Racing Roundup: Balance Spur takes trotting feature at Scioto
August 26, 2010,from harness publicists across North America
Thursday’s (August 26) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Scioto Downs, Vernon Downs and Cal-Expo.
Balance Spur takes trotting feature at Scioto
Scioto Downs photo
Spur strides boldly through the stretch en route to victory for David Myers.
Columbus, OH — Balance Spur trotted to a convincing 1:59.2 score in the Thursday trotting feature at Scioto Downs with trainer-driver David Myers in the bike. Myers swept both ends of Scioto’s daily double as he won the opening race with the pacer Music Fan, coming up the inside to nip Natty Nu at the wire in 1:59.4.
Driver J.D. Wengerd had a driving triple on Thursday, including the fastest mile of the evening with the sophomore pacing filly Misty’s Little Bit. She scored in 1:55.2 for trainer Darin Mouser and owner Tami Ackley.
Balance Spur’s win was his first in four starts this year for the 6-year-old son of Pegasus Spur. He is owned by Elizabeth H. Brandt of Logan, Ohio, widow of the Ohio Hall of Famer Dick Brandt.
— Dean A. Hoffman
Vernon Downs
Veteran catch-driver Claude Huckabone, Jr. used “follow the leader” strategy with Bet The Ranch and it paid off with a 1:53.3 victory in Thursday night’s $10,000 featured sixth race at Vernon Downs. Sitting in for regular reinsman Howard Okusko, Jr., Huckabone placed Bet The Ranch in behind the pace-setting Pickmeamerigold early in the week’s top test for female pacers and drafted along until the stretch drive, where she rallied to post a 3/4 length verdict over My Girl Lora. It was the second score in succession for the 5-year-old mare, and her seventh this season at the Downs, one less than the meet’s top equine winner, the pacer Up Front Rudy, after 55 programs. It was the 28th all-time tally for the bay daughter of Bettor’s Delight-Silksandiamonds, who is shared in ownership by Edwin Gold and Conrad Zurich. Defending training champ Jessica Okusko conditions the career-winner of $233,797.
Cal-Expo
A class rise didn’t stop Lucky Peterson from a repeat victory. Conditioned claimers pacers were featured at Cal-Expo on Thursday night, on which Lucky Peterson was fastest of all. Closing willingly while only urged a few times late, the 3-year old won ($18.00) by 1-1/4-lengths. Bred and owned by trainer Mark Anderson, in partnership with the J J J Stables, the gelding stopped the timer at 1:58.3, a lifetime best. Culture Shift (John Obert), the longest shot on the board at 41-1, was second, and Power Of Elizabeth (Luke Plano) finished another neck farther back, in third. “He was strong in the last sixteenth of a mile in a race that worked out perfect — better than I thought. He raced as good as he could,” Anderson said. On Thursday night, driver Luke Plano recorded four wins on the nine-race card. Live racing will continue at Cal-Expo on Friday and Saturday at 6:45 p.m., Pacific.