by harness racing publicists across North America

The Saturday (July 28) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Vernon Downs, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Saratoga Casino Hotel and Running Aces.

Bloodstockshalltab wins feature at Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY —Bloodstockshalltab (Jimmy Whittemore) took the featured trot ($6,000) at Vernon Downs on Saturday (July 28).

Fotowon photo

Bloodstockshalltab takes the feature at Vernon Downs in 1:56.

Commentary (Mike Merton) led the way to the first quarter in :27.3. Hanrahan (Dan Daley) then took control hitting the half in :57.3 and three-quarters in 1:26.1.

Bloodstockshalltab ($7.40) who is owned by Diane Whittemore and trained by Jimmy Whittemore, wrestled the lead away from Hanrahan in deep stretch and held off the late charge of second place finisher, Oh No Three O (Jeff Long) to win in 1:56. Walk The Floor (Claude Huckabone III) was third best.

Bloodstockshalltab is an 8-year-old gelding by Cantab Hall. It was his fifth win this season and it was career victory number 33. Whittemore had a triple triple on the night with two more driving and training wins. His other two wins came with Pier Ho Exotic ($7.80) and Serious Major ($5.50).

Oh My Joepa (John MacDonald) breezed to her third straight win in the featured pace ($6,000).

Oh My Joepa ($9.00) went gate-to-wire putting up all the fractions (:28.0, :56.3, 1:24.1, 1:52.1). KJ Erich (Jeff Long) finished second with JDS Brent N Sheree (Truman Gale) third.

Oh My Joepa is a 10-year-old gelding by Rocknroll Hanover. Owned and trained by MacDonald, he won for the fourth time this season and he nabbed career win number 49.

Veteran horseman Jay Sears piloted Star Flyer (Cantab Hall) to a victory on the night as well. The 76-year-old Sears drove like he was a youngster in getting the 4-year-old mare her first win this season in 1:58.4. Star Flyer ($11.00) is trained by Ray Van Dreason and owned by Sears and David Fishman

Vernon Downs returns to live racing with a nine-race card on Thursday (Aug. 2).

For more information go to www.vernondowns.com.

— by John Horne

The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono

The veteran Scott Rocks won for the 47th time in his career, with the 8-year-old raising his earnings to $738,279, in taking the $21,500 featured pace Saturday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in 1:49.4. Driver George Napolitano Jr., guiding his third consecutive winner, kept Scott Rocks just off of a torrid :25.3 early duel between Maxdaddy Blue Chip and Lawrencetown Beach, then moved the Rocknroll Hanover gelding to the lead, putting up middle splits of :54.2 and 1:21.4. Through the stretch Scott Rocks drew off from the field, with his closest rival The Real One 2-1/2 lengths behind at the finish, for trainer Hunter Oakes and the ownership of Northfolk Racing Stable and Chuck Pompey. Driver Jim Morrill Jr., visiting Victory Lane for the fourth time on the card, made a similar quarter-move with the Badlands Hanover gelding Big N Bad in the $20,000 claiming handicap pace co-feature, with Big N Bad winning almost as easily as Scott Rocks, being 2-1/4 lengths ahead of Bet The Moon at the end of the 1:51.2 mile. The winner of $665,099 won his third straight for Gareth Dowse and owner Vincent Laurenzo, but if he is to run his win skein to four, he’ll be doing it for different connections, for Big N Bad was haltered for $30,000 out of the race.

