from harness publicists across North America

Saturday’s (July 17) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Yonkers Raceway, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Saratoga Gaming and Raceway, Vernon Downs and Buffalo Raceway.

Psilvuheartbreaker wins Open Handicap Pace at Yonkers

Yonkers, NY — Psilvuheartbreaker (Cat Manzi) went the distance Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $42,500 Open Handicap Pace.

Tom Berg photo

Psilvuheartbreaker scored in 1:52.1.

Assigned penultimate post position No. 6 as the 3-4 favorite, Psilvuheartbreaker went past longshot pole-sitter Pandora’s Sox (Jim Pantaleano) before a snappy :26.4 opening quarter-mile. He found a :55.3 intermission and 1:24 three-quarters before Winbak Fox (catch-driver Stephane Bouchard) came to visit, moving from fifth.

Deuce Seelster (Jordan Stratton) gapped that one badly as Psilvuheartbreaker owned a half-length lead turning for home. He lugged in noticeably through the lane, but nonetheless negotiated the required road trip in 1:52.1. Winbak Fox was second, beaten a neck, with Ghee’s House (Brent Holland) third. Forensic Z Tam (Patrick Lachance) and Pandora’s Sox rounded out the payees.

Psilvuheartbreaker, a millionaire 7-year-old Nobleland Sam gelding owned by Frank Bellino and trained by Bruce Saunders, returned $3.50 for his sixth win in 26 seasonal starts. The exacta (two wagering choices) paid $14.60, the triple returned $75.

— Frank Drucker

Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs
Riggins, driven by Tom Jackson and trained by Paul Reid, captured the $24,000 Open Handicap Pace at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on Saturday evening. This marked the initial win of the 2010 season for Riggins, a 5-year-old Art Major stallion, who amassed $264,813 in earnings last season with eight wins in 30 starts. Leaving from the five post after three horses scratched out of the feature, Riggins took the lead from Golden Receiver (Joe Pavia, Jr.) shortly before the clubhouse turn. Riggins then stayed on the front end the rest of the way, getting to the half in :55.3 and three-quarters in 1:22.4 before stopping the timer in 1:50.2. Transcending (Matt Kakaley) closed hard for second with Golden Receiver third.

Saratoga Gaming and Raceway
Pembroke Blitz became the tenth different Open pacer to win in the last 11 features on Saturday night at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway. The 5-year-old pacer was acquired by trainer Dave Corlew for owner Nicholas Vooris earlier this year from Yonkers Raceway and has climbed the class ladder all the way into the Open in the past few months. After hitting the board in eight of nine features without a victory, Pembroke Blitz recorded his first ever Open win behind a first over journey on the race’s favorite. Rare Jewel (Dan Cappello, Jr.) was on the front end in the $16,500 event when Pembroke Blitz rushed up to challenge and they raced together to a third quarter of 1:24.2 before the Blitz sacked the classy veteran in the stretch to record the 1:53 win. Rare Jewel held strong for second while Kelly’s Noah (Billy Dobson) came on for third. The win was one of four on the night for Hall of Famer Wally Hennessey.

Vernon Downs
The winning continued for driver Dan Daley and Daley Deposit Only in Saturday night’s $10,000 featured ninth race at Vernon Downs. Daley, who delivered a pair of first-place finishes here last night (July 16), piloted Daley Deposit Only to a repeat victory in the week’s Miracle Mile-1 pacing feature. After spurting to the early lead, Daley Deposit Only allowed Stonebridge Wish to take command and lead the select field to a third split in 1:25. The quick-striding 5-year-old gelding powered out of the pocket in the final furlong and rallied to post a two length victory in 1:52.4. Saturday’s score was the fourth at the Downs and the 10th this season for the homebred bay son of Artiscape-Sassy Cessiann, who is shared in ownership by breeder Ann-Mari Daley (Dan’s wife), Jared Daley, Robert Pergament and Richard Lombardo. It was the 22nd career tally for the lifetime winner of $220,854, who earned his 1:50.4 record here on July 5.

Buffalo Raceway
In the $9,000 Open Handicap Pace on Saturday at Buffalo Raceway, Low And Right, a 4-year-old bay horse by Pro Bono Best, out of the Kassa Branca mare Hosel Rocket, received a perfect pocket trip then exploded in the passing lane to win in a lifetime best 1:55.3 for owners Ted Cupp and Robert Pawlak. Capably driven by Ray Fisher, Jr., Low And Right ($33.20), the longest shot on the board at 15-1, left hard from post one and hit the quarter-pole with the lead in :28.3. Fisher let eventual third place finisher Nifty Prescott (Ken Holliday) cut the rest of the fractions, :58 to the half and 1:27.2 to the three-quarters. A :28 last quarter-mile put the winner 1-1/2 lengths ahead of last week’s Open winner Michael Scores (Tom Agosti) at the finish line. Trained by Jim Graham, it was the second win of the year for Low And Right, and the $4,500 winner’s share put his season’s bankroll at $12,830 and $46,589 lifetime.