by harness racing publicists across North America

The Saturday (June 25) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from The Meadows, Buffalo Raceway, Tioga Downs, Kawartha Downs, Vernon Downs, Saratoga and Running Aces.

Easy Again easy winner in Meadows $13,500 Pace

Washington, PA — Easy Again quarter-poled to the front and jogged to a persuasive victory in 1:50.3 in Saturday’s (June 25) $13,500 Winners Over $10,000 Life Pace at The Meadows.

With Dave Palone at the helm, Easy Again discouraged any challengers by reeling off four sub-:28 quarters. The 7-year-old Dragon Again-Kuklapanandollie ridgling defeated the pocket-sitting Techtor Hanover by 2-1/4 lengths while Brooklyn Flight rallied for show.

Ron Burke trains Easy Again, who extended his career bankroll to $864,018, for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, M1 Stable and Panhellenic Stable.

Elsewhere on Saturday’s (June 25) card, America’s Fleet broke his maiden at first asking in 1:56, fastest this year by a 2-year-old gelding pacer on a five-eighths-mile track. Tony Hall drove for trainer Randy Bendis, who owns the son of American Ideal-Wishfora Fullhouse with Tom Pollack and Reed Broadway.

Hall, Bendis and Palone each enjoyed a triple on the 13-race program.

— by Evan Pattak

Buffalo Raceway

It was apparent that the game plan for China Dream in Buffalo Raceway’s $10,000 Open Pace on Saturday night (June 25) was to try and cut the mile, something he’s not accustomed at all in doing. The new strategy worked to perfection though as the usually late-charging China Dream tied his lifetime best in going gate-to-wire to beat GD Airliner by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:54.0 over the fast track. Off the starting gate, driver Drew Monti fired out with China Dream and had every opportunity to tuck into third but nixed that idea and continued on to the lead. Setting respectable fractions of :28.1, :57.1, and 1:26.4, China Dream was patiently awaiting the arrival of the other stone-cold closer in GD Airliner (David McNeight III) in the race for home. But the charge never came to fruition as China Dream ($3.60) paced a :27.1 final quarter to leave the first over GD Airliner in a holding pattern while Bad Fox (Lee Dahn) was third. Co-owned by Jack Rice and trainer Maria Rice, it was the seventh victory in 18 starts this year for the 5-year-old gelded China Dream (If I Can Dream-China Art). The win pushed his seasonal earnings to $49,475 and $139,068 lifetime. Todd Cummings and David McNeight III each had three wins on the night while Monti, and Ray Fisher Jr. doubled. Trainers JD Perrin, John Mungillo and Rice all had two wins. Racing will continue on Sunday (June 26) afternoon at 12:30 p.m. with a 12-race card scheduled. The New York Sire Stakes will roll into town again with the 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters set to battle it out. There will also be action in the Excelsior A and B series and a pair of races in the C.K.G. Billings Amateur driving series. For more information including race replays, results, upcoming promotions and the latest news, go to www.buffaloraceway.com.

Tioga Downs

Fresh off a 15-1 upset in a $55,503 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes event at Pocono, Hititoutofthepark ($8.30) rose to chase down older company in Saturday (June 25) evening’s $11,000 Open I Trot at Tioga Downs. Mike Simons took his time with the 3-year-old Yankee Glide ridgling, settling well off a :27.3 first quarter Dragin the Wagon (Aaron Byron) and working closer through a :58.1 half. With three-eighths to go, Simons chased the first-over Oh No Three O (Jeff Long), towed significantly closer through the far turn before readying to make a three-wide push for home. Hititoutofthepark accelerated upon cornering, passing the stalled Oh No Three O with little effort, and subsequently chasing down Dragin the Wagon for a narrow 1:55.2 triumph. Six Bax (Jim Taggart) stayed on for third off a cozy pocket trip. John Butenschoen trains Hititoutofthepark for the Give It a Shot Stable, Kurt Welling, and the VIP Internet Stable. For Simons, the win was one of five in the bike on the 10-race card. In addition to his trainee Talktomecourage N ($4.70, 1:54.1) in the seventh, Simons teamed up with Undercover Bro ($5.20, 1:56.1), Alaskan Seelster ($12.80, 1:54), and Justherighttouch ($9.20, 1:56.2). No one hit the 50-cent Pick-5, resulting in a carryover to Sunday (June 26) afternoon’s card of $1,143.61. The Pick-5 kicks off in the first of 11 races, with post time set for 1:30 p.m. Eastern.

Kawartha Downs

“I drove him just like you told me young fella,” said 32-year-old driver Nick Boyd to 87-year-old trainer Junior West shortly after JRs Big Buddy won the fourth race Saturday (June 25) at Kawartha Downs. It was the first lifetime win for the three-year-old gelding by Mister Big. Junior West, who has raced at Kawartha Downs since it opened more than forty years ago, owns the winning horse which he purchased at the start of 2016. It was one of three wins on the card for Boyd who notched a pair of wins with horses from the Mike Weller barn, Team Leader and Joels Legacy. Murray Brethour and Gord Brown each had two trips to the winner’s circle. Murray’s winners were both horses he trains, Diamond Tested and Chosen Hombre. Brown’s wins were courtesy of Pacific Wave K and Mad For Plaid. Racing returns to Kawartha next Saturday (July 2) night which is the always popular Family Fun Night. Bouncy Castle, face painting, balloon animals and more will provide lots of entertainment for the entire family. Kids activities start at 6:30 p.m. racing begins at 7:00 p.m.

