Yonkers: Sears brings home a pair in Levy prelims

Brian Sears capped off a brilliant night of Levy action on Saturday scoring with 13-1 outsider Heez Orl Black N in the final $50,000 division at Yonkers Raceway. Guiding the import trained by Anita Vallee, Sears sat patiently as Clear Vision and Lucan Hanover got involved in a wicked speed duel, then pounced in the stretch coming wide and sweeping the field in the 1:53 1/5 mile.

The race got off to a quick start with both Lucan Hanover and Clear Vision leaving outside and Michael’s Power alert from the inside. Lucan Hanover tucked late on the first turn, but Clear Vision secured the lead while paying dearly with a :26 3/5 quarter. No sooner had Yannick Gingras and Clear Vision cleared the front that Tim Tetrick with Lucan Hanover moved on the offensive with an all-out move to secure the lead. Gingras and Clear Vision resisted and that led to pulverizing fractions of :54 1/5 and 1:23 for three quarters with Clear Vision still in charge. By head-stretch the field of six was in extremely close proximity to the leader and each other, with Sears finding the clearest path through the :30 1/5 final quarter. Michael’s Power did find room inside but was empty and National Debt found a seam late after a final turn blindswitch to get the place spot. Lucan Hanover was dead game to the wire finishing third.

Sears gave Windsong Jack a sharp steer in the first Levy division. The five-year-old worked out a pocket trip behind Bettor’s Edge and was able to deftly swing off the rail late on the final turn when that rival broke. Sears put the leather to Windsong Jack in the stretch and he was able to wear down Mach It So in the late stages for the mild upset. Trained by Jennifer Sabot, Windsong Jack won for the first time in four Levy legs, with Mach It So second and Machs Beach Boy third in the 1:52 4/5 mile. Favored Bettor’s Edge controlled the early pace and then was locked in a struggle with Mach It So through into the final turn, but broke stride while appearing to be beaten late on the turn.

Take It Back Terry won for the second straight time and likely put himself firmly in the picture for the rich final on April 25 with a 1:53 1/5 effort. George Brennan guided the six-year-old on a quarter-move after Sapphire City had secured the lead and was never headed as the odds-on choice. The Ron Burke-trained gelding set rated fractions of :27 1/5, :56 4/5 and 1:25 2/5 for the opening three quarters and easily shrugged off the first-over bid of Frankies Dragon (Sears) in the :27 4/5 final quarter. Frankies Dragon finished second with Fat Mans Alley earning the show spot.