by harness racing publicists across North America

Sunday night’s (Aug. 28) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Batavia Downs, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and Running Aces.

Kevin Cummings wins five at Batavia

Batavia, NY — The weather wasn’t the only thing that was hot at Batavia Downs on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 28). Kevin Cummings was as well. The Downs leading driver, who is currently sporting 37 wins at the meet, reached that total on the strength of today’s performance.

Paul White photo

Kevin Cummings places himself in first place in the drivers’ standings with five wins on Sunday’s Batavia Downs card.

Cummings won with Windemere Maggie ($4.20) and Ona Dream ($7.20) to complete the early Daily Double ($24.60). After that, he finished the card scoring with Sea Deuce ($4.10), Lexis Amigo (5.40) and B Evas Lucky Lad ($8.60).

Cummings’ third winner, Sea Deuce, took the afternoon’s $7,200 feature pace in 1:56.3. Sea Deuce went wire-to-wire in victory, coming home strong in :28.2 to hold of the pocket sitting Mystical Valentine (Jack Flanigen) in the process. It was the sixth win of the year for the 6-year-old gelded son of Armbro Deuce, who is owned by Cummings and trained by Priscilla Mooney.

Not to be outdone, Dave McNeight III, who is currently second is dash wins behind Cummings, and Ray Fisher Jr. also reached the winner’s enclosure twice.

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday night (Aug. 31) at 6:15 p.m. and will feature two divisions of the New York Sires Stake 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings. The youngsters will vie for $119,300 in purses.

— by Tim Bojarski

Pocono
Summers Windsong ($29.60) found clearance, then trotted a huge last sixteenth of a mile to overhaul Tweet Me and win the $25,000 winners over handicap feature Sunday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, continuing a weekend where favorites have regularly fallen to more-lightly-regarded horses. Driver Eric Goodell stayed inside with the RC Royalty mare and the pair did not look in good shape around the final bend, with pacesetting Tweet Me getting away as pocket-sitter Wilberforce gapped behind that one, but Goodell was able to slip outside then wide with Summers Windsong nearing headstretch, ahead of a gapping cover. Still 3-1/2 lengths out and fourth in the field of six at midstretch, Summers Windsong found a powerful overdrive gear and closed furiously to nip Tweet Me by a head in 1:53, reducing her mark by 1-4/5 seconds. The victory by the Paul Fusco-trained mare, owned by Seri S. Reddy, boosts her lifetime earnings over the $200,000 barrier to $211,313.

Running Aces
The Sunday night program at Running Aces featured the $11,000 Open Handicap Pace for horses and geldings and Roland N Rock ($6.20) would post another impressive win, stopping the timer in 1:51.3 with Nick Roland in the sulky. This dynamic duo dropped smartly in the pocket from post three in the five-horse affair and waited patiently for the stretch drive, parlaying the perfect trip into Roland N Rock’s 10th win of the season and 32nd lifetime score for owners Connie and Duane Roland. Bombshell Betty ($3.00) posted another impressive win in the $8,500 Minnesota-sired 3-year-old filly trot, with a 1:57.3 lifetime best mile, her seventh win of the season. Driver Jim Marino sent her away quickly from the outside post five in the contest and she was never in doubt, leading all the way and trotting home in :28.2 for a 1-1/4 length tally. She is owned by Jesse DeLong and Tabatha Canaar, and trained by Justin Anfinson.
The Winnin Dollar ($4.60) got back to doing what he does best, winning that is, as he was sharp with a closing from off the pace effort to win the $8,500 Minnesota-sired 3-year-old gelding trot in 1:59.1 with Nick Roland aboard, also owned by Jesse DeLong and trained by Justin Anfinson. Zachariah’s Honor ($3.20) captured the $6,000 2-year-old Open Handicap pacing event, with a sharp gate-to-wire effort in reign to Luke Plano. The Hot Pans gelding paced to a new lifetime mark of 1:58 with his third lifetime win in 10 starts for owners Royal and Barbara Roland. Lil Orphan Elmer, a 4-year-old gelding pacer by Always A Virgin posted a career effort in a $6,600 conditioned pacing event with his 2-1/2 length win in 1:54.1, drawing away off a first-over trip and posting a final quarter of :28 with trainer/driver Mooney Svendsen in the bike for owners Scott Ehrlich and George McChrystal. It was his fourth start for his current connections, and his fifth win in 23 starts this year. Driver Nick Roland posted a hat trick on the Sunday card, while Tim Maier and Luke Plano both picked up driving doubles. The next card of harness racing action will go to post on Tuesday (Aug. 30) at 6 p.m. (CDT) with a carryover in the 50-cent Hi-5 wager (race nine) of $2,272.12.