Rodeo Rock, Ideal Jimmy double up in Levy

YONKERS, NY, Saturday, March 23, 2019 – Saturday night's (March 23rd) night second round of Yonkers Raceway's George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series didn't do a whole lot to establish a clear harness racing favorite, though some of the contenders did indeed state their cases.

Another happy half-dozen, $50,000, Free-For-All groups were contested, with a pair of repeaters leading the way.

Here's the succinct story, not necessarily in chronological order…

Second division – Odds-on Rodeo Rock (Andrew McCarthy, $3.50)-from post position No. 5–'ran down' loose leader Gokudo Hanover (George Brennan), prevailing first-up by a head in 1:52.1. The 13-1 latter had open lengths through intervals of -:26.4, :56.1 and 1:24.

Rock the Nite (Mark MacDonald), More the Better N (Scott Zeron) and Major Crocker A (Dan Dube) picked off the remainder, while an amiss Bit of a Legend N (Jordan Stratton) lost touch from a pole-sitting pocket and finished sixth.

For Rodeo Rock, a 6-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven gelding owned by Royal Wire Products and trained by Robert Cleary, it was his third win in as many seasonal starts (2-for-2 in series). The exacta paid $22.60, the triple returned $201 and the superfecta paid $459.50.

"I was hoping Scotty (Zeron, with More the Better N would pull from third, but he was happy where he was and just had to go on with it," McCarthy said. "It was a long way (from fifth) in the wind, but he was actually more comfortable tonight than in last week's race."

Fourth division – After wiring his opening-leg rivals at 9-1, favored Ideal Jimmy (Brent Holland, $4.10) had a more acquaintances at the windows.

From post No. 3, it couldn't have been less simple (:28, :57.4, 1:26, 1:53.3), going the distance by 3¼ lengths. Polester Lochton Luck A (Matt Kakaley), as the 29-1 outsider, and three-hole sitting Bellow's Binge (Jason Bartlett) finished the tickets, while Always at My Place (Brennan) and Bettor Memories (Jim Marohn Jr.) settled for the remainder.

For Ideal Jimmy, a 6-year-old homebred Western Ideal gelding owned by D R Van Witzenberg and trained by Erv Miller, it was his fifth win in eight'19 tries (2-for-2 in series). The exacta paid $49, the triple returned $136 and the superfecta paid $1,379.

"I thought he should have been the favorite last week," Holland said "He's very handy and I'm not surprised he's stepped up in this series."

JJ Flynn

First division – A week after Western Fame (Dube) traversed the fastest local mile (1:51.1) of the season, he was 15-cents-on-the-dollar to do it again.

JJ Flynn (Brennan, $43) was not impressed. After Western Fame led through early fractions of :27.1 and :56.2, JJ Flynn moved-with purpose-from post No. 4. He hooked Western Fame by the 1:24 three-quarters, fighting him off from there.

The final margin was three-quarters of a length in a sharp 1:51.3. Duplicated N (Tim Tetrick) was a pocket third, with Ballerat Boomerang (Joe Bongiorno) and Lyons Steel (MacDonald) also making appearance fees.

For fourth choice JJ Flynn, a 6-year-old Western Ideal gelding co-owned by (trainer) Josh Green, Richard Lombardo and Charles Cochran III, he's now 6-for-8 this season (1-for-2 in series). The exacta paid $119.50, the triple returned $191 and the superfecta paid $362.50.

Third division – Anythingforlove A (Bongiorno) saw his quest for the series two-fer implode from pole-sitting Endeavor (Tetrick, $4.90) pulled from third and rolled right past.

The former offered early foot (:27.3, :57.1), but was backpedaling buy the 1:25 three-quarters. Endeavor, meanwhile, opened a pair of lengths in and out of the final turn, eventually winning by 2¼ lengths in 1:52.4.

Control Tower (Austin Siegelman) was a loose-second-up second, with a trapped Dr. J Hanover (McCarthy), Nocturnal Bluechip (Zeron) and the fading 11-10 fave Anythingforlove A settling for the minors.

For second choice Endeavor, a 6-year-old American Ideal gelding co-owned by (trainer) Jeff Cullipher and Pollack Racing, it was his first win in a pair of seasonal/series starts. The exacta paid $24.40, the triple returned $149.50 and the superfecta paid $530.

Fifth division – The Downtown Bus (Zeron, $17.20) took the always-popular fourth-over route to redemption, snapping 11-10 choice Beckham's Z Tam (Tetrick) by a head in 1:53.1.

