Racing Roundup: Spunky Vic pulls upset in $32,000 Dover trot
March 5, 2009,from Harness Publicists across North America
Wednesday’s (March 4) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs, Buffalo Raceway, Balmoral Park, and Monticello Raceway. Spunky Vic pulls upset in $32,000 Dover trot Dover, DE — Spunky Vic, a 7-1 shot, pulled a surprise in the $32,000 Open Trot on Wednesday at Dover Downs. Ross Wolfenden and Corey Callahan won four races each. While LT’s Best and Vince Copeland and JM Vangogh with Tony Morgan continued a head-to-head battle that began on the backstretch, Ross Wolfenden sped down the passing lane with Spunky Vic to overtake the battling pair, plus other contenders, to notch a 1:55.1 lifetime best in the top trot of the week. Arty Foster owns and trains the Valley Victor-B Cor Spunky gelding, now a two-time winner this year with a second and three thirds in eight 2009 efforts. JM Vangogh held on for second in his first start of the season while Joey The Jet JT closed with a rush for Tom Jackson to finish third in front of early leader LT’s Best. The $17,500 sub-featured trot went even faster. Tony Morgan, who won two races, made good use of starting from post one with Jobo Da’shabra. The Carry The Message-Rose Run Caitlin gelding, owned and trained by Charles Cochran, led and was never threatened in a 1:55 triumph, the first win of the year and a career record for the 8-year-old. Mignon (Wofenden) was second the entire route. DC’s Piggy Bank (Art Stafford, Jr.) edged Go Nano Go (Eddie Davis, Jr.) for third. — Marv Bachrad Scooterslastchamp wins Bret Hanover Final at Buffalo Hamburg, NY — Scooterslastchamp, a 6-year-old Direct Scooter gelding out of the Beach Towel mare Gene’s Last Ride, won the $20,000 Bret Hanover Final, for horses who have raced for a $10,000 claiming tag, in 1:56.4 for owner Barbara Russo at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday night.
Paul White photo Scooterslastchamp was a 1:56.4 winner in the Bret Hanover Final. Driven by reinsman Dan Yetman, Scooterslastchamp ($37.80) left sharply from post two, and settled behind the early pacesetter and favorite in the race, Talon Seelster (Chris Page), who hit the quarter pole in :29 and the half in :58.4.
Third place finisher Hello Yankie (Jim McNeight) made a run at Talon Seelster down the backstretch to stick a head in front at the three-quarter pole in 1:27.3. Talon Seelster repelled that challenge, but was no match for Scooterslastchamp, who used a :29 last quarter and the passing lane to win by a half-length.
“I really got a perfect trip,” said Yetman. “The race set up perfectly for him (Scooterslastchamp) and he was raging with pace through the lane.”
Trained by Neal Russo, the 1:56.4 clocking was the fastest mile paced at the Raceway this meet, and was the second win in six attempts for Scooterslastchamp this year. The $10,000 share of the winning purse put his 2009 bankroll at $16,209 and $60,009 lifetime.
On hand to make the blanket presentation were John D. Sabini, chairman of the New York State Race and Wagering Board, John B. Simoni, also from the State Wagering Board, and Bill Richardson, President of the Buffalo Trotting Association.
Racing will resume on Friday, March 6, with first post scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
— Sam Pendolino
Dingy’s Model springs the upset in Fox Valley Redhot Final
Crete, IL — After two legs of preliminary action a group of seven filly and mare pacers gathered in Wednesday’s ninth race at Balmoral Park to contest the $9,000 final of the Fox Valley Redhot Series.
Balmoral Park photo
Dingy’s Model and driver Jason Dillander pulled off the upset at odds of 13-1 in the Fox Valley Redhot Series.
With preliminary winners Smiling Angel, Haylie Sue and Not So Slim taking most of the betting action, James and Teri Blackman’s Dingy’s Model may have been overlooked at the betting windows but she left no doubt as to who was the best on this night as she rolled to a three-quarter length triumph in a career best of 1:53.1.
Given a confident steer by driver Jason Dillander the daughter of Armbro Mackintosh left alertly before giving way to Miracle To Me (Dean Magee) as the field passed the opening station in :28.3. Quickly maneuvering his charge to the outside Dillander pulled from third and swept back to the top as the field reached the half-mile mark in a brisk :56.
Pacing comfortably on the lead as the field moved around the final bend Dingy’s Model was more than ready for the first over bid of Smiling Angel (Sam Widger) as the field moved by the three-quarter-mile mark in 1:25. Through the lane Dingy’s Model and Smiling Angel continued to battle as favored Haylie Sue (Tyler Buter) zeroed in on the top pair.
Despite continued pressure from those two Dingy’s Model managed to draw clear in the closing strides to post her first win of the season. Smiling Angel was forced to settle for the bridesmaid role on this night while Haylie Sue was third, just a length behind the winner.
The Shawn Nessa trained 4-year-old returned a hefty $28.60, $9.20 and $3.60 while running her career bankroll up to $66,494.
— Tom Kelley
Getthemoney wins again at Monticello
Monticello, NY — This winter at Monticello Raceway the winners over classes have been dominated by two horses. On the pacing side where the weekly feature is presented on Tuesdays, Southbound Trucker recently notched his fifth win in six starts, and on Wednesday, Getthemoney won the winners over trot and now has three wins and two seconds against the best trotters on the grounds.
After starting from the four hole, driver Jimmy Marohn sent Getthemoney to the lead and made every pole a winning one en route to a 2:00.2 victory and turned the tables on Witch And Famous (Brent Holland) who defeated Getthemoney by a neck in last week’s featured trot.
Marohn rated even fractions although he did give Getthemoney a :31.2 second quarter breather. Despite the fact that Witch And Famous enjoyed a two-hole trip all the way, Holland’s trotter couldn’t make up any ground when he had room in the homestretch. Lively Moment finished third for Kyle DiBenedetto. Owned by the Seahorse Farms Inc. and trained by Betsy Phillips, Getthemoney paid $8.40 for win.
Kyle DiBenedetto, Jordan Stratton and Billy Dobson each won three races on the Wednesday race card. The three wins by Dobson moved him just one victory behind Bruce Aldrich, Jr. (54-53) for top honors on the local leaderboard; quite an accomplishment for the 24-year-old youngster who ventured east from the midwest with just his colors and gloves, and, of course, a great talent for driving harness horses.
— John Manzi