Yonkers: Bamond sends out two winners in Levy Series opener

The Bamond stable picked up where it left off a year ago in the George Morton Levy Series. 2014 Levy Series champion P H Supercam (Jason Bartlett), who won four preliminary legs last year before finishing fourth in the rich final, exhibited superiority in one of six $50,000 divisions at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday night. The Bamond contingent doubled up with Mach It So scoring in an earlier division with Tim Tetrick.

P H Supercam looked to be giving the race away to 4-5 favorite Limelight Beach with Yannick Gingras in the bike in the early stages. Limelight Beach set early fractions of 28 4/5, 58 and 1:26 while virtually uncontested. Bartlett left for early position then moved without cover from fourth to challenge the leader. On even terms at headstretch the 9-year-old son of Million Dollar Cam exerted his class to overpower the favorite and score at a generous 5-1. The Real One came inside for second with Limelight Beach barely holding third.

Mach It So struggled some in the early legs before winning his final Levy Series try last year, but he was on top of his game in just his first 2016 start. Driver Tetrick allowed a pair to clear the lead early then made a quarter move following the 27 2/5 opening quarter. Mach It So then set rated fractions of 55 3/5 and 1:23 3/5 and sprinted home strongly in 1:51 3/5. Bettor Rock on N was a solid second making both early and late moves in the race with McErlean finishing third.

Driver George Brennan kicked off the series by capturing the opening two divisions in typical down-the-road fashion. Take It Back Terry put the Burkes on the scoreboard in the first, cruising to a 1:51 2/5 mile with Texican N chasing for second and Scott Rocks closing ground between horses for third as a 4-5 choice.

Lucan Hanover gave trainer Andrew Harris a 1:51 3/5 score in the second leg as he controlled the pace with a 56 1/5 opening half before sprinting away. Foiled Again made his 12-year-old debut in this race, and it was an uncovered bid that started the second time on the backstretch. While the gallant warrior never dented the winner’s advantage he fought gamely to the wire for fourth behind pocket-sitter Doctor Butch and third-place finisher Ideal Cowboy.

Imports were ever-present on the card and none was more of a surprise than 49-1 shot Texas Terror N who rallied from the back to score for Matt Kakaley in the fastest division. The Jose Godinez trained gelding was reserved off a wicked pace cut by Santa Fe Beachboy. The fractions of 26 1/5, 54 2/5 and 1:22 2/2 took their toll not only on the pacesetter but pocket-sitter Always At My Place. Texas Terror N defeated Evenin Of Pleasure and Sunfire Blue Chip, posting just his second win in nine starts this year.

Two sons of Bettor’s Delight duked it out in the final Levy division, and the imported Bit Of A Legend N proved a handy winner, soaring past the 3-5 choice All Bets Off in the stretch to win convincingly for driver Jordan Stratton and trainer Peter Tritton. Rural Art finished third.

Bit Of A Legend N, an elite class pacer in New Zealand pushed his career earnings over the $700,000 mark with the victory.