from harness publicists across North America

Thursday’s (Sept. 25) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Vernon Downs, Harrah’s Philadelphia, Colonia Downs and Saratoga Casino and Raceway.

Let’s Go Higher is a winner at Vernon

Vernon, NY — Let’s Go Higher (Cole Muffler-Ten Speed) scored a front-running victory in the $10,000 featured pace at Vernon Downs on Thursday night.

Fotowon photo

Let’s Go Higher was a narrow winner in the Vernon feature.

She was sent right to the lead by Chris Lems after the gate opened up and led through early fractions of :26.1 for the quarter, :55.2 for the half, and 1:23.2 for three-quarters.

Southwind Trini (Jim Marohn Jr.) sat the pocket trip during the majority of the mile and moved to the outside once the field made the stretch, but she could not get past Let’s Go Higher, who won in a final time of 1:51.2.

It is Let’s Go Higher’s third straight victory. She had won her two previous starts at Balmoral. Let’s Go Higher is owned by Jesse De Long and trained by Heidi Rohr.

The complete order of finish was Let’s Go Higher, Southwind Trini, Seascape Hanover, Asset Management and Ugly Betty.

Racing resumes at Vernon Downs on Friday night with a 12-race program. The featured event will be the 11th race, a $10,000 Open Preferred Trot. The morning line favorite at 6-5 is A Penny Earned, who was a winner two starts back on Sept. 12. Chris Lems is scheduled to drive.

— Michael Chamberlain

Harrah’s Philadelphia
Bambino Glide, 4-year-old gelding trotter, got back on track in the featured event at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon (Sept. 25). The race was a winner’s over $25,000 lifetime trot, over a track listed good due to intermittent rain throughout the day. The wagering public put its support behind Holy Halibut (Geo Napolitano Jr) who was looking for his fourth straight win. As the wings closed, it was Bambino Glide (Marcus Miller) and Holy Halibut fastest away, with the latter taking control just beyond the quarter (:27). It remained that way until just after the half (:55.3) when Opening Night (Eric Carlson) mounted a first-over bid. After battling by three-quarters (1:25.1) Holy Halibut sprinted clear to lead by two lengths at the top of the stretch. In the end however, it was Bambino Glide closing up the open stretch to win by a final margin of one length, stopping the clock in 1:54.1. The winner returned $4.80, keying a $12.20 exacta, and a trifecta that paid $39.60. Bambino Glide is owned by Kapildeo Singh and Shakoor’s Racing Stable, and is trained by Julie Miller.

Colonial Downs
Always Quick Star overcame an outside start from post eight and upset favored Skeet Thunder Thursday afternoon in the second leg of the $4,000 Parkers Memorial Trotting Series at Colonial Downs. Always Quick Star, who broke in the first leg a week ago after leading through three-quarters, stayed flat while facing eight foes Thursday. The 3-year-old Cantab Hall filly was sixth at the half, nearly ten lengths behind Pinefullofboots, before making her surge. Driver Mark Gray, who also trains the winner, moved to fifth at the third fraction then trotted quickly past Mystic Flower, ML’s Journey and the leader before squaring off with My Heidi in deep stretch. After a photo, Gray’s trotter prevailed by a head in 1:57, a new lifetime best. Sleek Thunder finished eighth in a failed bid for back-to-back series wins. There were no surprises in the $5,000 second leg of the Delmarva Handicap Pacing Series as first leg winner and heavy betting choice Bellator did not disappoint. The 4-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding wired the field in the odd distance 7/8ths of a mile race. Driver Jason MacDougall directed Bellator to quarter fractions of :27, :56.1 and 1:24 before finishing 2-1/4 lengths in front of Breakin Loose in 1:37.3. The winner is trained by Stacy McLenaghan for owner Jay Steers of Osteen, Florida.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Kid PK (Wearable Art) continued his hot streak on Thursday night at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. The Jim Doherty Jr trained trotter missed all of 2013 but has come out strong in his comeback season. After recording two wins early in the summer, Kid PK moved into the winners of two but not more than four races lifetime class at Saratoga in August and has been on a tear ever since. The 4-year-old pacer was a runner-up in each of his first three tries in that class including a pair of starts in which he closed in final quarters of :27 seconds. Kid PK then scored front-running victories in two straight heading into Thursday night’s try in the $7,490 pacing event. Driver Stephane Bouchard was content to sit the pocket behind Rock N Joe (Billy Dobson) who was the runner-up to him last week. It was déjà vu for Kid PK who prevailed in 1:55 for the second consecutive Thursday night and was followed at the wire by Rock N Joe once again. Alero Blue Chip (Shawn Gray) completed the trifecta. Kid PK now has five wins in 12 starts in 2014.