Yonkers: Foiled Again clocks a 1:51 mile in Levy Memorial victory
Foiled Again’s 80th career win was memorable on Saturday night, as Yannick Gingras had him in front and made sure he stayed there. The 10-year-old wonder-horse paced a sparkling 1:51 mile, holding off a tenacious uncovered bid by Dancin Yankee as well as keeping the pocket-sitting P H Supercam at bay in a three-way photo.
Gingras supplanted P H Supercam off the opening turn, with Foiled Again posting the opening quarter in :27 4/5. With a half in :56 3/5, driver Ron Pierce took Dancin Yankee outside and they attacked the leader with a vigorous surge. Foiled Again maintained his edge but had close company at the three quarters reached in 1:24.
The stretch drive showed Foiled Again at his finest, as he maintained his head margin over Dancin Yankee throughout the stretch with Gingras high-lining him home. The 1:51 clocking is the fastest this season at Yonkers.
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“He knows what he’s got to do,” said Gingras in regard to Foiled Again’s winning habit.
“He’s earned a spot in the final and it’s up to Ronnie (Burke) about racing him next week. If it was up to me, I’d race him,” Gingras said.
Mach It So didn’t waste his opportunity to shine from an inside slot, as driver Tim Tetrick regained the lead from 19-1 shot Sapphire City before the quarter and then coasted to a 1:52 1/5 winning effort. The race was marred by a break in stride by Easy Again, part of a three-ply 1-2 Burke entry, while sitting third coming off the second turn. That made things easy for Tetrick, who stole a :58 1/5 middle half and had more than enough in reserve to sprint clear with a :27 1/5 kicker.
Sapphire City and Rock On Moe followed the even-money second choice to the wire.
Trained by P J Fraley, Mach It So won for the third time in four starts in the series and secured a spot in the final. Ironically the Burke stable’s entry failed to hit the board in this division.
The classy Clear Vision quarter-moved to the front for driver George Brennan in another $50,000 Levy division and was solid in victory, scoring in 1:52 1/5. The eight-year-old won for just the first time in six 2014 starts, easily holding off entrymate Itrustyou, with Malak Uswaad N holding on to the third spot. Clear Vision appears to be heading towards the Levy consolation with room for only two of Burke’s horses in the final.
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