Vernon Downs

All Stienam ($5.90) took full advantage of a clear pocket trip in Saturday’s (June 25) $8,000 Miracle Mile/Open Pace a Vernon Downs, sprinting clear of 1-2 favorite Pantheon Hanover for a 1:49 score on a warm summer evening. Trainer/driver John MacDonald yielded the lead to outside rival Pantheon Hanover (Chris Lems) in the early stages, coasting along with a clear pocket trip just off stout fractions of :25.4, :53.3, and 1:21.1. Just above the eighth pole, MacDonald tipped All Stienam off the pegs, and the 7-year-old Tell All gelding sprinted off at once, working clear of Pantheon Hanover by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:49. Modern Gesture (Truman Gale) made mild gains off a wide bid to take third from a beleaguered Abreathofreshart (Dan Daley). The J P Stables of Winchester, Ontario own All Stienam, now a 24-time winner. The featured win kicked off a driving hat trick for MacDonald on the 11-race card. “The Prime Minister” later partnered with Fox Valley Cadet ($4.70, 1:50.4) and Steuben Rudy ($21.20, 1:53.1). No one hit the 50-cent Pick-5 on Saturday (June 25) night, resulting in a $221.91 carryover to Friday (July 1) evening’s card. Post time is slated for 6:45 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga

Long Live Rock (Rocknroll Hanover) made his local debut a winning one in Saturday’s (June 25) Open Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Rene Allard-trained 7-year-old dropped in fourth in the early going in the $15,000 feature that was contested at a distance of 1-1/16 miles. Billy Dobson moved Long Live Rock first over on fellow Yonkers invader UF Rockin Dragon (Jim Devaux) and overpowered that rival en route to an impressive win that covered the 1-1/16 miles in 1:57.3. UF Rockin Dragon held on to win a photo for place while Artful Way (Frank Coppola Jr.) earned the show spot. Long Live Rock was the 5-2 co-favorite in Saturday’s (June 25) Open returning $7.00 to win. The exacta and triple came back $87.50 and $432, respectively. Live racing continues on Sunday (June 26) afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee beginning at 12:15 p.m.

Running Aces

In the Saturday (June 25) night feature at Running Aces, Margin Call ($4.20) trotted to his fourth consecutive win, stopping the clock in 1:56.1 to post a new lifetime mark for the second straight start. The talented 5-year-old gelding by Revenue S out of the Muscles Yankee Mare Caffeine Freak, was forced to move into the top trotting level after winning his last three starts, and he proved to be equal to the task, Trainer/driver Rick Magee got him away unhurried in fifth from post one, waited patiently through fractions of :29.1, :58.1, and 1:26.3 before advancing to the outside and charging down the home-stretch to win by a neck over I’ll Tell You What (Brian Detgen). Wheres The Clicker (Dean Magee) was just a half-length back in third. He is owned by a very proud Mikaela Delguidice .Tonight’s win was his 12th career tally in 33 lifetime starts. Despite his jump in class, he was the race favorite and paid $4.20 on every $2.00 win ticket. Rick Magee scored a hat-trick, winning also with Place’n First ($13.40) in 1:55.3 for owner/trainer Jenni King, and scoring with Tempus Fugit ($5.60) in a lifetime best 1:57.2 for owners David & Sandi Wackford and trainer Joel McDanel. The very nice 3-year-old filly Dag In My Stockings (by Dags) made her presence known in the eighth race, posting a tremendous effort in a gate-to-wire performance in 1:55.0 after setting very fast fractions of :27.2, :56.1 and 1:23.3. She coasted home to win by 7-1/2 lengths. She is owned by Duane and Connie Roland, was bred by Roger Roland, and was driven to victory by Nick Roland. Nick posted a hat-trick on tonight’s card as well, also scoring wins with Tylertherottwyler ($4.00) in 2:00.2 for his maiden win for owner/trainer Robert Lems, and Red Star Wild One ($9.60) in a dead heat win in 1:56.1 with Meritage Hanover (Kevin Anderson). Red Star Wild One is owned by Ron Rettig-Zucchi and trained by Jesse Pacheco. The white-hot gelding Freedom Reigns has been unstoppable in June at Running Aces, moving up to the $9,000 “A” division of Minnesota-Sired 3-year-old pacers after winning three consecutive races. Freedom Reigns was large and in charge again tonight, with driver Tim Maier sweeping to the lead past the :27.3 quarter, and never looking back through the remaining fractions of :57.2 and 1:24.4. He coasted home to win by 1-1/4 lengths over race favorite Cruzin Coco (Steve Wiseman) in a new lifetime mark of 1:53.3 for owners Janice Molgaard and Nancy Jensen of Iowa and trainer Brady Jensen. The 3-year-old gelding Pacer Cyrax, (by Intrepid Seelster) made his first pari-mutuel start a winning one in his $6,000 Minnesota-sired “B” division, from post three Driver Brian Detgen got him away second in the pocket before moving first-over past the three-quarters and sprinting home to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:58.3. He is owned by James Springer and trained by Robert Lems. He paid $19.00 at the windows. The next card of live harness racing at Running Aces Casino and Racetrack will go to post on Sunday night (June 26) at 6:00 p.m. CDT with a carryover in the 50-cent Pick-6 wager of $900.92