Racing Roundup: Allmar Surprise beats the boys in Dover feature
February 19, 2009,from Harness Publicists across North America
Wednesday’s (February 18) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs, The Meadows, Balmoral Park, Pompano Park and Monticello Raceway. Allmar Surprise beats the boys in $33,000 Dover feature Dover, DE — Allmar Surprise, the only female and the youngest in the field, led all the way for a 1:57 victory in the $33,000 Open Trot over a “sloppy track” at Dover Downs on Wednesday.
Fotowon photo Allmar Surprise was a winner for the fourth time in six season’s starts. Following two up-close seconds, Allmar Surprise got back on the winning track, disposing of eight rivals in the week’s top trot. With Vic Kirby at the controls the Angus Hall-Benita Victory 4-year-old mare took the lead at the start and set all the fractions in waltzing to her fourth win in six starts for Kirby and partner Matt Ivory. She has now has banked $52,250 in 2009. Maxter came on for Tony Morgan to finish second. Last week’s winner, Dingy’s Party and Jim Morand, finished third.
Tom Barrett’s L T’s Best never got a call until the last one when Vince Copeland drove the 13-1 Davanti-Light Tackle gelding from eighth on the final turn five wide and past the rest of the field to notch a 1:57.4 victory in the $22,000 sub-featured trot. Twelve Seventeen, a converted pacer, was second with 20-1 Go Nano Go (Eddie Davis, Jr.) third.
— Marv Bachrad
Lolique in 16-1 shocker at The Meadows
Meadow Lands, PA — Last at the half by six lengths and seemingly racing for a minor share, Lolique cranked it up late over the sloppy going to shock the $25,000 Preferred Handicap Trot field at more than 16-1 on Wednesday at The Meadows.
Lolique’s last three efforts in the Preferred resulted in off-the-board finishes, and it appeared this would be another disappointment. But when Bill Fahy asked Lolique for trot, the 6-year-old son of Tagliabue-Crystal Vic responded with a back half in :56.3, good enough to defeat Primo Spur by a half-length in 1:55.4. Four Starz Speed rallied for show.
John Wagner trains Lolique, who pushed his career bankroll to $383,635, for Pamela Wagner and Scott Woogen.
In the $25,000 Filly & Mare Preferred Handicap Trot, Whotookwhat took matters into her own hands to score a front-end victory in 1:57.3. Whotookwhat tired while chasing in her last two starts but worked out a comfortable first half Wednesday in :59.3 for trainer/driver Ray Paver. Lavec Dream was a head back in second while In Focus Hanover and Tom’s OK Lady finished in a dead heat for third.
William and Barbara Paull own Whotookwhat, a 7-year-old daughter of Inquirer-Overtookthem.
— Evan Pattak
Haylie Sue, Smiling Angel grab Fox Valley Redhot wins
Crete, IL — Filly and mare pacers highlighted a snowy Wednesday night card at Balmoral Park as a pair of $6,500 divisions in the opening leg of the Fox Valley Redhot Series attracted a total of 17 distaffers.
In the opening split, Willis Clark’s Haylie Sue made it look easy as she strolled home with a 2-3/4 length victory in 1:57.3.
Taking advantage of a textbook steer from the red-hot Tyler Buter (four wins) this daughter of Givemewhatineed sat in the pocket as Miracle To Me (Dean Magee) led the field through splits of :28.2, :59.2 and 1:30.1.
Pulling from the pocket as the field hit the top of the stretch Haylie Sue quickly gobbled up the pacesetter as she flew home in :27.2 to notch her second win in as many tries this season. Miracle To Me held on well to finish second while Phaelen Lucky (Marcus Miller) was third. The Perry Smith trained miss returned $5.00, $2.80 and $2.60 while running her career earnings up to $24,478.
In the nightcap, Richard Weaver’s Smiling Angel turned a second-over trip into a 2-3/4 length, come-from-behind score in 1:57.4.
Well positioned by leading driver Sam Widger the daughter of Grinfromeartoear raced in mid-pack as Darn Capable (Marcus Miller) and Wisconsin Girl (Trace Tetrick) battled through opening splits of :28.1, :59.1 and 1:30.
Following the live cover of Dingy’s Model (Jason Dillander) until the top of the stretch, the Ronnie Asaph trained miss left her rivals in the dust as she rattled off a :27.2 final split to reward her backers. Dingy’s Model battled gamely but was forced to settle for the bridesmaid role while East Tower (Tyler Buter) shook loose late to finish third. Smiling Angel was well backed at the betting windows, returning $6.80, $4.20 and $3.00 as she won for the third time in four starts this season.
— Tom Kelley
Anthony Napolitano is hot at Pompano Park
Pompano Beach, FL — Harness driver Bruce Ranger has dominated the driving colony at the Isle Pompano Park for nearly ten years but this season the veteran trainer-driver has had to take a back seat to the up and coming Anthony Napolitano.
On Wednesday night at the Isle Pompano Park it was all Napolitano, who won four of the first six races on the program. And who won the other two races, why Bruce Ranger of course.
Napolitano, 27, has emerged as a driving force to be reckoned with since returning from Pocono Downs this past summer. The Coconut Creek resident now has 150 wins this meet to Ranger’s 142 victories.
Napolitano started off by winning the first race pace with Sport’N Splendor ($8.00) in 1:53.1, the third race pace with He’s So Coole ($8.60) in 1:57.1, the fifth race trot aboard Kya Maria ($6.00) in 1:59.1 and then the sixth race pace with Front Page Star ($4.00) in 1:55. It was the fourth straight victory for Front Page Star.
— Steve Wolf
Southbound Trucker scores again at Monticello
Monticello, NY — Southbound Trucker, a 6-year-old Sharky Spur gelding trained by Aristotle (Art) Stamatien, has been the terror of 2009 at Monticello Raceway.
On Wednesday afternoon, Southbound Trucker scored his fourth win in five seasonal starts against the best pacers on the grounds in the weekly winners over pace. His only loss came last week when the pacer finished third, beaten just three-quarters of a length for all the marbles.
Bruce Aldrich, Jr. was in the sulky and once again guided Southbound Trucker to another come-from-behind victory; one in which the pacer showed true grit.
After Our First Falcon N and driver Ron Cushing sped away to the lead Aldrich angled Southbound Trucker to the pylons and found a seat in fifth position. With Our First Falcon N showing the way toward the half-mile marker, Aldrich moved his charge to the outside and was first-up and in third position as the field passed the halfway point. From there Our First Falcon N and Southbound Trucker raced head to head past the three-quarters in 1:27.2. As the two rounded the final turn Cushing’s horse gained a full length advantage and many thought Southbound Trucker was done.
Surprise! When the two pacers straightened for home in the lane here came Southbound Trucker once again. In the stretch Aldrich’s pacer began to gain on his competitor and in the final strides it was Southbound Trucker who tripped the timer in 1:56.1 and was a neck winner over Our First Falcon N. Third place went to Blueridge D’Bang (Bily Parker, Jr.), who had shadowed Southbound Trucker from the three-eighths pole.
“He never ceases to amaze me,” Aldrich said about Southbound Trucker’s rally to victory. “I know he always has pace at the end of a mile but this time I thought he was all in. But darned if he didn’t dig in and when he looked the other horse in the eye then I knew he was going to win it.”
Owned by the trainer’s brother, George Stamatien, Southbound Trucker paid $6.80 for win.
— John Manzi