from harness publicists across North America

Saturday’s (May 7) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Buffalo Raceway, Vernon Downs, Tioga Downs and Saratoga.

Fireyourguns takes another Open Pace at Buffalo

Hamburg, NY — Fireyourguns ($2.30) proved once again that he’s a high caliber pacer after putting away the field in Buffalo Raceway’s $10,000 Open on Saturday night. Driven by Mike Caprio, Fireyourguns went gate-to-wire in 1:52.2, the fastest mile of the meet in beating Knocking Around by a non-threatening length.

Steve Roth photo

Fireyourguns notched another win in the Buffalo Raceway Open.

Starting from the seven post, Fireyourguns was tested a bit to reach the top just before the quarter pole, but did so in a brisk :27.1. Knocking Around (David McNeight III) was first over and appeared to have a chance to pull the upset in the stretch, but Fireyourguns went :27.4 in the last panel to turn back that challenge. Western Alumni (Todd Cummings) finished in third.

Co-owned by trainer Terence McClory along with Jennifer and Robert Lowe, Fireyourguns (American Ideal-Villa Hanover) has captured three of five starts in 2016, earning $17,125. It moved the 7-year-old gelding’s lifetime winnings to $321,466.

The card was also highlighted by five finals of the Championship Claiming Series. In the $5,000-$7,000 claiming pacers with a purse of $10,800, Beechwood Wayne (Drew Monti) pulled a $14.80 surprise in a seasonal best 1:57. The $8,000-$10,000 pacing category worth $14,000 saw Urgently (Monti) taking the win in 1:56.2 and returning $6.10. Finally in the $12,500-$15,000 pacing bracket with a purse of $15,600, That Horse J D (Billy Davis Jr.) equaled his lifetime mark of 1:55.1 in blowing away the field by 6-1/4 lengths. He returned $4.10 on the $2 investment.

There were two trotting finals contested with Chrome Finish (Ray Fisher Jr.) victorious in the $4,000-$5,500 range to grab the lion’s share of the $10,000 pool. Chrome Finish covered the mile in 1:59.4 and paid $8.50. Then in the $14,800 championship race for trotters in the $8,000-$12,500 division, Kahoku (Ron Beback Jr.) notched the win in 1:58 and paid $2.40.

Monti led the driver’s statistics with a triple.

— Brian Mazurek

Vernon Downs
A pair of odds-on favorites proved victorious in the $12,100 Anthony Farina Pacing Series and the $12,900 Catherine Burton Trotting Series finals at Vernon Downs on Saturday evening, both employing first-over tactics en route to the winner’s enclosure. In the Farina final, Galows Nightmare ($3.00, part of entry) began his first-over ascent with half a mile to go, sustaining pressure on early pacesetter No Shame Blue Chip (Brian Connor) through a three-quarter split of 1:22.2 after the latter vaulted clear to set strong early splits of :26.1 and :54.1. Galows Nightmare — a 4-year-old Sportswriter gelding — edged clear off the far turn, ultimately drawing off to a 2-1/2 length win in 1:51.2 under trainer-driver Chris Lems. No Shame Blue Chip held second by 5-3/4 lengths over An Officers Duty (John MacDonald), a distant third off his loose second-over trip. The Burton final saw Walk The Floor ($3.80) apply heavy pressure to pacesetter Chukkar (Chuck Connor Jr.) on the far turn, working clear in upper stretch before holding off pocket rival Thats A Bad Boy (Tyler Freese) for a 1:55.3 win. Trainer Angus MacDonald drove the 5-year-old Crazed gelding to a three-quarter length triumph.

Tioga Downs
Mike Sinclair’s Heavenly Bet ($2.50) was heavily bet before her decisive 1:54.4 triumph in the first round of the Gail’s Diner Late Closing Series for 3-year-old pacing fillies, brushing and edging clear of her six foes on Saturday evening at Tioga Downs. Tioga newcomer Scott Coulter moved the 3-year-old Bettor’s Delight filly to the fore after tracking a :27 first quarter, working clear of Ghost Runner (Tom Jackson) with a circuit to go. Heavenly Bet faced mild pressure from the first-over Seafood Linda (Jim Meittinis) through a :57.4 middle half, but edged clear off the far turn to a three length victory. Stirling Electra (Corey Braden) was elevated to second after she was impeded by Seafood Linda — who ducked in abruptly before giving chase — off the far turn. Ed Hart trainee Shesgotthebeat ($13.00, part of entry) took the other $7,500 Gail’s Diner split, pouncing from the pocket to defeat Winners Over (Dan Clements) by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:55.2 under Jim Meittinis. A pair of $8,200 top-level conditioned events rounded out the Opening Night features, with B L Class Act ($5.10, John Cummings Jr.) just wearing down Dragin The Wagon for a 1:56 score in the top trot, and Asset Management ($30.40, Fern Paquet Jr.) holding sway after a demanding early pace to upset distaff pacers in 1:54.2. John Cummings Jr. and Jim Taggart Jr. led all drivers with two wins apiece on the 11-race card.

Saratoga
Artful Way (Artistic Fella) blasted out to the early lead in the $15,000 Open Pace at Saratoga. Though the 4-year-old flashed incredible turn of foot early in the 1-1/16th mile feature last week, Artful Way tired late before fading to a sixth place finish. This week, the tune was much different for the Jackie Rousse-trained pacer. Frank Coppola Jr. once again powered Artful Way out early but eased him back before yielding to rival Spinarama (Austin Siegelman). Spinarama got a big time second quarter breather but was hounded by the race’s favorite JK Panache, who was first over. Dismissed at odds of 12-1, Spinarama turned back JK Panache but Artful Way got loose late and surged up the passing lane before hitting the wire first in 2:00. Spinarama held second while E Z Noah (Billy Dobson) earned the show spot. Artful Way returned $9.00 to win and led an exacta and triple that came back $80.00 and $375.50, respectively.