by harness racing publicists across North America

The Saturday (July 29) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Vernon Downs, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Saratoga Raceway, Tioga Downs, Kawartha Downs Hawthorne Race Course, Batavia Downs and Running Aces.

In The Clear wins Vernon Downs feature

Vernon, NY — In The Clear (Chris Lems) rallies to take the Vernon Downs Featured Pace ($6,000) on Saturday night (July 29).

The big favorite Dreams Beachboy (John MacDonald) would take the early lead and hit the first quarter in :26. Big Game (Josh Kinney) would give a lot of lot of pressure forcing a :53.3 half. After they burned each other out, Skip Jive (Jimmy Whittemore) would take the lead hitting three-quarters in 1:22.0.

Fotowon photo

In The Clear wins in a lifetime best 1:51.1.

In The Clear (Western Ideal), who is owned by Victor Finocchiaro and trained by Jordan Hope, would then go on by and take over at the top of the stretch and hold off the late charge of Tundra (Truman Gale) to win in 1:51.1. Tundra (Cam’s Card Shark) would have to settle for second best. Skip Jive (Rock N Roll Heaven) was third.

In The Clear ($8.90) would win for the fifth time this season and for the 17th time in his career with a lifetime best of 1:51.1.

Vernon Downs returns to live racing with a nine race card on Thursday (Aug. 3) at 6:45 p.m.

For more information please go to www.vernondowns.com.

— by John Horne

The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono

George Napolitano Jr., the leading driver at The Downs at Mohegan Sin Pocono and the pilot of favored Theartofconfusion A in that track’s $20,000 pacing feature Saturday, got away from the gate with a very simple, non-confusing plan: keep going until getting the top, and then improve position from there. And Napolitano Jr. followed the plan to perfection, guiding the altered son of Riverboat King to the front going under the wire the first time and then widening his lead to four lengths the next time they passed that point, at the finish of his 1:49.3 victory, a time which lowered his lifetime best by a fifth. The winner of $263,088, owned by Gilbert Garcia-Herrera in partnership with Barbara and Donald Amestime, is perfect in Pennsylvania since entering Garcia-Herrera’s care four starts back, following up on a Philly win with this Pocono triumph.The oldest track record on the Pocono books, the 1:14.3 clocking by Lieut Harkie for five-eighths of a mile, posted in 1979, seems almost sure to fall Sunday night as the mountain oval cards a rare race at the once-around distance. The world record of 1:08.1 would be ambitious, but does not seem impossible.

Saratoga Raceway

Panocchio was the Pacer of the Year at Saratoga Casino Hotel in both 2014 and 2015. After another terrific season in 2016, the Jimmy Mattison trainee got off to a slow start at the Spa (by his standards) but on Saturday night earned his first local win of the year. Trainer Jimmy Mattison, who was inducted into the Saratoga Harness Hall of Fame last month, saw his prized pacer go coast-to-coast in Saturday’s $14,000 Winners Over. The defending Pacer of the Year Artful Way was the race’s odds-on favorite but made an uncharacteristic break in the first turn. Panocchio (No Pan Intended) didn’t make it look easy but as he usually does, dug in late in the mile wound up securing the win in 1:52.3 with Gerry Mattison in the sulky. He’s A Lock (Wally Hennessey) came on for second while YS Lotus (Billy Dobson) earned the show spot. It was the sixth win in 2017 for Panocchio who had another strong winter/spring while competing in Florida at Pompano Park. On Saturday, the 7-year-old paid $6.80 to win and led an exacta and triple that came back $50.50 and $386.50, respectively. Live racing resumes on Tuesday evening at Saratoga with a 7:05 p.m. first post.

