The Saturday (Sept. 14) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Vernon Downs, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and Tioga Downs.

Hammer Time takes feature; Gill wins 1,500th

Vernon, NY — Hammer Time (John MacDonald) won the $7,000 featured trot on Saturday (Sept. 14) at Vernon Downs.

Hammer Time takes the featured event at Vernon Downs on Saturday evening. Fotowon photo.

First Call (Homer Hochstetler) flew out of the gate and went right to the lead. She led to the first quarter in :28 and controlled to the half in :57.1. She still easily led the race hitting three-quarters in 1:25.3.

Hammer Time ($8), who is trained by Harry Landy and owned by Glat Kosher Racing, was third as they made the turn for home. Hammer Time and First Call fought all the way down the stretch. Hammer Time wore her out in the end winning in a lifetime best of 1:54. First Call had to settle for second with Only Passing Thru (Jimmy Whittemore) getting third money.

Hammer Time is a 5-year-old horse by Muscle Hill. It was his third win this season. He now has 10 career victories.

John MacDonald drove four winners on the night and leads all drivers with 90 wins. His other wins came with Hennessey ($12), Lady Rapidash ($6.90), and Kitty Hoyne ($2.20).

Dan Gill picked up his 1500th training victory with Awesum Ace ($24.00), who won in a lifetime best of 1:53.1. The 5-year-old gelding by United Ace is owned by Adam Friedland and was piloted by Leon Bailey. Gill won 1,501 with All About Rusty (Howard Parker).

Vernon Downs returns to live racing with a special Sunday (Sept. 15) 11-race card. They will feature the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) consolations for all eight classifications. There will also be a long sleeve t-shirt giveaway while supplies last. Post time is 6:10 p.m.

For more information go to www.vernondowns.com.

— by John Horne

The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono

The Rock N Roll Heaven gelding Anythingforlove A posted a 1:50.2 victory at 11-1 in the $17,500 pacing feature Saturday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Pat Berry got the winner of $327,308 away well and right to the lead, but after the :27 first quarter he was passed in turn by second choice Sweet Rock and the 2-5 favorite, Funknwaffles, who guided the field past middle fractions of :55.1 and 1:22.1. Past the latter split Anythingforlove A vacated the third spot to begin his late challenge which carried him to a neck victory over Pocono Pike rallier Sweet Rock. Funknwaffles faded to fifth to end a three-race winning streak. Anythingforlove A is trained by Jennifer Bongiorno for the Wish Me Luck Stables LLC. In a $16,000 claiming handicap pace, the Roll With Joe gelding Benji’s Best enjoyed both a drop in company and a hotly contested pace, as he was the eighth and final leader in a race which went in 1:50.2. Anthony Napolitano rolled the winner of $168,569 three-wide from third-over before the three-quarter pole, and the pair scooted past those horses who had been used in the early duel, winning by 2-3/4 lengths over Toddler Tantrum for trainer Dan Maier and owner Antonia Storer. The meet’s leading driver, George Napolitano Jr., scored four wins on the Saturday card, with Pat Berry and Eric Carlson each coming home first three times. Among the trio, they won the last 10 races on the 12-race card.

— by PHHA/Pocono

Tioga Downs

Dragin The Wagon took the $9,000 featured trot at Tioga Downs on Saturday (Sept. 14). Dragin The Wagon ($7.90) went to the quarter in :26.4. He used a :29.2 second quarter to hit the half first in :56.1. He trotted to three-quarters in 1:24.4.
Dragin The Wagon, who is owned by Cary Cantelon and trained by Jeffrey Byron, led they way as they made the turn for home. Campbellini (Wally Hennessey) came charging late but Dragin The Wagon dug in and won in 1:54.4. Campbellini was second best as Bequin Dugoutier F (Fern Paquet Jr.) finished third. Dragin The Wagon is a 9-year-old gelding by Angus Hall. It was his fourth win this season. He now has won 49 times in his career. Lauxmont Capri (Jim Taggert Jr.) captured the first of two $9,000 featured pace races. Rockintouch (Mike Simons) led to the first quarter in :26.2. Fritzie Pic Up Man (Paquet) took control before hitting the half in :54.2. Jay Jay (Hennessey) took his turn and led to three-quarters in 1:22.2. Lauxmont Capri ($44.00), who is trained by Gary Messenger for owners Scott Woogen and Brenda Messenger, was sixth after three-quarters. He came flying down the stretch and blew right by to win in 1:52.1. Rockintouch came up late to finish second. Jay Jay held on for third. Lauxmont Capri is a 9-year-old gelding by Red River Hanover. It was his fourth win in 2019. He now has 35 career wins. Pointsman (Paquet) won the second $9,000 featured pace. Sometimes Said (Taggart) put up all the early numbers (:27.3, :56.2, 1:24.0). Poitsman ($5.80), who is owned and trained by Gaston Lareau, was third as they made the turn for wire. He battled second place finisher Believe This Bob (Simons) in deep stretch to win in 1:53.2. Mac Andover (Corey Braden) was third best. Pointsman is a 9-year-old gelding by Royal Mattjesty. It was his fifth victory of the season. He now owns 26 career wins. Taggart and trainer Gary Messenger combined for three wins on the night. Their other wins came with Six Bax ($75.00), and KJ Erich ($7.20). Aaron Byron drove three winners on Saturday. His other victories came with Grey Ice ($26.20), and Jett Star ($6.70). Tioga Downs returns to live racing on Friday (Sept. 20) starting at 6:15 p.m. For more information go to www.tiogadowns.com.