The closers, from post Nos. 5 and 3, respectively, had numbers to chase after Sam's a Champ A (MacDonald) set a contested pace (:26.1, :55.3, 1:23.4) after getting stung early and softened by a first-up The Wall (Bongiorno).

Rodeo Romeo (Bartlett) was an outkicked third, with The Wall and Whittaker N (Holland) grabbing the smaller envelopes.

For fifth choice The Downtown Bus, a 4-year-old Mach Three gelding co-owned by (trainer) Jeff Gillis and Ellen Ott, he's now 1-for-2 this season/series. The exacta paid $90.50, the triple returned $196.50 and the superfecta paid $540.

Sixth division – A two-speed number, where second choice Somewhere in L A (Bartlett, $6.10) edged past just-over-even-money I'marocnrollegend N (Brennan) in 1:53.1.

Pocketed from post No. 4, 'L A' earned a 40th career win, the margin three-quarters of a length. Don Domingo N (Stratton) was a ground-saving third, with I'm Some Graduate (Kakaley) and Mar Nien A (Greg Merton) earning the remainder of available coinage.

For Somewhere in L A, an 8-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding co-owned by D'Elegance Stable IX, Carmen Iannacone, T L P & Gandolfo Stables and trained by Richard Banca, it was his second win in five seasonal efforts (1-for-2 in series). The exacta paid $14.60, the triple returned $126.50 and the superfecta paid $572.

The series standings, as dutifully compiled by Bob (OUTP) Miecuna, accompany this release.

Saturday night's $44,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by 31-1 rank outsider New Heaven (Stratton, $64) in a season's-best 1:55.3.

		Yonkers Raceway
		George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series
		2019						March 24, 2019
Order		Name	1st Leg	2nd Leg	3rd Leg	4th Leg	5th Leg	25 pts/start	Total
1		Ideal Jimmy	50	50				50	150.0
2		Rodeo Rock	50	50				50	150.0
3		Somewhere In L A	25	50				50	125.0
4		Western Fame	50	25				50	125.0
5		Endeavor	8	50				50	108.0
6		JJ Flynn	8	50				50	108.0
7		More The Better N	50	8				50	108.0
8		The Wall	50	8				50	108.0
9		Anythingforlove A	50	5				50	105.0
10		Imarocnrollegend N	25	25				50	100.0
11		The Downtown Bus	0	50				50	100.0
12		Duplicated N	25	12				50	87.0
13		Gokudo Hanover	12	25				50	87.0
14		Beckhams Z Tam	8	25				50	83.0
15		Control Tower	0	25				50	75.0
16		Lockton Luck A	0	25				50	75.0
17		Mach Doro A	25	0				50	75.0
18		Mac's Jackpot	25	0				50	75.0
19		Somebaddude	25	0				50	75.0
20		Rodeo Romeo	12	12				50	74.0
21		Bellows Binge	8	12				50	70.0
22		Don Domingo N	5	12				50	67.0
23		Ballerat Boomerang	5	8				50	63.0
24		I'm Some Graduate	5	8				50	63.0
25		Lyons Steel	8	5				50	63.0
26		Bettors Fire N	12	0				50	62.0
27		Dr J Hanover	0	12				50	62.0
28		Luciano N	12	0				50	62.0
29		Mach It So	12	0				50	62.0
30		Micky Gee N	12	0				50	62.0
31		Rock The Nite	0	12				50	62.0
32		Always At My Place	0	8				50	58.0
33		Bettor Memories	0	5				50	55.0
34		Mar Nien A	0	5				50	55.0
35		Pacing Major N	5	0				50	55.0
36		Rockathon	5	0				50	55.0
37		Sams A Champ A	5	0				50	55.0
38		Whittaker N	0	5				50	55.0
39		Bit Of A Legend N	0	0				50	50.0
40		Nocturnal Bluechip		8				25	33.0
41		Rockin Ron	8					25	33.0
42		Major Crocker A		5				25	30.0
43		Christen Me N	0					25	25.0
44		Cruise Patrol	0					25	25.0
45		Military Master A	0					25	25.0
46		Weona Sizzler A	0					25	25.0
47		Windcong Leo	0					25	25.0
48		Funknwaffles						0	0.0
		ADDED MONEY	1st Leg	2nd Leg	3rd Leg	4th Leg	5th Leg	Nom. Fees	Total
			$45,000	$41,000	$0	$0	$0	$280,000	$366,000
									$200,000
								Total	$566,000

Frank Drucker