from Harness Publicists across North America

Wednesday’s (November 4) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Pompano Park, Batavia Downs and Monticello Raceway.

The wait was worth it for Fern Paquet Jr.

Pompano Beach, FL — It looked a downpour lasting almost 90 minutes and a malfunction with the backstretch lights would conspire to cause a cancellation at The Isle Pompano Park on Wednesday evening, but in the end the show went on thanks to the patience and persistence of track staff and horsepeople alike.

The program began a full two hours later than the usual post time of 7:05 p.m. but the wait was definitely worth it for driver Fern Paquet Jr. as he reined in four winners on the ten race card.

Paquet’s big night began in the opener as 3-year-old trotter Southern Knight stepped to a mark of 1:58 for owner-trainer Mike Deters. Ownership of the Tough Sir-Pure Perfection gelding is shared with Jim Armstrong. Class dropping claiming pacer S F Midas carried Paquet to victory in the sixth race of the card in 1:54.4 for owner Andrew Sassen and trainer Paul Holzman.

He was right back for a winner’s circle pose in the seventh race with trotter Mr Tasty for the Larocque Stable. This win also provided trainer Stephane Bardier with his first win of the meet for the Richard Moreau operation’s Florida stable.

The fourth winner to cap Paquet’s big night was in the ninth race as 3-5 favorite Keystone Empire held off Dubois Of France in 1:59. Keystone Empire, a 5-year-old Angus Hall-Elizabeth Hanover trotter, marked the first win at this meet in South Florida for owner-trainer Mario Dessureault.

Trainer Lisa Avenatti had an immediate impact with her first starter this Fall at Pompano. Her 3-year-old Tom Ridge-Miss Risktaker trotting filly Miss Maesen was wheeled to a handy two move win by Earl Avenatti Jr. in 2:03 while the track was still rated sloppy early on the program.

— Frank Salive

Party News is the best in Batavia Mares Open

Batavia, NY — Ultra Racing Stable’s talented distaffer Party News went from last to first to win the Wednesday night featured $8,500 Filly and Mares Open at Batavia Downs Casino.

Party News, a 5-year-old daughter of Party At Artsplace, recorded her ninth win of the 2009 campaign in 1:56.4, a new seasonal mark. Troy Boring was in the sulky for trainer Cliff Keene. The $4,250 share of the purse put Party News at just under $50,000 in earnings this season.

Natural Spring and Tom Agosti, the leader into the home stretch, finished second while last week’s Mares Open winner Pembroke Primo (Kevin Cummings) wound up third.

— Todd Haight

Stratton and DiBenedetto shine at Monticello

Monticello, NY — Jordan Stratton and Kyle DiBendetto didn’t leave much for their counterparts during the Wednesday racing program at Monticello Raceway. Of the 13 races offered that day Stratton won five and DiBenedetto copped four, leaving a scant few others for the rest of the boys.

Last season Stratton, at age 21, became the youngest to ever win a driving title at the Mighty M when his 362 wins were tops on the local leaderboard. Though this year the youngster has concentrated more on racing at Yonkers than at Monticello, he has still added 150 Monticello Raceway driving victories to his seasonal total of 422.

On Wednesday Stratton began his assault with a 2:01.2 trotting victory with Andrea Hill’s J W Dutch Treat in the second race and then came back in the next contest to rein Betty Clegg’s pacer Best Brand in 1:59.1. Stratton again got his picture taken in the seventh race when he guided Heather Arruda’s sidewheeler Casablanca Hall to a 1:57.4 triumph and followed with a 1:59.4 win in the weekly trotting feature with Bill Varney’s Pembroke Prayer. Stratton capped his day with a 2:02 trotting victory behind Walter Blarcharski’s Man Of Science in a 2:02 clocking in the 10th race.

Kyle DiBenedetto, currently second on the leaderboard, added four more winners to his seasonal totals on the Wednesday card and now has 192 for the meeting. DiBenedetto, 42, who earlier this year passed the 5,000 win plateau, didn’t reach the winner’s circle until the fifth race when he guided Free Pickle Stables’ pacer Time Slips Away to a 1:59.1 triumph. He followed in the next contest with a 2:01.2 trotting victory behind Donald Roth’s Justi PV. Win number three on the card for DiBenedetto came in the 11th race when he drove Robert Lasagne’s pacer McNally to a 2:00.1 victory and he ended his afternoon with a 1:59 pacing triumph with Leah Schifano’s Sunfish Hanover in the 12th race.

— John Manzi