by harness publicists across North America

Saturday’s (Oct. 16) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Yonkers Raceway, Colonial Downs, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Vernon Downs Cal Expo and Saratoga Gaming and Raceway.

Giddy Up Lucky scores sixth straight win

Yonkers, NY–If it’s better to be lucky than good, it’s even better to be Giddy Up Lucky–who’s real good.

Tom Berg Photo

Giddy Up Lucky won his sixth straight race with a 1:53.1 win at Yonkers Raceway.

Yonkers Raceway’s Saturday night (Oct. 16) star made it a half-dozen wins in succession, easily winning the $42,500 Open Handicap Pace.

With usual escort Eric Goodell doing the honors, Giddy Up Lucky overcame his fourth consecutive 8-hole impost. The even-money favorite left for a five-hole as Art’s Ragin’ Jet (Jim Pantaleano) snd Aliveandwell N (Ryan Anderson) played leapfrog on the lead through early intervals of :27.2 and :57.

Balanchine (Jason Bartlett) danced out of third, providing an ample tow for Giddy Up Lucky. Aliveandwell N shrugged off Balanchine at the 1:24.4 three-quarters, taking a 1-1/4-length lead into the lane.

No matter. Giddy Up Lucky swung wide and powered by, winning by a length-and-a-half in 1:53.1. Art’s Ragin’ Jet snatched second at 37-1, with Aliveandwell N, Clear Vision (Jeff Gregory) and Lahaye (Tyler Buter) completing the cashers.

For Giddy Up Lucky, a 5-year-old Camluck gelding trained by Josh Green for co-owners David Rovine and Baron Racing, he returned $4 for his ninth win in 27 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $102.50, with the triple returning $500.

–Frank Drucker

Colonial Downs
On an evening when Colonial Downs carded six three-quarter mile races as part of its “Speed Weekend”, Game Day scored the fastest time of the six, crossing the wire in 1:22.4. Driver Corey Braden drove Game Day, a 4-year-old Badlands Hanover gelding, for trainer Manley Brown Jr.
Prior to Saturday, Colonial had carded fifteen of the abbreviated races, and the average $2 win payout had been over $20.00. In Saturday’s six, horses paced or trotted more true to form with four favorites reaching the winners circle. In addition to Game Day ($6.00) and Emily Do ($3.20), SJ’s Warrior ($4.00) and Tune Me Out ($3.00) also got wins. In the other pair, Mr. Bojangles N paid $15.00 and James Lyon hall upset the field and returned $42.20.

Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs
Amillionpennies used his powerful closing kick to circle the field and win the featured Open pace on Saturday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The race carried the night’s top purse of $24,000. Amillionpennies left from the outside post in a field of five at odds of 3-1, and sat in the back of the pack as Lucky Bettor set a hot early pace. On the backstretch, trainer-driver Matt Romano sent the 5-year-old gelding to follow the cover of Don’ttellporkies. In the stretch, Amillionpennies powered right by the leaders to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:50:4. Mr Rightnow finished second while Lucky Bettor faded to third. The win was the fourth in his last six races for Amillionpennies, sired by Million Dollar Cam, and it was his 19th career victory. With the winner’s share of the purse, his lifetime earnings now total more than $242,000.

Vernon Downs
Sheer Brilliance continued his dominance of the top Miracle Mile pacing class with a 1:52.2 triumph in Saturday night’s $13,200 featured 10th race at Vernon Downs. With Claude Huckabone III driving, Sheer Brilliance ($3.70) flashed to the front from the outside 8 position and led through splits of :27.4, :56.3 and 1:24.3 en route to a two-length victory for trainer Jeffrey Long and his ownership partner J. Paul Long. It was the third straight local tally and the seventh season’s score for the 5-year-old son of Blissful Hall-High Roller Ash, who increased his career win total to 22 and his all-time bankroll to $238,917.

Cal Expo
Claiming distaffers, racing for a $10,500 purse in the Doodlin Final, were featured at Cal-Expo on Saturday night (October 16), on which Majestic Lass was a perfect trip victress. Putting a head up at the seven-eighths mile marker and starting to get the better of I Do Blind, Majestic Lass edged away late to win ($7.80) by 1-1/2-lengths. Co-owned with Rick Plano by Larry Futter, the 4-year-old stopped the timer at 1:56.2, equaling a lifetime mark. I Go Blind had to settle for second which ended her four-race win streak, and Gentle Dragon (Scott Cisco) was placed third after Sandra Hotspur (Luke Plano) was disqualified from third to fifth for deep-stretch interference to Tootin Lady (Steve Wiseman) after originally finishing 3-1/2-lengths behind I Go Blind.

Saratoga Gaming and Raceway
Kelly’s Noah bolstered his credentials to become Saratoga’s Horse of the Year on Saturday night as the open pacer shined with another dominant feature performance. The win was the eighth of the campaign for the 4-year-old who is owned and trained by James Harvey of Waterbury, Vt. Kelly’s Noah was named the 3-year-old of the year at the Spa last season and is well on his way to becoming Pacer of the Year and perhaps Horse of the Year in 2010 as cruised to a six-length win in Saturday night’s $16,500 open for pacers. Frank Coppola Jr. has become the regular driver for Kelly’s Noah who won for the twentieth time in 48 lifetime starts. The Dream Away horse came first-over and sprinted away in the second half on Saturday before stopping the timer in 1:53.1. Magnum (Brad Kramer) closed up the inside for second in the open while Mighty Cullen N (Mike Signore) finished third.