from harness publicists across North America

Monday’s (May 27) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Tioga Downs, Harrington Raceway, Vernon Downs and Saratoga Casino and Raceway.

Bettorsluckystreak wins New York Excelsior Prep at Tioga Downs

Nichols, NY — Tioga Downs held a special matinee racing program on Monday with an $8,400 New York Excelsior Prep for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers as the feature.

Fred Brown photo

Bettorsluckystreak was a neck winner over Ranch Hand on Monday at Tioga.

The win went to Bettorsluckystreak and Jim Taggart, Jr., who went to the front from post eight through an opening quarter in :27.4. The duo then led the field of nine sophomore pacers through middle fractions of :57.4 and 1:26.1.

Down the stretch Taggart went to work on Bettorsluckystreak with a fast closing Ranch Hand (Marcus Miller) finishing a neck back in second in 1:55.1. The favorite Steuben Patriot (Jim Meittinis) shook loose late to finish third, while Major Blue Coat (Fern Paquet, Jr.) rounded out the superfecta.

It was the third win in four seasonal starts for Bettorsluckystreak, a son of Bettor’s Delight–Cheeky Hanover, for trainer/co-owner Gary Messenger.

Greg Merton posted a driving triple on the afternoon’s 13-race card.

— Dustin Ross

Harrington Raceway
Johnny Waite’s Fissato ($34, Allan Davis) notched his second win in three weeks, capturing the $18,000 Open Pace on Monday at Harrington Raceway in 1:52.2. Trained by his owner, the 8-year-old Cambest gelding received a pocket trip behind pacesetter St Lads Zoom Zoom who set fractions of :27.4, :56.4 and 1:25.1. Fissato and Davis sprung free down the passing lane to prevail by a half-length over St Lads Zoom Zoom and Mojo Terror. It was the sixth win of the year for Fissato, who had won the same race two starts ago with an identical trip. Driver Ross Wolfenden had three wins on the program. Montrell Teague had a driving double. The longest shot of the current meet at Harrington was brought home by driver Frank Milby in the second race, when he piloted 90-1 Megs Boy ($183) to an upset win in 1:54.3.

Vernon Downs
Defending driving and training champion Rick Plano started his Memorial Day afternoon at Vernon Downs with an Open pacing victory behind Special Strides and things continued to improve from there. Leaving from post two in the $10,000 featured first race, Plano and his 6-year-old charge dropped into third place early in the mile contest, drafting along behind the pacesetting A Fool For Mark until the top of the stretch, and then accelerated in the final furlong for a one length triumph in 1:50.4. It was a career-fastest performance for the speedy brown son of Camotion-Belize and tied the fastest mile at the 14-program meeting, which had been established by the pacer To Beach His Own on April 27. It marked the first win in 2013, but the 16the lifetime tally for the career winner of more than $78,000, who is owned by Thomas Witt and Richard C. Plano. Plano continued on with first-place finishes behind Theresa Appler’s pacer Sri Panka (1:52) in Monday’s seventh session, and capped off the track’s nine-race card with a 1:55.2 tally behind his wife Maryann’s pacer Lotta Drama. While securing his fourth triple of the meet, the 61-year-old Frankfort native increased his leading win count for the track’s 60th season to 30 and his top training total to 15. Driving doubles during the sunny afternoon were registered by John MacDonald (First Tail U See and P J Lucky) and Chris Lems (That’ssomebracciola and Restless Yankee).

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Elodie, with Joe Bongiorno in the bike, captured Monday’s 11th race at Saratoga Casino & Raceway. Owned by Mildred Ventriglio and trained by Brad Irvine, the 6-year-old mare posted the fastest time of the matinee card, scoring in 1:54.4.