Racing Roundup: Funny Deacon and Busted Again win Dover features
February 18, 2010,from Harness Publicists across North America
Thursday’s (Feb. 18) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs and Cal-Expo.
Funny Deacon and Busted Again win Dover features
Dover, DE — Funny Deacon and Busted Again came from off the pace to win the Thursday, Feb. 18 double feature at Dover Downs. Corey Callahan added a four-bagger.
Elizabeth Murray’s Funny Deacon closed solidly for Bret Brittingham to win the $15,000 Male pace in 1:54.1. The Full Of Fun-Precious Sarah gelding posted his second win of the meet. Cool Cal (Mike Cole) was a close second. Real Magician (Tony Morgan) finished third.
Overlooked at 13-1 after a wore-to-wire victory last time out, Linda and Howard Dege’s Busted Again closed with a rush for Vince Copeland to overtake leader Lets Go Surfing (Mike Cole) in the final steps for a 1:54.4 victory in a $14,000 4&5-Year-Old pace. Major Macho finished third.
— Marv Bachrad
Sintillating is strong at Cal-Expo
Sacramento, CA — It’s bad enough her foes are scared to death of her from the back. So when Sintillating came away in the pocket, it was Katie Bar The Door. Filly & Mare Open Handicap pacers, racing for a $6,100 purse, were featured at Cal-Expo on Thursday night, in which Sintillating won for the 27th time in her career.
In advance of starting from post position five in the field of a half-dozen, trainer Tim Maier had something in mind.
“I wanted to try a different tactic and see if I could get her off the gate with enthusiasm,” stated Maier. “I figured if I could get away with a healthy position that she’d have a good chance.”
When the wings of the gate folded, Maier right away had to let his charge know that things weren’t going to be as usual.
“I had to chase her pretty good and had to use her just to clear Silver Bloom (Ruel Goodblood, Jr.) from the one-hole and it concerned me because the quarter flashed :28 seconds and she hasn’t been to the quarter in that much in a while — but she got position.”
Getting the lead after an eighth of a mile, Maier yielded to Biggest Big Bertha (Rick Plano) 3-16ths of a mile into the race. Did Maier think he had stung his competitor?
“The intention wasn’t really to soften up Biggest Big Bertha, I just didn’t want her clearing me before I got down. As it ended up Biggest Big Bertha did get softened up.”
Now in the pocket through a first half of :57.1, Maier, despite his great position, showed respect for one of his foes.
“I was actually a little concerned there when we were heading around the far turn. I figured my mare would pace home good like she does, but Don’t Tempt Me (Luke Plano) was right behind me.”
With the field now at the three-quarter marker, timed in 1:25.2, Maier’s attention was back in front of him.
“She felt good and (Rick) Plano knew I was behind him and he started gassing. I just stayed there as close as I could and then tipped her in the lane.”
Out for the drive with 3-16ths of a mile to go and under urging, the 6-year-old soon charged into the lead with a sixteenth of a mile left to pace.
“She was up to her task like she always is in the stretch and I don’t know why, but inside that last sixteenth she always finds another gear. I don’t know how she does it, but she manages to do it.”
Bred and owned by Alan Kirschenbaum and Denise Maier, the daughter of Little Steven won ($7.60) by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:53, a seasonal best. Don’t Tempt Me came on nicely late off a three week rest to finish in second, and Biggest Big Bertha finished another 1-3/4 lengths farther back in third.
“It was a very good effort on her part. Denise, Alan, and I are real happy,” concluded Maier.
— Scott Ehrlich