Bruce Levine started Sunday with a solid chance to earn his first New York leading trainer title, as he led the Aqueduct Spring meet trainer standings with 14 wins--two more than rival Gary Contessa. But Contessa fired back with three winners to take the title, 15-14. Contessa saddled Survived to take the first race and Battingstar to take the fourth to draw even with Levine, then sent Has Squoken to win the ninth after Levine’s lone runner, Buddy’s Humor, faded in the eighth race.

Alan Garcia, who won four races on Saturday, topped the Aqueduct Spring jockey standings with 22 wins over Rajiv Maragh, who won three today to bring his total to 19.

Jockey Mike Luzzi’s win on Battingstar in Sunday’s fourth race puts him within five wins of 3,000 lifetime victories. Through racing today, Luzzi is at 2995 wins. He’ll return to his pursuit of the milestone 3,000th win when racing resumes at Belmont Park on Wednesday.

Aqueduct closes for racing Sunday, but the Big A will be open Monday and Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. to recruit employees to work Belmont Stakes Day, June 7. NYRA will be hiring parking attendants, ushers, admission cashiers, cleaning personnel and mutual clerks. Applicants should bring photo ID and social security card or I-9 alternative.

Though NYRA Rewards patrons will be able to wager online and by phone, NYRA will be not offer on-track dark day simulcasting this Monday and Tuesday, due to phase #1 of an overhaul of its video production capabilities. Fans will note a new graphics look to Wednesday’s Belmont Park “Raceday” coverage with more improvements on the way.

The press should be out in force for Opening Day at Belmont Park, Wednesday, April 30. At 11 a.m. St. Mary's Healthcare System for Children, a major provider of post-acute, complex medical care and rehabilitation, will hold a press conference at Belmont Park to kick off coverage of its annual fundraising walkathon which will be held at Belmont Park on May 18. At 11:30 a.m., Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi will meet the press and launch the Belmont Park season with a ceremonial ribbon cutting. At noon, NYRA, the Dime Savings Bank and ABC National Television Sales will announce the details of a new marketing/advertising partnership, and pledge donations to Catholic Charities and The Disabled Jockeys Fund.

Also on Opening Day, “The Max Kellerman Show” on 1050 ESPN Radio, the "Sports Talk of New York," will be broadcast live from Belmont Park from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Both Max and Brian Kenny will be on track to help kick-off the Belmont Park spring meet.

Fans coming out on Opening Day will get free general parking and grandstand admission to a facility that has seen approximately $1 million in improvements during the off-season. The opening day stake race looks like a good one: the $100,000 Westchester Handicap (G3) is highlighted by the local debut of Grasshopper, who came so close to upsetting Street Sense in last year’s thrilling Travers.

On Wednesday, fans will see changes in the format and pricing of racing programs. “Post Parade” will sell for $2.50, up from $2.00. The $3.00 “Daily Racing Program” will replace the Simulcast and Pocket programs.