent.

Two races later in the second Levy split, Texas Terror N (Matt Kakaley) seeks his second straight series score. Last week he posted the fastest clocking of the splits when he posted a 1:51 shocker at 49-1. This week he will have to prove his opening round upset was no fluke and he drew into the weakest split.

While Texas Terror N is looking to prove himself, Foiled Again (Yannick Gingras) literally has nothing to prove other than the fact that perhaps he has still eluded Father Time. Last week the 12-year-old Dragon Again gelding finished fourth after a first over bid in his seasonal debut.

Foiled Again already boasts 86 wins and over $7.3 million banked in his 247-race career, but he will likely have to win this event in order to keep his hopes alive for earning a berth in the lucrative final next month.

One race later in the third Levy split, opening round winners Bit Of A Legend N (Jordan Stratton) and Mach It So (Tim Tetrick) will clash in a competitive affair that also includes opening round runner-ups Evenin Of Pleasure (Daniel Dube) and All Bets Off (Kakaley).

Then one race later in the fourth Levy split, defending Levy final hero Domethatagain (Dube) drew the rail and should improve off of a fifth-place effort in the opening leg, while opening round winner PH Supercam (Jason Bartlett), the 2014 Levy final hero, drew post eight and will need ample racing luck to repeat.

Bettor Rock On N (Brennan) was a solid second to Mach It So last week, Always At My Place (Gingras), Scott Rocks (Brian Sears) and Sunfire Blue Chip will have to improve this weekend to keep their hopes alive of reaching the final.

Then one race later in the final Levy split, opening round winner Take It Back Terry (Brennan) drew the rail and seeks his second straight tally for Burke and looms the favorite again.

But opening round runner-ups Doctor Butch (Tetrick) and The Real One (Pat Lachance) and Ideal Cowboy (Bartlett) will all make their presence known at some point. The Real One needed his seasonal debut last week, while Ideal Cowboy was unlucky second over behind dull cover while racing into a fast back half.

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