Western Shore parlays pocket position into Chester Open victory

Chester, PA — Forcing a vicious first quarter and subsequently stalking a fervent battle up the backstretch, John Cancelliere’s Western Shore ($7.20) took complete advantage of a pocket trip to score a 1:49.4 victory in Sunday afternoon’s $32,000 Open Pace at Harrah’s Chester Casino and Racetrack.

World Wide Racing Photos

Western Shore and Brian Sears were 1:49.4 winners in the Chester Open.

Despite racing against him many times in the past, a late driver change to Brian Sears only marked his first occasion behind the 7-year-old son of Western Hanover.

“Today was my first time driving him; and although he can be a little bit of a bad actor, he’s got a lot of talent,” commented Sears.

Western Shore and Booze Cruzin (David Miller) left together from the center of the track, and Western Shore pestered Booze Cruzin well into the first turn before ducking into the pocket after a punishing :25.4 first quarter. While Booze Cruzin was able to back the half down to :55.2, it ended up being counterproductive as Mystery Chase (George Napolitano) set sail first-over moving onto the backstretch. With these two relentlessly exchanging blows up the backstretch and even-money favorite Blatantly Good (Richard Silverman) waiting in the wings from second-over, Sears had some concern about his chances.

“With Mystery Chase coming after Booze Cruzin on the backstretch, I was a little worried I wouldn’t be able to get out at the top of the stretch.”

Past three-quarters in an astounding 1:21.4, Western Shore was in tight quarters on the far turn. Aided by a tiring Mystery Chase, Sears was able to move his charge to the open stretch and quickly take over from a collapsing pace, sprinting home in :27.2 to pull away by 3-1/4 lengths. Blatantly Good kicked tiring cover to take second, while Booze Cruzin faded to third.

— Harrah’s Chester publicity department

Impressive Char is a repeat winner in Saratoga Open

Saratoga Springs, NY — While the Battle of Saratoga Pacing Series for fillies and mares wrapped up on Sunday, it was the Open Pace for the ladies that took center stage at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway on the hot spring afternoon.

Dave Oxford photo

Impressive Char scored in 1:54.4 in the Fillies and Mares Open.

Fiesta Camcun completed her sweep of the three legs of the pacing series which will conclude with the $19,400 final next Sunday afternoon and Buy Art broke her maiden by dazzling with a 1:54.3 win in the other division of the series.

The $16,500 Fillies and Mares Open was the feature race for the day and it did not disappoint. A compact field arrived at the head of the stretch but what emerged was a hard charging Impressive Char who went last to first to take her second consecutive Sunday feature.

Chris Long sat patiently with the Kevin Johnson trainee before circling the field and drawing away late for their fifth win of the year. The victory, which came in 1:54.4, put the 5-year-old over the $200,000 mark in career earnings and further established her as the dominant force among the lady pacers at the Spa. Southview Spirit (Jack Baggitt, Jr.) closed for second while Chocolate Art (Frank Coppola, Jr.) earned the show spot.

Live racing resumes on Friday night at Saratoga with a first post time set at 7:05 p.m.

— Mike Sardella

Campbell wins four at Scarborough Downs

Scarborough, ME — Driver Heath Campbell held the hot hand on Sunday at Scarborough Downs, registering a four-win performance during the unseasonably warm Southern Maine afternoon.

Campbell served notice early and often that he was a force to be reckoned with, scoring wins in each of the first three races on the matinee card. The rundown: Melissa Ro for trainer Mark Harris; Rivers Edge Jim, the first win of the season for the 5-year-old trotter; and Sandtana Score N, the 49th career victory for the 12-year-old son of Sands A Flyin.

Derek Davis photo

Franco Catapult N flaunts his back class on Sunday, recording the 52nd win of his illustrious career.

Campbell saved the best for last — impressively claiming victory in the finale with the classy old campaigner Franco Catapult N. Campbell appeared merely a passenger as the rambunctious veteran towed the driver around the seaside oval en route to crushing the bottom claiming class in an eye-popping 1:57.3. It was the 52nd career victory for the son of Falcon Seelster, whose lifetime earnings now stand in excess of $600,000.

Heath Campbell’s performance was doubly prominent due to the fact that his brother Drew, Maine’s reigning Driver of the Year, has been absent from the trenches in the early going of the 2010 meeting, causing some in the crowd to ponder the question, “Drew who?”

“I’m happy for my brother’s success,” Drew Campbell remarked with a twinkle in his eye, “but I’ll show you Drew who when I’m back in action July 1!”

Sibling rivalries are wonderful things, and the competition between brothers Heath and Drew Campbell will be a welcome spectacle this summer at Scarborough Downs.

In other news, Ron Cushing took over as leading driver at Scarborough Downs, supplanting Shawn Gray who was idle this weekend. Cushing now totals 21 wins to Gray’s 20. The battle continues next week.

Gracie Gracie claimed victory in Sunday’s $6,000 second division of the Free-For-All, registering the fastest mile paced by a mare this season (1:56.4). it was her second consecutive win in that class.

— Susan Higgins