by harness racing publicists across North America

Friday night’s (Nov. 11) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Hollywood Dayton Raceway, Batavia Downs and Saratoga.

Rock The Look dominates again at Dayton; Downbytheseaside qualifies

Dayton, OH — Rock The Look dominated Hollywood Dayton Raceway’s best mares again Friday night (Nov. 11) with a 1:53.4 score, her tenth of the season and second in a row. The 4-year-old daughter of Rockin Image has banked $125,510 in her 25 2016 starts, an average of $5,000 every time she has stepped on the track for co-owner and trainer Joe Putnam and his partner Suttons Bay Racing.

Conrad Photo

Rock The Look collects her second consecutive triumph at Dayton on Friday night.

Driver Jason Brewer was content to float out from behind the gate, despite drawing the advantageous post position one. Once the dust had settled after a :27.3 opening panel, Brewer moved Rock The Look out of the third position on the pylons and quickly rushed to the front well ahead of the :55.2 half. Early pacesetter Brookletssuprsonic (Kyle Ater) was content to sit behind the favorite through the third stanza, reached in 1:24.2, as Cas Art Appeal (Dan Noble) launched a failed first-over bid.

Bella Tricks (Josh Sutton) and Stucklikeglue (Greg Grismore) passed Cas Art Appeal while rounding the final bend and were positioned to challenge Rock The Look in the lane. Although it appeared they would pass the winner halfway down the stretch, Rock The Look dug deeper and surged to a 1-1/4 length triumph in the final strides.

The victory was one of three early on the program for Brewer, who guided both Active Lady and Abbieville to wins for his father, trainer Jeff Brewer.

Prior to the card, Downbytheseaside, the Breeders Crown 2-year-old pacing colt runner-up, captured a qualifying race in 1:56.1 for trainer Brian Brown and driver Chris Page.

“Because there were no eliminations for the Governors Cup at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday (Nov. 19), I needed to get a tightener in him,” explained Brown. “He came home in :56.4, last quarter in :27.3 on this cool night, so we’re pleased with his tune-up.”

With a scorecard of 7-3-2 in 12 starts, a world record-tying effort of 1:49 taken at The Red Mile, a world record of 1:50 at the Delaware County Fairgrounds and $384,706 in earnings, Downbytheseaside will likely next be witnessed in another head-to-head duel with fellow world record holder and Breeders Crown victor Huntsville.

— Hollywood Dayton

Batavia Downs

BZ Glide drew the outside for the fourth consecutive week, but also found himself in lower company. Therefore, he used his class to overcome post eight and win the $8,500 Open II Trot at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Nov. 11). Mike Caprio hustled BZ Glide off the gate and took a lead he would never relinquish. He tripped the timers in :28.2, :59 and 1:28.2 while his seven opponents struck several formations of chase behind him. But it didn’t matter who was in and who was out on Friday night as BZ Glide kept his mind on his business, while Caprio kept his whip on his shoulder, and trotted home confidently to win in 1:58.2. It was the fourth win in 17 starts this year for BZ Glide ($7.10) and it pushed his earnings to $33,630 for the Caprio Stable LLC. The 7-year-old Yankee Glide gelding is trained by Alana Caprio. Jim Morrill Jr. kept up his torrid winning pace as he scored five more wins during the night. He visited the Purple Haze Winner’s circle with Justgottogetthere ($2.90, 2:00), Caliber Seelster ($10.40, 1:57), Zipnthruthehall ($7.10, 1:56.3), Bags Of Money ($2.80, 1:55.4) and Medolandcampbell E ($8.30, 1:56.4). The quintuple pushed Morrill’s win total for the meet to 94, now 10 ahead of second place Drew Monti, who was blanked on the evening. Kevin Cummings moved into third place on the strength of one win Friday, now sporting 69 victories which is one ahead of Ray Fisher Jr. at 68. Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Nov. 12), featuring seven divisional finals of the Batavia Downs Claiming Championship Series with purses totaling $125,000. Post time for the first race is 6:15 p.m.

Saratoga

Bye Bye Michelle (Stonebridge Regal) prevailed in the $10,600 feature for filly and mare pacers at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Friday night (Nov. 11). Dan Cappello Jr. piloted the Andy Sardella trained mare who drew the rail in the optional $20,000 claimer for distaffers and powered the 6-year-old out to the early lead. Despite setting fast fractions throughout, Bye Bye Michelle scooted away from her rivals late in the mile before stopping the timer in 1:53.3 on a chilly night in the Spa City. The three mares other than the winner that showed Open lines on the program finished second, third and fourth as Bettorhaveanother (Frank Coppola Jr.), Bazooka Terror (Billy Dobson) and Dilly Dali (Bruce Aldrich Jr.) finished behind Bye Bye Michelle, who recorded her eighth win of the season. Sardella went two-for-two on the night as his Ella V Horse (Royal Mattjesty) went coast to coast in 1:54.4 with Jimmy Devaux in the sulky in the optional $10,000 claimer for fillies and mares on Friday night. Both Bye Bye Michelle and Ella V Horse are owned by Mike and Bill Pozefsky and Myron Ekstein. Live racing continues on Saturday night (Nov. 12) at Saratoga with a first post time of 6:45 p.m.