from harness publicists across North America

Friday’s (July 29) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Tioga Downs, Saratoga Casino and Raceway, Vernon Downs and Batavia Downs.

Penny Pincher takes Tioga Friday night feature

Nichols, NY — Penny Pincher was a force to be reckoned in the fillies and mares open pace early on in the 2011 season before a few breaks led to a one month hiatus from racing.

Fred Brown photo

Penny Pincher defeated Billie Bluechip and Hello Great Mate to win the featured event for mare pacers on Friday night at Tioga Downs.

In her third start back Penny Pincher posted her second consecutive win at Tioga Downs on Friday night in the $18,000 featured event for mare pacers.

Driver Corey Braden blasted Penny Pincher off the gate from post position 8 and cut through fractions of 27, 55.4 and 1:24.3. As the field rounded the final turn Penny Pincher was receiving heavy pressure from the first-over Hello Great Mate (Lewayne Miller) and pocket-sitting Billie Bluechip (Mike Micallef).

Down the lane Braden clung to the lead as Micallef looked for daylight up the pylons. At the wire Penny Pincher held off Billie Bluechip by hugging the pylons in 1:53.3. Hello Great Mate held strong despite the first-over trip to nail down the show spot.

— Dustin Ross

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
The second annual August Fun Trotting Series got underway on Friday night at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. There were three divisions of the first leg of the series which showcases the top trotters at the track along with a host of Saratoga invaders. Grain Of Truth (Self Possessed) made his return to the Spa Friday night and quickly put his stamp on the series, coming on in the final strides to upset the race favorite and stop the timer in an eye-popping 1:54.2, just two fifths of a second off the track record. The Ray Schnittker trainee has earned better than $1.1 million in his sensational career and still appears on top of his game. Brain Allen was at the controls for the victory in the $22,500 trotting event. Local trotting star Prime Interest (Billy Dobson) coasted in the stretch to a 1:56.2 score in the second division of the series. The Jackie Rousse trainee prevailed for the second consecutive Friday night and did so on the front-end. The other leg one winner was invader Coach Fox (Larry Stalbaum) who held strong on the lead to hold off the race favorite T Js Mr Lavec (Greg Merton) and secure the 1:56.4 victory. There are two more legs of the series before the August 20 final, which will be contested for a purse estimated at $75,000.

Vernon Downs
Mr Avalanche stretched his winning streak to three and helped driver Chris Lems achieve a five-win outing with a 1:58.2 showing in Friday night’s $10,000 featured ninth race at Vernon Downs. Facing seven select rivals in the week’s Open-1 trot, Mr Avalanche ($19.60) was directed to the front from the number four post by Lems and the gritty gelding remained there throughout, defeating Mystic Splendor by more than two lengths over a track rated sloppy. Friday’s first-place finish was the third locally, the sixth this season and the 11th all-time for the steady-striding 5-year-old son of Striking Sahbra-Epoque Effe, who is trained by Paul Durante, Jr. and owned by Jeremy Godfrey. The career winner of $43,787 was competing in Vernon’s top trotting test for the first time.

Batavia Downs
Mach Ten, getting major post relief, made every pole a winning one when he trotted to victory in the $10,000 Preferred at Batavia Downs Casino. Leaving from the rail with Kevin Cummings in the sulky, the 5-year-old altered son of International Chip set fractions of :28.1, :58.1 and 1:28.1 en route to a 2-1/2 length score in 1:58 for owner Dianne Mahiques and trainer Michelle Gramza. Manfromnantucket (Ron Beback, Jr.), at odds of 55-1, got away second and finished second while Fessup Fred (Chris Page), far back early, closed up to be third. Mach Ten notched his sixth win of the 2011 campaign and raised his seasonal bankroll to more than $44,000. He returned $2.80 to win.