from harness publicists across North America

Saturday night’s (Sept. 24) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Vernon Downs, Hollywood Dayton Raceway, Batavia Downs, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Shenandoah Downs and Saratoga.

Calvin B presses to featured win at Vernon

Vernon, NY — Calvin B ($3.40) did not disappoint at odds-on in Saturday evening’s featured $9,100 top-level Miracle Mile pacing handicap at Vernon Downs, sustaining a first-over press to circle the field for a 1:51.4 triumph.

Chris Lems settled the 6-year-old Bettor’s Delight gelding at the back of the quintet early before angling off the pegs with just less than five-eighths of the mile remaining.

Calvin B advanced the instant he was switched first-over, working into a pressing role with three-eighths to go and dueling down pacesetter Major War (Fern Paquet Jr.) in mid-stretch. Calvin B would accelerate clear while driven and evade a late charge from Modern Gesture (Claude Huckabone III), who worked around the tiring pacesetter to save second off his pocket trip. No Monkeys Allowed (Truman Gale) mounted belated gains from the back to take third.

Calvin B prevailed by three-quarters of a length in the end for owner Dolores Smiel and trainer Heidi Rohr. His seventh seasonal win increased his career tally to 21.

In the $5,000 C.K.G. Billings event for amateur drivers, owner-trainer-driver Tony Ciuffetelli sprung a double-digit upset with Aventure ($23.60), rallying belatedly off live cover to narrowly collar 6-5 favorite Rocket Master (Hannah Miller) in 1:57. The 5-year-old Muscle Mass gelding earned the 15th win of his career.

Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Thursday (Sept. 29) evening; first post is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. (EDT).

— James Witherite

Dayton
Rockin Finish pulled a mild upset in the $15,000 Open I Pace at Hollywood Dayton Raceway on Saturday night, beating the best horses currently competing in southern Ohio in 1:50.1. It was the second straight victory at Dayton for the 7-year-old gelding who topped the Open II bunch a week earlier. Sent off at 9-2 odds, Rockin Finish and driver Jeremy Smith held off a late charge from runner-up Angelo J Fra (Chris Page), who was dispatched at 7-1 on the tote board. Co-favorites Mykindachip (Dan Noble) and Tinhorn Creek (Josh Sutton) raced creditably and finished third and fourth, respectively. Smith, who won two other races on the program, raced fourth through the first quarter in :26.4, but moved boldly into first-over position well before the :54.3 midway marker. By the three-quarter clocking in 1:21.4 Rockin Finish was lapped on to pacesetter Angelo J Fra, then looked him in the eye and went right on by in the stretch. Tyler George, whose pupil Secret Threat captured the Open II a race earlier, trains the winner for owner Gerrie Tucker. The excitement continues to build at Hollywood Dayton Raceway as the Friday (Sept. 30) Grand Circuit program nears. The $150,000 Dayton Pacing Derby is expected to feature a much-anticipated rematch showdown between powerhouses Wiggle It Jiggleit and Always B Miki. The $160,000 (est.) Dayton Trotting Derby also has a list of distinguished nominees who rank among the best trotters currently racing in the world. Post time for the marquee program of the meet will be 6:15 p.m.

Batavia Downs
In the featured $10,000 Open Pace at Batavia Downs on Saturday night, the only race was for second as the heavily favored invader Scott Rocks led at all stations en route to registering the fastest pacing mile of the year at the Genesee County oval. John Cummings Jr. left with Scott Rocks and after easing him through a brutally sunlit first turn, got his horse in gear on the back straight and took the lead by the quarter in :27.4. As soon as he crossed over to the pylons, Cummings popped the plugs and took a reclined posture in the bike as he became a passenger for the rest of his ride. Scott Rocks was up by 1-1/2 lengths at the half in :56.2 and by two at three-quarters in 1:23.4. With the rest of the field scrambling to keep up at that point, the leader opened up three lengths under mild urging from Cummings and won wrapped-up in 1:52. China Dream (Shawn Gray) closed strong to catch second and Heaven Rocks (Kevin Cummings), who followed the winner the entire mile, hung on for third. It was the ninth win of the year, including three straight most recently for Scott Rocks ($2.50) and the purse increased his 2016 bankroll to $133,374 for owners Susan Oakes and Chuck Pompey. The 6-year-old gelded son of Rocknroll Hanover is trained by Chris Oakes. John Cummings Jr. had a driving grand slam on Saturday, winning with Scott Rocks ($2.50, 1:52), Keystone Dalton ($3.10, 1:55), Foreign Officer ($4.30, 1:54.1) and Untouchable One ($3.40, 1:56). Drew Monti had a driving triple while Ray Fisher Jr. doubled up. Trainer JD Perrin conditioned three winning horses on the night.

