Racing Roundup: Pancleefandarpels, Beach Nut Brand win at Yonkers; Hopeful Series continues
March 6, 2009,from Harness Publicists across North America
Friday’s (March 6) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Yonkers Raceway, Cal-Expo, Buffalo Raceway and Saratoga Harness.
Yonkers, NY — Pancleefandarpels (Filly and Mare Pace) and Beach Nut Brand (Trot) pilfered the plaudits Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s pair of $31,000 Open Handicaps.
Pancleefandarpels won by 1-3/4 lengths in a season’s-best 1:54.2, with Symphony in Motion, Twin B Tiara (Greg Grismore), J K Pure Pearl (Jason Bartlett) and Leanback Coco completing the cashers.
Driver Cat Manzi had an intriguing decision to make before the weekly featured trot, which included his usual escort (American Lane) and the returning Green Day, whom he chauffeured to victory in the 2007 Yonkers Trot.
However, Beach Nut Brand strolled by American Lane in the stretch, winning by two lengths in 1:56.4. Green Day was a best-of-the-rest third, with Stunt Man Hall and Rushmore Hanover (Holland) grabbing the small change.
Friday’s card also included four, $10,000 divisions in the third and final preliminary round of the Hopeful Pacing Series for 3-year-old fillies.
The winners were…
— Gordyyy’s Pet (by Four Starzzz Shark); (lessee) The Cheyenne Gang/trainer Robbie Siegelman/driver Manzi; (first life win) 2:00/$2.80
— McGibson (by McArdle); co-owners Bay’s Stb,Camelot Stb,Jacobowitz/trainer Linda Toscano/driver Bartlett; 1:58.3/$4.90;
— Dream’s Bar (by Dream Away); owner-trainer Leah Vandervort/driver Bill Vandervort Jr.; (life-best) 1:58.4/$4.50;
— Riches to Rags (by Richess Hanover); co-owner Jim Meade & George Bonomo/trainer Mark Ford/driver Ryan Anderson; 1:57.3/$12.20.
Next weekend’s finals of the Hopeful Series are worth $47,700 (Friday-fillies) and $49,400 (Saturday-colts and geldings).
— Frank Drucker
Flirtiscape trips out again at Cal-Expo
Sacramento, CA — Filly & Mare Open 1 pacers, racing for a purse of $6,500, were co-featured at Cal-Expo on Friday night (March 6), on which Flirtiscape repeated.
Leaving from post-four in the field of seven and getting the lead after an eighth of a mile, Flirtiscape and driver Steve Wiseman would yield the lead to Reno Rose (Jim Lackey) past the quarter-mile pole, timed in :28, but Wiseman didn’t think his charge had any less stamina than a quarter of a mile earlier.
“I didn’t use her that hard, especially considering how she’d end up finishing,” noted Wiseman.
Now sitting in the pocket at the half-mile pole, timed in :58, Wiseman would be quite pleased when Reno Rose received a bold challenge from the longest shot (29-1) on the board who was coming a 100 miles per hour.
“I was liking it when Tawny Reserve (Gilbert Herrera) came strong because I knew that Lackey would push the pace on with Reno Rose and that would benefit us.”
Enjoying a strong dispute for the lead on the final-turn that had to soften up Reno Rose, Flirtiscape found herself locked in the box at the three-quarter mile station, timed in 1:26.
“I was liking the third-quarter that they went – – I was just hoping to find a seam because my horse felt strong and very good.”
Muscling her way out with less than 3-16ths of a mile to go, Wiseman would go to work on his mare and get the response he expected.
“Once I got her out and in gear – – she felt strong and would be good all the way to the wire.”
Taking over the lead with just over sixteenth of a mile to go, Flirtiscape would draw clear late to win ($8.20) by two-lengths. Owned by John Darrah and Nick Ruscigno in partnership with trainer Lou Pena, Flirtiscape stopped the timer at 1:54.1, a lifetime best. I Give Youmy Word (Lemoyne Svendsen) finished in second, and Reno Rose finished a hard trying third, another one-length back.
“It worked out for her again in a trip that benefited her, but she was still very good,” finished Wiseman, who had four winners on the card.
Co-featured on the card were Open 1 Handicap trotters, who also raced for a $6,500 purse, on which Girlie Tough was too tough.
Leaving and racing three-wide for just over 3-16ths of a mile from post-five in the field of the same number for driver Luke Plano, the 4-year-old mare wouldn’t clear to the front until after a tough first 5-16ths of a mile.
Upon clearing the lead, however, Plano would immediately hit the brakes, thus getting his charge to the half-mile pole, timed in :59.2, and to the three-quarter mile marker, timed in 1:30.1.
With the slow and much easier middle-half now in her, Girlie Tough would refuse to let the pocket sitting Hitchiker (Etienne Desomer) catch her while holding firm throughout the stretch-drive to win ($3.40) by a half of one-length. Owned by J Paul Reddam and trained by Rick Plano, Girlie Tough would scoot home in :27.2 while on her way to a 1:57.3 triumph. Hitchiker finished in second, and Cherry Tree Luke (Jim Lackey) finished another 3-1/4 lengths farther back, in third.
— by Scott Ehrlich
A Work In Progress does all the work in Open Trot at Buffalo
Paul White photo
A Work In Progress won in front running fashion to register his first win in six attempts this year at Buffalo Raceway Friday night.
Hamburg, NY
— In the $9,000 Open Trot, A Work In Progress, a 5-year old chestnut gelding by SJ’s Caviar out of the Lindy Lane mare Angela Lane, won in front running fashion to register his first win in six attempts this year, in 1:59.4, for owner Betty Tauber of East Brunswick, N.J., here at Buffalo Raceway, Friday night. (March 6)Masterfully driven by reinsman Ken Holliday, A Work In Progress ($4.60), leaving from post five in the field of seven, made every pole a winning one, setting all the fractions in the race, :30.2, 1:00.1, and 1:30.4. Three lengths up at the top of the stretch, A Work In Progress used a :29 last quarter-mile to beat second place finisher Clearly Possessed (Jack Rice) by 41/2 lengths. Last week’s Open winner Jack Sparrow (Jim McNeight) came in third.
“I really like this guy a lot,” said Holliday. “If he (A Work In Progress) stays healthy, he could be something special.”
Trained by Ken’s wife Sherri, who is the leading trainer here at Buffalo, the $4,500 share of the winning purse boosted A Work In Progress’ season bankroll to $10,145 and $64,604 lifetime.
— by Sam Pendolino
Pablo Angus wins featured trot at Saratoga
Saratoga Springs, NY — Pablo Angus picked up right where he left off last year in the season’s first open trot Friday night at Saratoga Harness.
A dominant force throughout 2008, Pablo scored a front running victory in the $15,000 trotting feature as he overcame his assigned outside post of eight to wire the featured field.
Trying to follow up a season in which he recorded ten wins and ten seconds in just 26 starts, the Bert Belanger trainee made his ’09 Spa debut a winning one stopping the timer in 1:58.2. Driver Dan Cappello Jr rated matching halves of 59.1 for the talented 7-year-old. Armbro Barrister finished second and Rel Free Delivary came up third.
Chris Long steered three horses to victory on the card while Frank Coppola Jr teamed up with trainer Paul Zabielski for a double for the second night in a row.
— by Dave Oxford