from Harness Publicists across North America

Saturday’s (September 19) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from The Isle Pompano Park, Vernon Downs, Colonial Downs, Saratoga Gaming and Raceway and Batavia Downs.

Pompano Beach, FL — With partly cloudy skies over a fast track and with a temperature of 86 degrees, the 2009-2010 season commenced with an action packed program on Saturday night (September 19) at The Isle Pompano Park.

In the Florida Sunshine State Stakes, Isle Of View Too made it four straight wins to start her career. The Macadream-Mystic Millenium 2-year-old miss dominated her 3rd leg division of the state-bred series to score in 1:58.3 with Bruce Ranger up for owners Ellen Ann Huxley-Laffer and co-owner trainer Tom Audley. On the colt side, Red Hot Howard was razor sharp in 1:55.3 for the third straight win to start his career. The Mannart Howard-Red Hot Summer gelding is trained by Michile Lorenzo for Georgia owner Scott Hargreaves. Bruce Ranger was in the drivers’ seat.

— Frank Salive

Golden Receiver equals track record at Vernon

Vernon, NY — Golden Receiver equaled the 1:51.1 track standard for 4-year-old pacing geldings, while Folk Tail turned in the swiftest mile of the meet by a 2-year-old trotting gelding during Saturday night’s (Sept. 19) 12-race program at Vernon Downs.

Vernon Downs photo

Golden Receiver equaled the 1:51.1 track standard for 4-year-old pacing geldings.

Andrew McCarthy drove for trainer Mark Harder in Saturday’s $10,000 fifth race and guided Golden Receiver to a fast-closing two-length triumph in the week’s Open handicap. The quick-footed son of Village Jove-Royal Gold idled in fourth to the half, timed in :55 seconds, and then began a charge that enabled him to earn his seventh season’s score for the Stable 45, Richard Taylor, Stephen Springer and Nina Simmonds ownership contingent, and tie the Vernon record for 4-year-old altered side-wheelers that was set by On The Way Again in 2002. The career-winner of $102,600 obtained his 1:48.4 win-mark at The Meadowlands in New Jersey earlier this year.

Folk Tail’s 1:59 “maiden” victory came in the third division of Saturday’s $60,000 Kindergarten Classic Series for 2-year-olds. Jimmy Whittemore, the track’s leading driver with 97 tallies through 70 programs, did the steering for trainer Bob Bencal and directed the brown son of Conway Hall-Fairy Tail to a front-striding, one length tally in his fifth lifetime start. Little E LLC owns the career winner of $13,282.

Saturday evening’s other $10,000 divisional KCS winners included the colt pacer Fulfilled (Josh Marks driving for trainer/co-owner Mark Ford and his partner Roger Hammer) in 1:53.3; the colt trotter Coco Lindy (Howard Parker driving for trainer Frank Antonacci and the Lindy Farms of Conn.) in 1:58.4; the filly pacer Dancinwiththestarz (John Stark, Jr. steering for owners Shannon Brott and the W Springtime Racing Stable) in 1:55.2; the homebred filly trotter Offbroadway De Vie (Parker teaming for trainer Oyvind Hegdal, owner Peter Barbato and the Joie De Vie Farm) in 1:59, and the filly pacer Electricity (McCarthy sitting in for trainer Linda Toscano and the Enviro Stables, Ltd.) in 1:56.

Defending driving champ Josh Marks, who captured the night’s $8,000 Open-2 pace with Captain Grin in 1:52.1, earned three victories during the program, while drivers Whittemore, Parker, McCarthy and last season’s top trainer Tracy Brainard each produced a pair of first-place finishes.

— Jim Moran

Driver Chris Page Scores a “Four-Bagger” at Colonial Downs

New Kent, VA — Chris Page, Colonial Downs’ second leading driver in 2008, made his presence felt in the young ‘09 campaign by connecting with four horses in Saturday’s ten-race card, including wins in the evening’s final three races.

Page, who missed the meet’s first week, had three wins in 14 starts heading into the program. The 25-year-old scored his first of the night aboard Becky Zubkoff’s Bacon Hill Bandit, who shaved over a second off his previous life mark, crossing the wire in 1:52.

Page’s natural “hat trick” began with Blu Meadow Tara, an 8-year-old mare he also owns and trains, in the eighth race, continued with Charlie Dunavant’s Royal Photo in the ninth race trot and concluded with Todd Luther’s BT Lurch in the tenth. BT Lurch equaled his previous best time of 1:55, set in 2008 at The Red Mile.

— Katie Painter

Magnum wins Saratoga feature at 31-1

Saratoga, NY — It was an upset in the Saturday night Open Pace at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway as Magnum parlayed the pocket trip to victory.

Brian Cross was at the lines as the 7-year-old classy veteran rode the coattails of the leader, favorite Tuffofthetoughest (Jay Randall), and pounced in the stretch. The longest shot on the board at 31-1, Magnum bested a group of talented pacers which included Rare Jewel (Dan Cappello Jr), the co-track record holder at the Spa who was back in town to compete in the $17,000 feature.

While Tuffofthetoughest held strong for second, Rare Jewel came from last to finish third in the 1:54 mile. For Magnum, it was the second win at Saratoga of the season and the fifth overall for the Mark Ford trainee who recently eclipsed the $400,000 mark in lifetime earnings.

— Mike Sardella

Outlaws Ransome up in time in Batavia Feature

Batavia, NY — The pocket rocket, Outlaws Ransome, was up in time to win the featured $8,000 Open Handicap, Saturday night (Sept-19) at Batavia Downs Casino.

Recently claimed for $10,000 by Richey Edward Myers of Phoenix Arizona, Outlaws Ransome continues to pay back high dividends as he’s moved all the way up to the handicap ranks. Tom Agosti was in the sulky for trainer Alex Giuliani.

Getting away second behind the front running Robin of Locksley (Ron Beback Jr.), Outlaws Ransome simply bided his time in the 2-hole until the field of six turned for home. Down the lane Agosti guided Outlaws Ransome to the passing lane and they were able to reel in “Robin” by a head in 1:55.3. Arson Ant (Troy Boring) who finished fourth was placed third.

— Todd Haight