Matchmaker and Levy series third legs set

Harness Racing This Week: Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy series third legs, Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, N.Y.

Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit at Yonkers this week features three $40,000 divisions on Friday (March 31) in the third round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker series for open pacing mares. The Saturday (April 1) card at Yonkers will see four $50,000 divisions in the third round of the George Morton Levy series for open pacers. Complete entries for the races can be found by clicking on this link.

Last time: Yonkers Raceway's George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series for Free-For-Allers continued Saturday night (March 25), with another quartet of $50,000 divisions.

Second choice Missile J (Tim Tetrick, $4.40) enjoyed his off-the-pace antics so much in Round One, he parlayed the performance this time around.

From post position three in the third division, he was fourth as Somewhere In L A (Jason Bartlett) cleared his six inside rivals with the aplomb of a hurdler. After a :27.3 opening quarter-mile and moving toward a :56 intermission, even-money favorite Provocativeprincen (Jordan Stratton) moved from third.

It appeared Bartlett was fighting with his charge to let Stratton and his ride go, but the latter duo could not seize the initiative. Somewhere In L A then threw in a :27.1 backside number (1:23.1) to dispose of Provocativeprincen, taking a 1-1/4 length lead into the lane.

As this was transpiring, Missile J was closing ranks. He rallied from fourth in the lane, beating a solid Somewhere In L A by a length in 1:51.3. Third went to 51-1 P H Supercam (Brett Miller), with 98-1 Texas Terror N (Mark MacDonald) and Take It Back Terry (George Brennan) rounding out the payees. Provocativeprincen backpedaled to last, his first blemish after a four-for-four start to his U.S career.

For Missile J, a 4-year-old American Ideal gelding trained by Scott DiDomenico for co-owners John McGill and Brian Carsey, it was his sixth win in seven seasonal starts.

Saturday night's first Levy grouping was a private stretch battle between 3-2 choice Bettor's Edge (Miller) and an uncovered Keystone Velocity (Dan Dube). The latter whipped the pace-setting (:27.3, :56.2, 1:24) former by a half-length in 1:51.3. First leader Dr J Hanover (Scott Zeron) held third — beaten 3-1/2 lengths — with Santa Fe Beachboy (Stratton) and Burning N (Ron Cushing) settling for the remainder.

For Keystone Velocity, a 9-year-old son of Western Hanover co-owned by trainer Rene Allard, Kapildeo Singh, Earl Hill Jr. and VIP Internet Stable, it was his first win in three seasonal starts.

The evening's second series soiree had slight 7-5 choice Rockin Ron (Yannick Gingras, $4.90) take it the distance from the pole while matching (1:51.1) the fastest local mile of the season.

Defending series champ Bit Of A Legend N (Stratton) actually poked about a neck in front entering the lane from first-up, but a resurgent Rockin Ron won by three-quarters of a length. Soto (Matt Kakaley) was a pocket third, with Mach It So (Tetrick) and Guantanamo Bay (Miller) settling for the minors.

Rockin Ron, a 5-year-old Real Desire gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing) by trainer Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi and RTC Stables, is now three-for-five to begin the season.

The second round's final foray offered a 12-1 upset as Melmerby Beach (Bartlett, $26.60) picked off both 3-10 shot All Bets Off (Kakaley) and second choice Wakizashi Hanover (Tetrick). The former set seemingly-sensible fractions (:28, 57, 1:24), but gave way readily in the lane.

Melmerby Beach, apparently not bothered by a :27 third quarter, defeated Wakizashi Hanover by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:52, with All Bets Off beaten three lengths. Artistic Major (Zeron) and Great Vintage (MacDonald) wound up with the leftovers.

For third choice Melmerby Beach, a 6-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere owned and trained by Ettore Annunziata, it was his first win in three '17 starts.

Complete recaps of the weekend races are available at the Grand Circuit website.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2017, the Grand Circuit leaders in three categories (driver, trainer and owner) will once again be tracked on a points system (20-10-5 for the top three finishers in divisions/finals and 10-5-2 for the top three finishers in eliminations/legs). Winbak Farms is the sponsor for the 2017 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the leaders following the past weekend at Yonkers:

Drivers: 1. Jason Bartlett – 44; 2. Matt Kakaley – 34; 3. Jordan Stratton – 30; 4. Tim Tetrick – 27; 5. Scott Zeron – 26.

Trainers: 1. Peter Tritton – 30; 2. Rene Allard – 25; 3t. Richard Banca – 22; 3t. Ron Burke – 22; 3t. Scott DiDomenico – 22.

Owners: 1. Harry von Knoblauch Stable – 25; 2.Legacy Racing of DE – 15; 3. Rene Allard – 12.5; 4. Fred Monteleone Stable – 12; 5t. Ettore Annunziata Rev Tr – 10; 5t. Brian Carsey – 10; 5t. John McGill – 10.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will continue with legs of the Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy over the next two weekends. The finals and consolations for both events will be held on April 22.

Paul Ramlow