Tioga Downs

Prairie Fortune (Jim Meittinis) would charge late to steal Tioga Downs’ featured Open Trot ($10,000) on Saturday (July 29). Sweet Thing (Fern Paquet) would take the early lead and carve out all the early fractions of :27.2, :56.0, 1:24.1. Prairie Fortune (Arapa Victory) who is owned by Laurie Poulin and trainer Mike Deters, would find himself fourth at the top of the stretch. Prairie Fortune ($9.80) would fly down the stretch and just nip Sweet Thing (second) at the wire. Dragin The Wagon would finish third. Prairie Fortune would win for the fifth time this season. The 5-year-old gelding would go to the winner’s circle for the 33rd time in his career, equaling his lifetime best of 1:53.2. Jim Taggart Jr., steers big long shot Bad I Am (Prayer I Am) to victory. Bad I Am, who was dismissed at 51-1, came flying late in the stretch to overtake Twin B Spike Man (Mike Simons) Bad I am ($104.50) is owned and trained by Timothy Collins. The 6-year-old gelding would win for the fourth time this season enjoying a lifetime mark of 1:57.0. Tioga Downs returns to live action on Sunday (July 30) with a 12-race card at 1 p.m. For more information go to www.tiogadowns.com.

Kawartha Downs

Kawartha Downs was awash with kids this evening as the track celebrated their annual Family Fun Night under perfect weather conditions.The track was packed with youngsters and the young at heart who all enjoyed Hands On Horses, an OHHA initiative which gives everyone in attendance the opportunity to ride around the track behind a retired Standardbred.
The kids also enjoyed face painting, incredible balloon animals, snow cones, snacks, games and activities along with draws and giveaways. On track it was Brett MacDonald with the hot hand as he recorded a hat trick on the nine-race card while in the sixth race St Lads Captain recorded his fifth consecutive victory. Racing returns to the Fraserville oval next Saturday with a 7 p.m. post time.

Hawthorne Race Course

Saturday evening at Hawthorne found a pair of solid fields in two divisions of leg three of the Robert F. Carey Memorial. The Carey Memorial is for Illinois-bred 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers and featured two nine-horse fields. Race four was the first division of the Carey as Fox Valley Nemitz was the heavy favorite with Casey Leonard in the bike. Getting away quickly for the lead was Sporty Redhot as he cleared and opened up a five-length lead through the quarter in :29.1. On the backside, the field bunched up, following a break by Causway as Sporty Redhot covered the half in :59.1. On the turn, Fox Valley Inferno moved to challenge Sporty Redhot as the pair passed three quarters in 1:27.1. In the lane, Juan Franco got after Sporty Redhot as he opened up again on the lead. At the wire, Sporty Redhot prevailed by a length over Fox Valley Inferno. Fox Valley Reggie was third. The final time for the mile was 1:54.1. Sporty Redhot is owned by Al Beals and trained by Kim Roth. Race eight was the second division of the Carey Memorial with a competitive field of nine, led by favorite Ima Skydancer with Tim Curtin driving. Making the early lead was Fox Valley Herbie but he was quickly headed by Ima Skydancer through the quarter in :29.2. After a half in :58.1, Ima Skydancer maintained his lead into the final turn. Moving to challenge was Captain Rhett as he pushed the favorite through three quarters in 1:26.3. In the lane, Fox Valley Herbie tipped three wide and took over late for Mike Oosting, winning by widening lengths at the wire in 1:53.4. Slzburgerslzburger closed to finish second while Decent Sawyer was third. Fox Valley Herbie is owned by Benita Simmons and trained by Tom Simmons.

