Racing Roundup: P H Tornado continues to roll at Tioga
July 5, 2009,from Harness Publicists across North America
Sunday’s (July 5) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Tioga Downs, Saratoga Raceway and Ocean Downs.
P H Tornado continues to roll at Tioga
Nichols, NY — P H Tornado scored his second straight victory at Tioga Downs, this time in the $14,000 Open Handicap Pace on Sunday afternoon.
Fred Brown Photography
P H Tornado nipped Cullens Reign N in the Tioga Open.
The 4-year-old Grinfromeartoear-Ocean Splash gelding won last week’s $39,400 late closing series final in a track record time of 1:51.3. This week driver Jimmy Marohn, Jr. and P H Tornado sat a two hole trip behind Cullens Reign N (Ron Cushing) through fractions of :27, :56.3, and 1:24 before tipping off the pylons through the stretch to win by a neck in 1:52.4. Cullens Reign N hung on for second, while Allnewsurvivorgold (Robert Williams, Jr.) paced up the cones late for third.
Arthur Green trains P H Tornado for Dr. James Shive. It was the fifth win in 20 seasonal starts for the pacer who increased his earnings to more than $58,000 on the year.
Disco Dragon also scored his second straight victory at Tioga Downs in a conditioned event for $8,500. Corey Braden steered the 6-year-old Dragon Again-Lives To Dance gelding to victory with an off the pace tactic in 1:53.4. Armbro Cougar (Phil Fluet) got up for second, while pacesetter Snoopmattydog (Sean Mcaleese) hung on for third. Paul Bernardo trains Disco Dragon for the Berry Stables.
Marohn posted a driving triple on the afternoon’s ten race card and increased his lead in the drivers’ standings, while Jordan Stratton also enjoyed three trips to the winner’s circle.
Tioga Downs continues live racing action on Friday, July 10, with a card that will feature the $300,000 Zweig Memorial for 3-year-old open trotters.
— Dustin Ross
Princess Michi scores at Saratoga
Saratoga Springs, NY — Princess Michi returned to her winning ways at Saratoga on Sunday afternoon as the 5-year-old mare wired the featured field.
Dave Oxford photo
Princess Michi was a 1:55.4 winner in Sunday’s feature at Saratoga.
Trainer Mike Micallef was in the sulky as he put his top mare on the lead at the start. After a soft half of :58, Princess Michi held on late to stop the timer in 1:55.4 and record her fifth Open win of the year at Saratoga. Released as the even money favorite, Princess Michi ($4.10) bested Second Chance (Mark Beckwith) and Lola Palooza (Frank Coppola, Jr.), who finished second and third, respectively.
Earlier on the card, Nuclear Man showed why he was last year’s top claiming pacer at Saratoga for his class as he gutted out an impressive 1:56.3 win, getting the best of the race favorite Oakbrook Raider. Nuclear Man was driven to his fourth win of the campaign by Brian Allen. Though not at the pace of last year’s award winning season, Nuclear Man is again enjoying success at the Spa in this his 8-year-old season.
— Mike Sardella
Goodbye Daddy wins a dandy at Ocean Downs
Berlin, MD — Independence Day weekend concluded with fantastic races at Ocean Downs and the featured race was a photo finish with three horses in the mix.
Favored to win was Goodbye Daddy, trained by Don Milby. Owner and driver Frank Milby has left his mark on the racing scene at the Ocean Oval, finishing fourth in last summer’s meet.
Goodbye Daddy started the contest very strong, taking the lead from the gate. Reaching the quarter pole in :29.2, the 7-year-old gelding then led the pack to a 1:32 three-quarter time.
Goodbye Daddy was met on the homestretch by both Sweet Patricia and Extreme Image, as both horses stormed the final distance to provide a finish that needed a photo to establish Goodbye Daddy ($4.20) as the winner.
“I don’t think he raced well and I can say that because I own him,” said Frank Milby. “But he doesn’t like other horses passing him and he showed that.”
In another exciting contest, local town hero Ray “Shorty” Robinson, Jr. made an extremely late push behind Fox Valley Yuppie ($4.60) to win the seventh race. The 6-year-old gelding is trained by Brooks Gray and owned by Ronald Davis. Robinson’s win puts him fourth in the driving title race here at Ocean Downs, but more importantly he is now only two wins shy of reaching 1,000 victories in his career.
— Ozi Menakaya