Year: 2023

There was nothing crazy about Just Plain Loco’s victory in Buffalo Raceway’s $15,500 Open Pace on Saturday night (May 13) as he used a workmanlike effort to beat Avion Seelster by a half length in a seasonal best 1:54.3 over a fast track.

Bad To The Bone N, who just missed South Beach Star’s 1:48.2 mile at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania — the fastest mile in North American harness racing this year — last week, had an easier time on Saturday afternoon (May 13) with a 1:50.3 win in the $18,500 pacing co-feature.

Fulton and Voukefalas made big moves upward in Week 2 of Dave Little’s “Road to The Meadowlands Pace” as each won impressively last week. Fulton is now at No. 3 in the Top 10 Poll, while Voukefalas is No. 4.

Bringoverthemoney will try to register his sixth consecutive win on Sunday’s (May 14) season-opening program at Running Aces.

Saturday’s (May 13) qualifiers at the Meadowlands was the stage for several of the returning stars of last season to hone their skills as 2023 stakes get underway in earnest. The track was fast with temperatures in the 60s and little wind.

McMarkle Sparkle started her season with 11 starts at Yonkers Raceway, and held her own by winning twice, but Per Engblom shipped his trainee to The Meadowlands Friday (May 12) night and the move to the mile track paid off with a victory in the featured $17,000 high-end conditioned pace for fillies and mares.

Breeders Crown winner Grace Hill took Eldorado Scioto Downs’ $31,000 fillies and mares open pace on Friday (May 12), while Ohio Aged Trotter of the Year Smoking Jet took the first edition of the $30,000 open trot. Persistent rain starting mid-way through the card downgraded the track from fast to good to sloppy throughout the night.

11-year-old trotting stallion Celebrity Pegasus and seven-year-old pacing mare Passionate Deo captured the co-featured $10,800 Open Trot and Mares Open Pace on Friday (May 12) night.