Pocono
Dreams Beachboy uncorked a strong third-quarter move in the feature race Saturday evening at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, cleared to the lead and then opened up a huge margin around the final turn, crossing the wire a safe 2-1/4 lengths clear in 1:50.2. After a strength-sapping :25.4 duel among foes in the opening quarter and nearing the :55 half, driver George Napolitano Jr. sent the victorious altered son of Somebeachsomewhere streaking down the backside, pacing his own third quarter in :27, gaining the lead before the 1:22.4 three-quarters and winning over the two horses who followed but couldn’t quite keep up with his backside brush. Second-over Mister Bling A edged out third-over Clear Vision for second money. Crawford Farms Racing owns Dreams Beachboy, who was sent off by Pocono punters as the 7-5 favorite and rewarded their confidence with his seventh win in 19 starts this season and his 11th career visit to Victory Lane in 37 starts. The victory was the third on the card for “George Nap,” and his second successful collaboration with trainer Chris Oakes. Those two horsemen are on top of the local standings. Napolitano’s win total of 272 is more than double that of his nearest rival, his brother Anthony, while Oakes has harnessed 76 winners at the current meet to have a slight advantage over Ron Burke (72) and Rene Allard (71) in what should be a three-way battle going all the way to the end of the Pocono meet on Nov. 26.

Shenandoah Downs
Leading reinsman Tyler Shehan widened his lead atop the Shenandoah Downs drivers’ standings by directing four horses to the winner’s circle Saturday afternoon. He connected early aboard Lawrence Cooper’s Somuchcooleronline and Herman Hagerman’s Abbe Normal, mid-card with his own trainee Peach Babe, and late card with another Hagerman pacer, Patricks Day. Shehan, whose fist pumping style has made him a favorite with the Woodstock faithful, entered Saturday action with seven wins from 15 starts. He won his quartet Saturday from only six drives. Betting favorite B Blissful won his fifth straight race at Shenandoah Downs Saturday and in doing so, boosted his career bankroll within $1,500 of the $300,000 mark. The 12-year-old Jimmy Viars trainee passed front stepping DVC Freewaytofame just before the half and went on to record a 2-3/4 length victory in 1:59. The victor has won on all three Saturdays of the inaugural pari-mutuel meet and earned a pair of wins during the short County Fair meet in early September. Frank Milby was in the sulky for the second straight week. In the day’s featured $8,000 Open Handicap Trot, Mistress Valentine turned the tables on Explosive Muscles, who captured the spotlight race a week prior. The 7-year-Master Glide mare covered a near wire-to-wire effort in 1:58.4. Driver/trainer Tyler Stillings’ charge won her 29th career race and increased her bankroll to nearly $348,000. Roger Hammer’s Silver Sierra was second. Explosive Muscles, who finished fourth, had a three race winning streak snapped. Dr. Scott Woogen, President of the Virginia Harness Horsemen’s Association, got a pair of driving wins on the day. He piloted Peoplesayimnogood to his second straight triumph in the sixth race and Intrepid T to his first lifetime victory in the finale.

Saratoga
Artful Way (Artistic Fella) won the Saturday feature at Saratoga for the seventh time this season. The Jackie Rousse trainee moved out to the early lead in Saturday’s $16,000 Open Pace and the 4-year-old would not be denied. Enjoying a breakout year in 2016, Artful Way went coast to coast on a chilly autumn evening in the Spa City. Driver Frank Coppola Jr. gave Artful Way a :28.4 second quarter breather after cruising through a first panel in :27 flat. After putting up a first half in :55.4, Saratoga’s favorite to be Pacer of the Year posted a matching second half en route to victory in 1:51.3. BJ’s Guy (Bruce Aldrich Jr.) closed sharply for second while Respectable Dream (Mark Beckwith) earned the show spot. The race’s favorite Givenupdreaming (Stephane Bouchard) was tasked with trying to go last to first in the feature but despite a late surge didn’t get close to the top few finishers and had to settle for fifth. Artful Way was surprisingly dismissed at odds of 6-1 and returned $14.80 to win. The exacta paid $56 while the triple came back $248. Frank Coppola Jr., who has surged into a big lead in the driver standings, piloted four winners on the Saturday card.