from harness publicists around North America

Thursday’s (Oct. 27) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Harrington Raceway, Colonial Downs, Vernon Downs and Cal Expo.

Jeremy’s Successor crowned Horse of the Meet as Harrington meet closes

Harrington, DE — Harrington Raceway’s 65th season of live horse racing came to a close Thursday.

Fotowon photo

Jeremy’s Successor was voted Horse of the Meet at Harrington Raceway.

While trainer and driver awards were handed out earlier in the week, the United States Harness Writers Association’s Horse of the Meet was awarded on closing night. Andrea Hill’s Jeremy’s Successor was voted as the recipient. The 7-year-old Mach Three gelding was a consistent performer in the Open class throughout the meet, with six wins and finished on the board in 12 of 15 starts, while banking more than $82,000 at the meet, which was more than any non-stakes horse for the season.

Trained by Crissy Crissman-Bier, he was driven on a regular basis by her husband Sean Bier.

“We got him last year for the Bobby Quillen and he stayed here with us afterwards,” said Sean Bier. “He’s a high class horse that’s a pleasure to have in the barn.”

Ross Wolfenden successfully defended his driving title with a commanding 207 wins. Tony Morgan (129), Allan Davis (120), Victor Kirby (116) and Jim Morand (102) rounded out the top five.

Meanwhile George Teague Jr. earned his first training title with 70 wins. Les Givens (58), Wayne Givens (57), Joe Hunderptfund Jr. (52) and Dylan Davis (51) completed the top five.

The Delaware harness racing circuit now shifts 20 miles north to Dover Downs, which opens Saturday October 29.

— Matt Sparacino

Colonial Downs
A combination of warm late October weather, a stiff tailwind and a fast track added up to an afternoon of new speed marks Thursday at Colonial Downs. Of the day’s twelve races, ten were carded at the one mile distance, and new life marks were recorded by nine of those ten winning horses. The odd mile winner equaled his prior best. Four of the new marks were under 1:53, and the fastest belonged to Doc’s Bonanza, who nearly wired the field in capturing his third straight at Colonial. Chris Page directed the 4-year-old The Panderosa horse to a 1:51.3 score, a full second faster than his previous mark, which he set last year at the New Kent track. The $6,000 second leg of the New Kent Pacing Series saw Chris Page bring home another victor in a new mark, but he used a pocket trip instead of a front-running effort to get the job done. Doc’s Zilla, who broke at the start of last week’s first leg, sat behind Doc’s Sea Lion through the first three-quarters then came out and easily won by three lengths in 1:52. The 3-year-old Cams Eclipse gelding shattered his prior best by nearly three seconds.

Vernon Downs
RD Blues took advantage of the pylon path to post a 1:58.1 victory in Thursday night’s $4,300 feature for female pacers at Vernon Downs. With Jack Rice doing the teaming, RD Blues ($6.10) drafted along in the pocket behind the pace-setting Won Night Stand until the stretch drive, then slipped through along the inside and eked out a neck tally on a “sloppy” track. Thursday’s tally was the first locally, the fourth this season and 12th all-time for the 5-year-old daughter of Park Place-Rainy Day Blues. Maria Rice (Jack’s wife) conditions the career winner of more than $110,000 for the Rice Racing Stable and the Brothers IV Stable.

Cal Expo
He hadn’t been able to get the better of his archrival Franks Best the last three times they faced each other, but on this night Putoneonnetformom was the better horse. Winners over trotters, racing for a purse of $4,500, were featured at Cal Expo on Thursday night and Putoneonnetformom (James Kennedy) continued his first-second cycle for the fourth straight time — this being the win cycle. Taking a parked out lead at the head of the stretch, then drawing clear seconds later when his earplugs were popped and when urged, the 7-year-old was under an all-out drive at the seven-eighths with Franks Best only 1-1/2 lengths back. Refusing to let Franks Best reach, the gelding won ($3.80) by a long neck. Bred and owned by Jeff, Gerald and Diana Cimini, the Rocky Stidham trainee stopped the timer at 1:58.2, equaling a seasonal mark. Franks Best had his three-race win streak come to and end while finishing in second and D Man finished 4-1/2 lengths farther back in third.