from harness publicists across North America

Saturday’s (April 14) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Scarborough Downs and Saratoga Casino and Raceway.

Drop Red takes Pocono feature pace

Wilkes Barre, PA — Drop Red won a thrilling stretch duel with Fred And Ginger to take the featured condition pace on Saturday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The race carried a purse of $25,000.

Leaving from post position #4 in a field of seven as the 2-1 second betting choice, Drop Red, trained by Robert Horowitz, fought for the early lead before backing off at the quarter and allowing Fred And Ginger by. They stayed in the first and second spots all the way around from that point until the stretch, when driver Jim Morrill Jr. tipped Drop Red to the outside to get up and nip Fred And Ginger by a neck in 1:50, the fastest time so far in the 2-week old Pocono meet. Sand Summerfield finished 3rd.

Drop Red, a 6-year-old stallion sired by Red River Hanover, won for the second time in seven tries this season. It was his 27th career victory, and he now has lifetime earnings of $646,240.

On the trotting side, Sand Top Gun avenged a loss last week to Cassis by beating him by a half-length in a winners of over $25,000 group for a purse of $25,000. Jim Morrill Jr. did the driving for trainer Tyler Raymer, as Sand Top Gun matched his career-best with a winning time of 1:54. Keystone Thomas finished 3rd.

— Jim Beviglia

Scarborough Downs
Class came through on Saturday (4/14) at Scarborough Downs as Cactus Creek scored his first victory in the State of Maine. The former world champion, now owned by Reginald Duguay of Winslow, Maine, took full advantage of class relief and a favorable post position, vaulting to the early lead and holding off a stiff stretch challenge from Town Fool (Drew Campbell) to persevere in the final strides. Kevin Switzer, catch driving for Jamie Girard, combined his ability with the veteran pacer’s will to win; horse and man conspiring to engineer a 1:55.2 clocking, the fastest mile of the young Scarborough Downs meet.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Saturday’s open pace was the highlight of the twelve race card at Saratoga Casino and Raceway and while it only consisted of six horses, the feature was a very competitive one. Forty Carrots made the trek north from Pompano Park where he had competed all winter long. Coming off of back to back victories in the Pompano open, Forty Carrots was dealing with a month long layoff when he started from post five in Saturday’s $17,500 Spa feature. Trainer-driver Kim Crawford moved the 5-year-old son of Riverboat King out to the early lead and they wouldn’t look back. Forty Carrots survived a backstretch brush by rival Outa My Head (Billy Dobson) who drew alongside the leader but could not get by. The race’s favorite, Bettor’s Reward (Stephane Bouchard), put in a late bid but came up just short in the three horse photo in the mile paced in 1:54.1. Forty Carrots returned $15.20 to win while the exacta with Outa My Head came back $89.50. The win was the 20th in 66 career starts for Forty Carrots.