from Harness Publicists across North America

Wednesday’s (August 6) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Batavia Downs, Saratoga Gaming and Raceway, Ocean Downs, the Kalamazoo, Mich. and Waynesburg, Pa. Fairs, and the Billings Series.

Gelika Ann wins at Batavia

Batavia, NY — The feature race at Batavia Downs Gaming on Wednesday evening was an Open Pace for fillies and mares with a purse of $8,500.

Gelika Ann was the winner with an excellent time of 1:55.3. Troy Boring drove well and posed in the photo. Gelika Ann is a 4-year-old mare by Memphis Flash. Fred C. Polk is the owner and Sue Stockwell trains Gelika Ann.

— Jeff Rizzo

Oye Oye takes featured Saratoga trot

Saratoga Springs, NY —After finishing fourth to Riverofglory in her most recent outing, Oye Oye avenged that defeat on Wednesday when turning back a late challenge from that rival to take the featured $5,500 non-winners trot at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway in 1:59.2.

Dave Oxford photo

Oye Oye prevailed at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway on Wednesday in 1:59.2.

Guided from post two by conditioner Brian Cross, Oye Oye dueled with Rovasreadytorumble (Kim Crawford) through an opening quarter mile in :29, allowing that one to enjoy a brief period on top before seizing control of the race with one aggressive move to the front on the second turn.

The daughter of Inquirer trotted confidently on the lead through middle fractions of :59.2 and 1:29.2, then opened up a four length advantage at the head of the stretch. She had plenty left in reserve to hold off Riverofglory (Scott Mongeon) in the final yards and prevailed by 1-1/4 lengths at the wire.

Oye Oye returned $4.80, $2.90, and $2.90 for the victory. Riverofglory brought in $3.30 and $3.10 for second, while Saratoga Winter (John Cross) paid $6.40 when finishing third.

Owned by Anthony Fischetti, Thomas McTygue, Joanne Foresta, and Stewart Schmidt, Oye Oye has gotten her picture taken in five of 19 starts this year, with a seasonal bankroll of $24,115 and lifetime earnings in excess of $47,000.

— Michael Costanzo

Belote Series continues at Ocean Downs

Berlin, MD — Whitesville Tara, now a 7-year-old mare, was Ocean Downs’ Horse of the Year in 2006 with seven wins for the meet. In 2007, the Gary White-trained and owned daughter of Tagliabue-Lone Star Taurlind won eight of her 10 starts at the ocean, but she had only one win in 12 starts this year.

On Wednesday night, Whitesville Tara, with regular driver W. David Hill III in the bike, won a second leg division of the Hal Belote Memorial Trotting Series at the Ocean Oval ($3.20, 1:59.3). She finished third in the opening leg of the series July 30, but trainer Gary White was pleased with her effort Wednesday.

“She raced good tonight, kind of like she’s supposed to,” he said.

“Tara” was in command throughout the mile.

“She likes being in front all the time.”

Sam Belote, Hal Belote’s brother, piloted 5-year-old mare Amber Alert to a second-place finish Wednesday in the series that honors Hal Belote, who died in an on-track accident at Harrington Raceway on May 15, 2006.

The other division of the series on Wednesday was won by 6-year-old gelding Goodbye Daddy, owned and driven by Frank Milby.

“He’s been lucky to get out into the front. He’s not really handy on a half (half-mile track), but if I can get him to the front, he’s pretty good,” Milby said.

The win Wednesday for the son of Master Lavec-R Goldy Lo was his second in the series ($5.00, 2:00) and sixth of the year.

— Jim Whittemore

Silver Circuit races held in Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo, MI — The Kalamazoo County Fair at Kalamazoo, Michigan concluded its two-day meet on Wednesday by hosting the Silver Circuit 2- and 3-year-old colt and filly stakes.

The day almost seemed like Keith Crawford Day as the Howell, Michigan owner-trainer-driver captured six of the day’s 13 races. Crawford was the only owner on four of the winners, while being a co-owner on one of the others.

Ed Hennessey drove Change Your Tune (Band’s Gold Chip-Lass Change) to a new track record for 2-year-old filly trotters in the day’s first race. The Sandra Hennessey-trained filly trotted in 2:07.1, taking two-fifths of a second off the old record. Sandra co-owns the filly with Paula Sugars.

A Li’l Wiggle Room (Keystone Nordic-Will You Be Mine) captured the second division in 2:08.2 for Crawford’s first win of the day.

Don’t Scratch It (Keystone Nordic-Da-lil-itch) won the fastest division of the 2-year-old colt trot in 2:11. Crawford trained and drove the colt for Marshall Kallen LLC. The second division went to Perfect Scam (Perfectly-D C Scandal) in 2:12.2.

Keith Crawford was the owner-trainer-driver of Start The Stampede (Stampede Hanover-Hoot N Dasher), who was the winner of the lone division of the 2-year-old filly pace. She toured the Kalamazoo oval in 2:08.2.

