Victory Tax equals track record at Scarborough Downs

Scarborough, ME— IPO Blue Chip has been showing that she’s the best trotter in the State of Maine for much of this spring but a plucky little trotter named Victory Tax has been chasing her down. In their last three head-to-head starts Victory Tax has had to settle for runner-up honors while IPO Blue Chip garnered all the attention as she established a new state of Maine trotting record (1:57) last week at Scarborough Downs.

Derek Davis photo

Driver Drew Campbell leads Victory Tax to a track record performance on Sunday at Scarborough Downs.

The tables were turned on Sunday (June 17) as Victory Tax drove hard to the early lead and relentlessly held IPO Blue Chip at bay, recording a track record of his own, equaling the mark for older geldings in 1:57.3.

“The luck of the draw was on our side today,” said driver Drew Campbell. “I was bound and determined to cut the mile. Going into the race I’m driving the horse to win, not for any track records. Halfway up the backstretch I pulled the plugs and said, ‘let him roll’ because that mare is going to be awful tough to beat. When I got out by five or six lengths, I drove him down the stretch to give him a shot at the record. This horse deserves some recognition. He’s got a record of 1:58.1 and he’s been beating that record every week.”

Victory Tax, the 6-year-old son of Victory Sam owned by Kyle Gibbs and trained by Steven Vafiades, also holds the 4-year-old track record and was named the 2011 Trotter of the Year at Scarborough Downs.

“As I said before,” Campbell continued, “this horse deserves some recognition. He may not be the best trotter in the State of Maine but he’s not far from it.”

In other news, driver Kevin Switzer cemented his hold on top of the leaderboard by driving four horses to victory on Sunday.

— Mike Sweeney

Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs
Rockin Glass kept alive a winning streak by topping the best pacers on the grounds in Sunday night’s featured race at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The race, which was held for winners of over $25,000 lifetime, carried the night’s top purse of $25,000. Rockin Glass, who came into the race with three straight wins, even though he moved up in class each time, stepped up to the top pacing group for trainer Lee Cotroneo as the 5-2 second choice. Leaving from post position three in a field of eight, the 4-year-old gelding sired by Rocknroll Hanover began his move to the lead on the front stretch, although he didn’t clear favorite Meirs Hanover until a few yards shy of the half-mile marker. In the stretch, Meirs Hanover came back to challenge in the passing lane and pulled up even, but George Napolitano, Jr., who capped a big day that included his 5,000th career driving win at Harrah’s at Philadelphia in the afternoon, coaxed more out of Rockin Glass, who scored the victory by a neck in 1:50. Meirs Hanover settled for second while Mcclelland picked up the show. Rockin Glass now has victories in half of his 2012 starts. It was his 16th career win, giving him lifetime earnings of $197,735.

Running Aces
Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., the 25-year-old son of Ron Wrenn, Sr. and the nephew of Peter Wrenn, captured five of the nine races at Running Aces on Sunday night catapulting the promising young reinsman into second place in the track’s driver standings. After just five nights of driving in Minnesota, Wrenn has eight wins and eight seconds. His victory total puts him behind only Rick Magee, who is also off to a great start to the 2012 summer season with a dozen wins in the first seven nights of live racing at Running Aces. Wrenn captured the featured $8,500 Open Pace when he guided Ally-Con to a narrow tally over At Last (Lemoyne Svendsen) in 1:53.1. Owner Matt Stelick also conditions the 5-year-old son of Art Major, who won for the second time in three local starts. Most Remarkable (Joey Mapes) raced creditably to finish third. Stelick also trains three of Wrenn’s other winners, all of which are owned by Todd Rosenberg. Bookie Farout went wire-to-wire in a $5,500 conditioned pace to best Big Guy Two Win (Svendsen) and Shoot The Works (Steve Wiseman) in a quick 1:54.4. Scoot To Victory topped Gencor’s Ztam (Svendsen) and Arch Nemeses (Wiseman) to capture a $4,500 conditioned pace in 1:55.2. Trotter Count Dale beat Go Go Fast (Nick Roland) and Mind And Spirit (Gary Rath) by a length in 2:00 to garner the lion’s share of a $3,000 purse. Rally To Win did rally furiously in the stretch to give Wrenn his other winner, just nailing Briney (Mapes) and Bratatouille (Wiseman), who dead-heated for place, in a green non-winners pace in 2:00.4.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Don’t Blame Her, with Joe Bongiorno in the bike, captured Sunday’s featured Filly & Mare Open Pace, setting a new track record time for pacing mares of 1:52.3. The 9-year-old Village Connection mare is owned by Robert and Barbara Bongiorno and is trained by Conor Flynn.