by harness publicists across North America

Friday’s (May 15) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Yonkers Raceway, Hoosier Park Racing & Casino, Buffalo Raceway, Saratoga Casino and Raceway and Vernon Downs.

Krispy Apple alone again in Yonkers feature

Yonkers, NY — Stop us if you’ve read this one before, because we’ve certainly written this one before.

Sean Hamrock photo

Krispy Apple won Yonkers Raceway’s featured $42,000 F&M Open Handicap Pace on Friday night.

They left Krispy Apple (Jason Bartlett, $2.70) alone–again—Friday(May 15) night and the seven-figure lass made them pay–again, winning Yonkers Raceway’s featured $42,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace. In other words, if you’re looking for suspense, run along, nothing to see here.

Once again assigned outside her six foes, the millionairess worked around Magic Starlight (George Brennan), then had no issues whatsoever (:28.3, :57.3, 1:25, 1:52.2). The time was a tick faster than a week ago, as well as a season’s-best effort.

The final margin for Krispy Apple was 3-1/2 lengths, same as last week’s romp. It was 34-1 rank outsider (Tyler Buter) sitting a three-hole and out gaming Magic Starlight for the role of bridesmaid. Witch Dali (Jordan Stratton)—making her first start since running roughshod in March’s Petticoat Pacing Series—and Delightful Dragon (Dan Dube) completed the cashers.

For Krispy Apple, a 7-year-old daughter of Western Ideal co-owned by Bamond Racing and Joseph Davino and trained by Jeffrey Bamond Jr., it was her third win in eight seasonal starts (career earnings of $1,344,323). The exacta paid $32.40, with the triple returning $114.50.

— Frank Drucker

Hoosier Park Racing & Casino
American Girl, guided by Sam Widger, turned in a gutsy performance to take home top honors in the co-featured event of the evening, a $21,000 Invitational Pace for fillies and mares, on Friday, May 15 at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. Dismissed at odds of 11-1 at the betting window, American Girl won an epic stretch battle to best her rivals with a final time of 1:53.1. Leaving from post four, American Girl left aggressively for early position but Shine N Shimmer and John Delong were one step quicker as they reached the front through the opening panel in :27.3. Miss Millie and Peter Wrenn protected their rail position to find a pocket seat with Just A Bee and Mike Micallef next in line, fourth. American Girl continued her mission to the front and reached the top spot just past the second station in :56.3. Unable to find a spot along the rail, Trace Tetrick had the 1-5 favorite, Color’s A Virgin pointed to the front as the field approached the final turn. Color’s A Virgin reached the leader’s wheel through a three-quarter clocking in 1:25.1 but she would have her work cut out for her as American Girl looked strong on the front. The field was tightly packed turning for home and the stage was set for a cavalry charge to the wire.
With the taxing mile beginning to take its toll, Color’s A Virgin began to retreat just as the rest of the field started to fan out across the track late in the lane. Widger asked his mount for more and American Girl responded with one final surge to hold off a hard-charging Montenegro and Jason Dillander. Shine N Shimmer rounded out the trifecta. American Girl returned $25.00 to her backers at the betting window. “She’s a special mare,” trainer Ernie Gaskin noted after the victory. “When everything is right with her, she’s as game as they come. I wasn’t exactly sure how the trip would work out tonight but Sam (Widger) always takes care of her.” With the win, American Girl notched her first victory of the season and 23rd win from 89 career starts while amassing $541,948 in purse earnings lifetime. The 6-year-old daughter of Art’s Chip-L Dees Lourdes is owned by Darla Gaskin and Stanley Rosenblatt.

Buffalo Raceway
Kevin Cummings domination at Buffalo Raceway continued on Friday night as he guided home another three winners but it was the 20-year-old Drew Monti who sprung the huge upsets to share the spotlight. Monti posted a trio of stunning upset wins as he steered McArdle Direct ($160.50), Hurtin Albertan ($13.00) and Little Myra ($17.40) to surprise decisions. Monti now sits in third place in the driver’s race with 82 trips to the winner’s circle this season. Trainer/driver Denny Bucceri lit up the tote board in the 10th race as he drove Kely Jo Wiz to an $84.00 victory. Ray Fisher Jr. also was a part of the wild night at the Hamburg half-mile oval as he notched a $41.40 victory on Carson City Road. The average win price at Buffalo Raceway Friday night was a whopping $31.20 with the last four races averaging $69.20. Meanwhile, Cummings, who had a career year in 2014 with 334 victories and over $1.55 million in earnings on the Western New York circuit, continues to be on track to smash his all-time marks. Last year on this date, the 44-year-old had 91 wins and over $442,000 in earnings. Currently, Cummings has eye-popping numbers with 147 victories through 49 race dates, good for 11th nationally, and over $652,000 in purses. The most wins in a season at Buffalo Raceway is 214 set back in 2006 by Jim Morrill Jr. With 43 racing days left in the 2015 campaign, Cummings is on pace to crush that mark. Besides easily sitting atop the Buffalo Raceway driver’s standings, Cummings is also the leader nationally in UDR with a mark of .404 for those with over 500 starts. Cummings scored Friday night aboard Terracina AS ($7.70), Always An Optimist ($3.10) and Spring Terror ($2.40). Jim McNeight also had a driving double. Racing will continue on Saturday night with a 12-race program slated for 6:35 p.m.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Road Bet (Bettor’s Delight) became the first three-time winner of the Fillies and Mares Open at Saratoga Casino and Raceway as the 5-year-old mare went wire-to-wire. Stephane Bouchard piloted the Kyle Spagnola-trained distaffer to a 1:54.3 victory in the $18,000 Friday (May 15) feature. The defending Filly and Mare Pacer of the Year at the Spa, Road Bet has now been first or second in five of her six starts in ’15. Last week’s Open winner It’s A Miracle (Bruce Aldrich Jr) was the runner-up to Road Bet on Friday while Super Soph (Frank Coppola Jr) earned the show spot. Road Bet, who was the public’s 6-5 betting favorite, won for the 17th time in 61 lifetime starts.

Vernon Downs
Taking advantage of a pocket trip behind the pace-setting Purity, Let’s Go Higher ($3.80) struck the front in upper-stretch, holding clear of a late bid from The Filly Princess to win Friday evening’s (May 15) featured $10,000 Mares Open Pace at Vernon Downs. Simon Allard settled into the pocket with the 7-year-old Cole Muffler mare, drafting behind 17-1 outsider Purity (Claude Huckabone, Jr.) through sectionals of :26.4, :55.1, and 1:23.1. At the top of the stretch, Let’s Go Higher vacated the pocket, pushing clear of a tiring Purity at the eighth pole and edging clear by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:50.2. The Filly Princess (Truman Gale) rallied late off a tracking trip to take second, while Table Talk (Bart Dalious) kicked cover to take third after racing from the back of the pack early. Heidi Rohr trains Let’s Go Higher for owner Jesse DeLong. Saturday evening’s 14-race pari-mutuel card features four divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing fillies, with Ron Burke trainee Sassa Hanover (2-1 morning line favorite, Andy McCarthy up) making her 3-year-old debut in the evening’s $30,450 fifth race. Post time is 6:45 p.m., with a non-wagering Excelsior event carded for 6:30 p.m.