by harness publicists across North America

Sunday’s (May 15) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Saratoga Casino and Raceway, Harrah’s Philadelphia, Vernon Downs and C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Series.

Trainer Chris Marino enjoys a perfect day

Saratoga, NY — Trainer Chris Marino started three horses on Sunday’s (May 17) matinee card at Saratoga Casino and Raceway and all he did was go three-for-three.

Pacer Skype Hanover (Bettor’s Delight) pulled off the upset on the front-end as the claiming pacer prevailed at odds of 13-1. The first victory of the season for the pacer came in 1:56.3.

Trotter Morosita Bi (Equinox Bi), an award winner at Saratoga last year among claiming trotters, scored a seasonal best 1:57 win while drawing away to score by almost five lengths. The Marino hat trick was completed by Striking Hurricane (Striking Sahbra). The 4-year-old trotter prevailed for the third straight Sunday afternoon with near carbon copy victories, all coming on the front-end and all while stopping the timer in 1:57.2. Austin Siegelman piloted all three Marino trainees to their Sunday scores. Marino surged into the top five in the local trainer standings behind the Sunday hat trick.

Trainer Rene Allard also had a hat trick on the matinee card, winning with trotters Mack’s Gold Band, Scottish Cross and Open Trotter Red Hot Herbie all of which were driven to their scores by Billy Dobson.

— Melissa Simser

Harrah’s Philadelphia
A field of eight upper-level conditioned pacers were in action on Sunday afternoon (May 17) at Harrah’s Philadelphia. It was a pace for non-winners of $20,000 in their last five starts going for purse of $22,000. The wagering public made twenty-three time winner Duc Dorleans (Daniel Dube) the heavy favorite in the first leg of the daily Pick-4. The son of Shanghai Phil was dropping down in class after a fifth place finish in an open event here last week. He wasted little time asserting himself, as he was put in play immediately from post five. After clearing the lead just past the quarter (:27.2), he was able to rate the half somewhat (:55.3) before facing a first-over challenge from Little Bapa LLC’s Sandestin Hanover (Geo. Napolitano Jr.). After three-quarters (1:22), Duc Dorleans began to draw away, with Sandestin Hanover clearing second. Lonewolf Currier (Allan Davis), a 5-year-old gelding, was able to close mildly in the lane, but not enough to catch a determined leader. Duc Dorleans crossed the line a length clear, stopping the clock in a seasonal’s best 1:49.4. It was his seventh win of the year out of fourteen starts. Lonewolf Currier was second, while Sandestin Hanover finished third. Duc Dorleans is owned by Gestion Levesque 2005 Inc. and Les Ecuries Dorleans Inc of Canada, and trained by Marie DuPont. He paid $2.60.

Vernon
Clearing his four rivals early on, A Fool For Mark ($4.30) kicked clear on the far turn and remained elusive on the lead in a $6,500 upper-level conditioned pace at Vernon Downs on Sunday (May 17) afternoon. Owner/trainer/driver Dustin Ingraham sent the 9-year-old Western Ideal gelding right to the front, controlling a :54.2 first half mile while tracked by Giant Sculpture (Roman Lopez). On the far turn, A Fool For Mark kicked clear, leaving Giant Sculpture four lengths behind through a :27.4 third quarter. As Giant Sculpture faded in upper stretch, A Fool For Mark had amassed enough of a margin to stave off late challengers UF Bettors Hanover (Justin Huckabone) and The Green Knight (John MacDonald), both of whom rallied from the back of the pack to finish second and third respectively. A Fool For Mark ultimately held clear by two lengths, wrapping up his winning mile in 1:50.3.

C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Series
Two trots in the season-long C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Series were presented at Freehold Raceway on Saturday (May 16) and when the judges declared them official Dave “Linemaster” Ehrenberg II and James “Jimmy Boy” Marshall IV each emerged victorious in their respective splits. Ehrenberg scored with Fuel Cell in 1:59.4 and Marshall won behind Flowing James in a 2:01.3 clocking. Sent off as the favorite in the race Fuel Cell paid $4.20 for win. He is owned by his driver and trained by Bruce Lauer. It marked Ehrenberg’s second driving victory of the season and the 47th of his amateur driving career. In the other division Flowing James had a new driver in “Jimmy Boy” Marshall IV but the youngster proved he was equally adept in getting the veteran trotter to the winners circle as were a couple of professional drivers who handled the lines in previous contests. Flowing James, owned and trained by Tara Hynes, scored his sixth seasonal triumph and returned a $5.60 win mutuel. For Marshall, it was his second driving victory in eight starts this year and third in 14 career outings. Presently Steve Oldford’s 38 points are seven better than Hannah Miller’s 31. Tony Verruso’s 24 is third best and James Marshall and Doc Woogen, each with 20 points, are tied for fourth on the Billings’ leaderboard.