Saratoga Casino Hotel

Denslow Hanover (Yankee Cruiser) stayed razor sharp on Saturday night at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Don Billings trainee is riding the streak of his life and made his first career start in the Open Pace on Saturday. Finishing first or second in eight consecutive starts heading into his try in the $14,500 feature, Denslow Hanover drew post three in the Open for his red hot connections of trainer Don Billings and driver Jimmy Devaux. Defending Horse of the Year and regular Open force Artful Way (Frank Coppola Jr.) moved out to the early lead on Saturday and though he felt no pressure throughout the first three-quarters of a mile, Artful Way set sizzling fractions. After pacing a first half in :55.1, Artful Way clicked off three-quarters in 1:22.2. Denslow Hanover began to make his move and surged off cover in the stretch taking dead aim on Artful Way. The 6-year-old Denslow Hanover got up in time to prevail in a career-best 1:51.4 and register his first Open victory. Artful Way was a solid second while longshot Newbie (Harry Landy) earned the show spot. Denslow Hanover paid $21.80 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $72 and $604, respectively. Devaux piloted six winners on the Saturday program, three of which coming for trainer Don Billings. Devaux and Billings also teamed up for the win in Friday’s feature as Bye Bye Michelle prevailed in the Fillies and Mares Open. Live racing resumes on Tuesday night with a first post time set for 7:05 p.m.

Running Aces

One of the feature events of the Saturday night harness racing program at Running Aces was the $10,000 Winners-over Pace, with a very well matched field of six. Last week’s Dan Patch FFA champion Nine Ways (Dean Magee) drew post two in the field, with Dan Patch runner-up Firedrake (Brian Detgen) also in the field from the outside six post. Stuckey Dote, last week’s Minnesota Preferred Pace winner, fired fast from the gate from post five, along with Firedrake surging from the outside spot. Stuckey Dote (Rick Magee) accelerated around the opening turn and Firedrake dropped into the pocket spot as they completed the :27 quarter. Nine Ways got away third but quickly brushed to the lead before the three-eighths pole and controlled the middle fractions in :54.4 and 1:23 before facing heavy pressure from To The Limit (Steve Wiseman) around the final turn. As the field turned for home they were stacking up five across the racetrack, with Pancetta (James Yoder) and Firedrake widest of all, four heads were battling across the finish line but Stuckey Dote would find room in the passing lane to be the fastest one to the wire, a head in front of To The Limit and the others in 1:51.2 for two wins in a row. Stuckey Dote ($6.40) is a 5-year-old gelding by Voracious Hanover who now sport’s 26 lifetime wins and $225,160 in earnings for owner/breeder Merlin Van Oterloo, The winning trainer is Brett Ballinger. The $11,000 Open Handicap Trot also went to post on Saturday night, with the usual suspects of top trotters lining up in a five-horse affair. Banker Volo (Rick Magee) was fastest from the gate, posting the quarter fraction in 2:7.4, before yielding to rival Pridecrest (Steve Wiseman) near the three-eighths marker. Pridecrest maintained command past the middle checkpoints (:57 and 1:25.3) with no pressure. Banker Volo sat patiently in the pocket and did angle out for the stretch drive, but Pridecrest had plenty in the tank and he trotted strong to the wire, posting a 1 1/4 length tally over Banker Volo, with Al Mar Reba Babe (Gerald Longo) closing sharply for third in the 1:54.4 mile. The victory for the Katleen Plested trainee was number eight on the season for Pridecrest ($4.20) in 15 starts, and pushed his career earnings to $226,739 for owner Christopher Schick. Also on Saturday night, the $14,000 Minnesota-Sired 3-year-old pacing event went to post, with a full field of nine going to battle. Ridonkuloso (Steve Wiseman) and Dream Chasin (Williams Hernandez) battled for the early lead, before Frewil Dakota Sven (Brady Jenson) made a sweeping rush to the front in the action-packed contest. The race set up for closers and race favorite Myskillspaydabills (Rick Magee) relished in the early speed battle (:27.2, :55.3 and 1:23.4) and responded late with a big rally from the back of the pack, to sweep by the field and post a half-length win over fast-closing Giggle Monster (Dean Magee). The 1:53 victory was win number three on the season for Myskillspaydabills ($3.60) and registered a new lifetime mark for the Voracious Hanover gelding, trained by Rick Magee for the Van Oterloo Stables.
Driver multiples dominated the Saturday card, with Steve Wiseman picking up another four-win night, Rick Magee turning in a hat-trick, and James Yoder scoring a double. Trainer Kathleen Plested also had a big night, with three winners. Live racing continues on a three nights per week schedule through Sept. 15, with live action on Tuesdays (7 p.m. CDT) and Saturdays and Sundays (6 p.m. CDT).