from harness publicists across North America

Monday’s (May 2) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Harrington Raceway, The Meadows and Monticello Raceway.

Dina’s Gamble repeats, Morand wins four at Harrington

Harrington, DE — Legacy Racing of Delaware and Louie Paglierani’s Dina’s Gamble ($6, Jim Morand) earned his second straight win in the $17,200 Delaware Special Monday at Harrington Raceway.

Fotowon photo

Dina’s Gamble held off Harlingen Hanover to win the Delaware Special Monday at Harrington.

The Wayne Givens-trainee assumed command approaching the quarter mile in 28.3, and set fractions of 57.3 and 1:25.4 before holding off a game first-over Harlingen Hanover in 1:53.4. Cadence N was third. A 6-year-old Tune Town gelding, Dina’s Gamble has now won six of 15 races in 2011.

Morand and Ross Wolfenden each had four winners on the card.

Harrington Raceway will begin to guarantee a $5,000 minimum pick four pool on Tuesdays in May beginning May 3 as part of the USTA’s strategic wagering program. The pick four begins nightly with race three.

— Matt Sparacino

The Meadows
Seemingly blocked and racing for a minor award, Bettor Design shot through a narrow opening in deep stretch to capture Monday’s $22,500 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows. Bettor Design sat third for most of the race but found himself shuffled to a trailing position as the field turned for home — one horse in front of him, one to his inside, another to his outside. But the 6-year-old Bettor’s Delight-Windwatch gelding persevered and responded with a burst of energy when Mike Wilder guided him through a slender seam. Better Design prevailed in 1:52.3, a nose better than the first-over Object Of Art, with Red Star Catch third. Virgil Morgan, Jr. trains Bettor Design, who now boasts $211, 882 in career earnings, for Frank Bellino.

Monticello Raceway
The way Billy “Zeke” Parker, Jr. is driving one could easily think it was the mid 1990s. Zeke, at 57 years of age, is just as potent on the race track now as he ever was. On May 2, Parker reined five more winners on the card and now his 10,355 career driving victories which is still ninth best all-time in the sport. Zeke began the afternoon with a 1:59.1 victory with his own pacer, I’m All Sporty ($4.50), in the first race and then came right back to cop the third with Theologis Moutafis’s pacer, Heather K ($29.00), in a 1:59.2 effort. Win number three came behind Evan Katz’s Shania Twain ($4.00) in a time of 1:57.1 which was the 10-year-old Keystone Raider mare’s third consecutive triumph. Parker then won the ninth race with King of the Castle Stable’s trotter Giant T ($6.50) in 2:02 and then reined Diana Bartell’s Mare Supply ($9.60) to a 2:01.2 triumph in the 11th race. After total dominance earlier this year by his friend Bruce Aldrich, Jr., Parker not only has closed the gap but has vaulted into the lead in races won here this season. Though Aldrich won three races Monday, Zeke is pulling away and now has 121 wins to Aldrich’s 108.