Crawford repeated in the sole division of the 2-year-old colt pace with Copy Chief (Keystone Raider-News Flash) in 2:07.1.

Crawford started the 3-year-old portion of the day’s program by coming home first with his own Careless Love (Keystone Nordic-Will You Be Mine) in the 3-year-old filly trot. Careless Love trotted the mile in 2:06.1.

Son Of Nordic (Keystone Nordic-Chings Cameo) won the fastest split of the 3-year-old colt trot in 2:04.3. Billy Dobson drove the gelding for trainer Bill Cottongim. Son Of Nordic is owned by Michael Heslip, Sue Cottongim, and Edwin Boyd.

Sluggers Brother (Perfect Spiral-Hemlock Honey) was the winner of the other division in 2:07.3.

Larry Lake drove Chris Cross (Admirals Galley-Albercross) to victory in the fastest division of the 3-year-old filly pace in 2:02. Kent Hess trains the filly and also co-owns her with J.F. and Kay Harris and T.C. Dawson.

Keith Crawford picked up his final win of the day in the second division with his own Clear The Decks (Artistic-Callwood Ida) in 2:03.4.

Staci Malady was the owner and trainer of the winner of the fastest division of the 3-year-old colt pace. Brad Kramer guided Staci’s In The Loop (Keystone Raider-Lady Hoosier) home in 2:00.1.

Smooth Flight (Rushin Accent-Flight Song) came home first in the second division in 2:02.1.

— Bill Peters

Zendt wins three at Waynesburg Fair

Waynesburg, PA — Eight Pennsylvania Sire Stake races were featured on the card at the Greene County Fair in Waynesburg on Wednesday, and driver Brian Zendt had the hot hand, winning three events.

Zendt started the day with a winning drive in the first division of the 2-year-old colt pace, guiding Stately Art to a 2:03.2 win for owners Robert and Barbara Krenitsky. Robert Krenitksy trains the son of Arturo-Stately. In the second split, Dewey came in from Ohio for owner/trainer/driver Tye Loy to garner a 2:02.3 win. Dewey is a gelded son of Sharky Spur-Dorthy.

On tap next were two $5,268 divisions of the PASS 2-year-old filly pace, with victories going to Allamerican Tender (Real Artist-Thurston’s Love-e) and Miss Valley (Allamerican Native-Yankee Valley). Allamerican Tender, owned by Bill Kreutzer and Denton Barrett, won in 2:05.1 for driver Zendt. Kreutzer trains the filly. Miss Valley was a 2:06.3 winner for owner/trainer Jim Brewer and driver Steve Schoeffel.

Two $5,167 sophomore filly trotting divisions were next for state-breds. DNJ’s Merry Dancer, a Wonder Dancer-Queponco Mary filly, captured the first split in 2:07.4 for driver Winston Lineweaver. Eileen Lineweaver trains the filly for owners Ellen Warren and Doris Lineweaver. Inevitable, a Lindy Lane-Meadowbranch Karin filly, gave Zendt his third win of the day after crossing the wire in 2:07.4 to win the second division. Owned by the Dunn Stable, Inevitable is trained by Boots Dunn.

The last two Sire Stakes of the day were for 3-year-old colt trotters, with wins recorded by Barrymore (Broadway Hall-Hollins Queen) and Bettis (Sierra Kosmos-SJ’s Shad Roe). Barrymore, owned by Joseph Palermo, was a 2:09.4 winner for trainer/driver Ernie Danks. Bettis scored in 2:06 for trainer/driver David Wade. The colt is owned by Wade, along with William Peel and Gerald Brittingham.

— The Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission

Billings victory is Krivelin’s 100th driving win

Monticello, NY — At the Cobleskill Sunshine Fair, an award winning fair between Binghamton, N.Y. and Albany, N.Y., one eastern region division of the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driving Series was contested on Wednesday and when it was all over Unitas, driven by Rob “Rapid Rail” Krivelin, emerged victorious.

Six trotters went to post in that contest and despite having to start from the six hole, Unitas toured the double-oval in 2:05.2, which gave Krivelin his 100th amateur driving victory. Second in the mile was Prize Persona, driven by Guy “the Watervliet Barrister” Roemer, and third place went to Pocket Pita, in rein to Saratoga Raceway’s Director of Racing, Don “We’re Ready To Draw” Hoover.

“It was great that Robert scored his 100th victory up behind his 12-year-old warhorse, Unitas,” said Peter Gerry, President of the Billings Series. “He loves that horse and the horse returned the love in spades. To do it at the Cobleskill Fair — great fair racing venue where sizable crowds attend the racing — was a dividend in the victory.”

A food purveyor in New York City, Krivelin is, and has been, a talent in the sulky having been named National Amateur Driver of the Year during the 2001 racing season. Then two years later Krivelin drove his good trotting filly Rapid Rail to a 1:54.2 victory in a Hambletonian Oaks elimination and came back the next week to finish second in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks Final.

— John Manzi