Batavia Downs

Fresh off three starts at Tioga Downs, Fireyourguns returned to Genesee County and picked up right where he left off last year by winning the $10,000 Open Handicap pace at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (July 29). Fireyourguns (Mike Caprio) left like a bullet and grabbed an early, gapped lead. When Caprio saw everyone seat behind him, he hit the brakes and slowed the proceedings to :57.1 at the half. By that station Lucky King (Ron Beback Jr.) pulled first-over and started a hearty challenge to the leader. Rounding the last turn and heading for home, Fireyourguns held position down low while Lucky King kept driving hard on the outside. But the drive was not enough to catch the leader in the end and Fireyourguns won by a half-length in 1:53.2. It was the third win in only eight outings this year for the late-starting Fireyourguns ($4.10) and owners Jennifer Lowe, Robert Lowe and Terrence Mc Clory who also trains the winner. In the co-featured $9,000 Open II pace, Sir Ziggy Z Tam ($13.00) laid off the pace before coming first over at the half and eventually pulled away to a two-length victory in 1:54.2, which was his second win in a row and third in his last four starts. Drew Monti did the steering for owner Tessa Roland and trainer JD Perrin. Driver Drew Monti and trainer JD Perrin teamed up to register a total of four winners on the night. Besides the afore mentioned Sir Ziggy Z Tam, the duo also shooed in Cracker Pullet (1:54.2, $13.00), Instant Hit (1:56.2, $6.80) and Beechwood Wayne (1:57, $2.70). Ray Fisher Jr. also drove two winners during the nights activities. Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Sunday afternoon (July 30) with a 1:15 p.m. post time. The card features three divisions of the New York Sires Stakes for 3-year-old male pacers.

Running Aces

Certainly one of the most impressive performances on the Saturday night (July 29) harness racing program at Running Aces was a razor sharp victory for Buzz Light, coming in a $4,400 conditioned pace. It was not the featured race, or the open event, but it was a monumental victory for the 4-year-old Voracious Hanover gelding who has struggled this year with breaking and has been a regular member of the qualifying brigade. Buzz Light ($22.80) was recently switched to the barn of Trainer Rick Magee and he has continued to improve, after qualifying cleanly on July 11 in 1:57.3 he followed that up with a sharp effort to finish third in a race, timed in 1:56.2. Tonight, Rick Magee guided Buzz Light aggressively from the gate from the outside post eight and Buzz Light responded, and powered to the front despite a three-wide journey to get there. He was on top at the quarter pole in :28.3, and half-mile of :57.3, before yielding the lead to pocket-sitter and race favorite Mucho Macho Man (Tim Maier) just past the half. Mucho Macho Man tried to sprint away, but Buzz Light kept to task and was just 1-1/2 lengths away at the 1:26 checkpoint, and as they rounded the turn for home, it was clear that Buzz Light was not done tonight, he re-engaged the favorite and powered past in the lane for a 1-3/4 length tally and new lifetime mark of 1:55.2. Owner Cathy Dessert was overwhelmed with joy as she headed to the winner’s circle and later stated that she had ” never given up on him “. The victory was yet another testament to that very ideal, don’t give up, keep working hard and together owner, trainer and horse can earn their time to shine. The $13,000 Minnesota-sired 3-year-old pace was the featured event and Whatitdo Babyboo ($3.40) was again the star of the show, rallying from off the pace again, but doing so at an earlier stage in the race tonight for her second straight win. She is owned by Van Otterloo Stables, trained by David Flinn and was driven to the 2-3/4 length victory in 1:55.1 by Steve Wiseman. The featured $6,400 trotting event went to CW Raisinette ($4.60) for two wins in a row, with driver Steve Wiseman putting his charge on the front end from post six, yielding and then re-taking past the half-mile. It was a dominating four-length win in a 1:58.1 lifetime mark for the 4-year-old mare by Claudius Augustus, who is owned by A Piece of The Action LLC, and trained by Kathie Plested Wiseman. The Saturday program was marred by an accident in race seven, with drivers Lemoyne “Mooney” Svendsen and Tim Maier remaining hospitalized as of late Saturday night. The entire running Aces family of staff, horsemen and fans are sending their prayers for our two beloved drivers for a quick recovery. Live racing returns on Sunday (July 30) with a first post of 6 p.m. CDT and a carryover in the 20-cent Jackpot Pick-5 wager of $18,995.87.