Racing Roundup: Goodell sweeps features at Dover
February 25, 2009,from Harness Publicists across North America
Tuesday’s (February 24) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs, Pompano Park, Monticello Raceway and The Meadows.
Goodell sweeps features at Dover
Dover, DE — Eric Goodell is making a habit of winning Dover Downs’ feature races. After sweeping both lucrative co-features on Monday, Goodell captured both features again on Tuesday, driving two 6-1 shots Chloes Silver Star to a come-from-behind victory in the $33,000 Mares Open Handicap and Wannahuckaloogi in the $26,000 Mares Jr. Open Pace. Goodell completed the program with five wins.
Fotowon photo
Chloes Silver Star nosed out Dill And Grace A in the Mares Open Handicap Pace.
In front of the grandstand, Goodell pulled Chloes Silver Star out of sixth to get into the forward flow, then moved the Intrepid Seelster-Silver Chloe 5-year-old four wide on the final turn. Then in her last step she caught 44-1 shot Dill And Grace A, driven by Jon Roberts, at the finish line in 1:53. Odd-on favorite Still Electric broke stride just before the start. She then rallied for Tim Tetrick to catch the field by the quarter and then continued on from the half-mile. Tetrick sent her five-wide turning for home and closed to within a half-length of the winner at the wire, finishing third.
Gary Evans and Foulk Stables own Chloes Silver Star, now a winner of $49,989 in 2009 and $148,726 lifetime. It was her second win of the year.
Goodell also drove the 4-year-old mare Wannahuckaloogi to victory in the $26,000 Mares Jr. Open Pace. Owned by trainer Tony Poliseno, the winner, by Dream Work-Unlawful Seizure, racked up her third consecutive victory as she continues to move up the ranks. Delightful Diva with Tony Morgan finished second and Hopefull N handled by Brandon Givens was the show finisher.
To cap off the evening, Goodell rated Larry Baron’s Real Jenna, a Real Desire-Jennababe 4-year-old, perfectly on the way to a 1:54.3 triumph, his fifth, in the $17,500 mares pace sub-feature. Mery Linny Lee (Tetrick) finished second with Hot Lips (Vic Kirby) finding room between horses to take third.
— Marv Bachrad
Lucy Lucy rallies to victory in Mares Open Pace
Pompano Beach, FL — With a bold three-wide move coming to the three-quarter marker, Lucy Lucy ($9.20) and driver Anthony Napolitano were able to collar race leaders Chapsboots N Spurs and Pasta Lavista to win the $16,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace on Tuesday at the Isle Pompano Park.
Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith
Lucy Lucy (#5) nips both Chapsboots N Spurs (hidden along the rail) and Pasta Lavista (#4) to win the $16,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace at Pompano.
The third race feature saw newcomer Pasta Lavista (Joe Pavia, Jr.) scoot to the early lead to the opening quarter in :28. But that lead was short lived as Chapsboots N Spurs and driver Wally Hennessey went right to the front before the half-mile pole in :56.
But biding her time in fifth place in the backstretch was Lucy Lucy and before the final turn Napolitano cut her loose at the three-quarters in 1:24.4 and the 5-year-old Florida-bred mare by Tough Sir, who was recently voted the Older Mare of the Year in Florida, was up to the challenge.
Grinding it out against the race leaders down the stretch, it took the photo finish camera to declare Lucy Lucy the winner by a head over Chapsboots N Spurs with Pasta Lavista third by a neck in 1:53.3.
The last quarter by Lucy Lucy was :28 as she posted her second win on the year for trainer Kim Sears, who co-owns and bred the mare with her husband, Jay Sears.
— Steve Wolf
Stratton wins six at Monticello
Monticello, NY — Just four days after Jordan Stratton notched his 1,000th career win, the 21-year-old youngster put on a driving clinic at Monticello Raceway on Tuesday, reining six winners on the card.
Stratton began his assault with a victory in the second race behind Robert Bogigian’s Spongbobsquarepans ($7.80) in a time of 1:58.3 and followed with a 2:01 victory with Roger Van Horn’s Amanda’s Knight in the third race.
Starting in race number five Stratton then won three consecutive races. He scored with Vincent Buttafuoco and John Trinicilla’s Cheyenne Ryan ($6.80) in 1:59.2 in the fifth; with Mickey Peterson’s Semalu Non Stop ($24.40) in 2:00.4 in the sixth race; and proceeded to win the seventh with Michele Nelson’s Last Orders ($3.40) in a 1:57.3 clocking.
Stratton capped his afternoon with a 2:00.4 victory behind Charles Strukel’s Jomega ($5.90).
— John Manzi
Dancing With Fire ablaze in Meadows series win
Meadow Lands, PA — Dancing With Fire was ablaze in the third leg of the Opening Bell, lowering his lifetime mark 1.1 seconds while scoring in 1:53.2 on Tuesday at The Meadows. It was his second win in the series for 3- and 4-year-old pacing colts and geldings, which will culminate in next Tuesday’s final for approximately $30,000.
After Mike Wilder gunned Dancing With Fire to the lead, the 4-year-old son of The Panderosa-Firelight Dancer accepted cover and waited patiently for the stretch. He blew by RC Raider, who raced gamely first over, to down that rival by three-quarters of a length. Special Character was a rallying third. Norm Parker trains Dancing With Fire for owner/breeder Bob Key.
In the other $12,000 series division, the Lightning Lane bid of Omar Pheeny fell just short, but he was placed first after being bothered in the stretch by the unofficial winner, West Side Dragon. Aaron Merriman drove Omar Pheeny, a 4-year-old gelded son of Towner’s Big Guy-Polly’s Opal, for trainer Ron Potter and owner Leslie Lane. West Side Dragon was placed back to second while Sfumato finished third. The disqualification extended a month of frustration for West Side Dragon, who had lost his four most recent races by a combined margin of less than two lengths.
Dave Palone drove five winners and Wilder four on the 14-race card. On the training side, Ron Burke enjoyed a four-bagger while Parker scored three victories.
— Evan Pattak