from Harness Publicists across North America

Tuesday’s (December 16) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs, The Meadows, Pompano Park, Balmoral Park, and Monticello Raceway.

Ladyfield stops Perfect M Forever’s streak

Dover, DE — Ladyfield caught Perfect M Forever in the final strides to end her win streak at eight in the $27,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace on Tuesday at Dover Downs.

Fotowon photo

Ladyfield (#3) was a nose winner over Perfect M Forever in the Dover feature.

Ladyfield rolled along the passing lane to put her nose in front at the wire, ending the eight-race win streak of Perfect M Forever (Eric Goodell) in the $27,000 feature. The winner stalked Perfect M Forever from the start and then scooted down the Dover Driveway for the 1:53.4 photo finish win. A third horse in the photo was Shady Sabrina (Jim Morand), a half-length away in third.

An Armbro Cadet 5-year-old from Tally Almahurst, Ladyfield is owned by the Keeler women, Joyce, the mother, daughter Kathleen and trainer Vic Keeler’s wife, Linda Sue. Ladyfield won for the fifth time this season and has banked $96,290 in 2008.

In the $18,000 female pace, Costly Legs also continued on the winning path as Tony Morgan drove the Wynfield Mark-Costly Towner 7-year-old around the track in 1:53.3 for her third win in a row and sixth of the season for Three Point Acres. She now has banked $72,230 this year. Pick Up (Mike Cole) sat on her back for the mile and stayed second. Nidya A (Ross Wolfenden) came on to finish third.

Blissful Maddie made her first start at the track a winning one in the second $18,000 Filly and Mare pace. Eric Goodell picked up his second win of the day by guiding the Blissfull Hall-Diealogue 6-year-old to her tenth win of the year. Larry Baron and Meadowbranch Stable own the $163,505 winner this season. Hopefull N (Brandon Givens) was next. Roxie Lee N (Wolfenden) was the show finisher.

— Marv Bachard

Lightning Lane strike for Hoopie at The Meadows

Meadow Lands, PA — Full of trot but seemingly pinned inside, Hoopie got a late break and fully exploited it as he took the $25,000 Preferred Handicap Trot on Tuesday at The Meadows.

After a ground-saving trip on the sloppy track, Hoopie was poised in third and ready to challenge the front-ending Prism K in the stretch. But he lacked room and appeared headed for a minor check when the pocket-sitting Pembroke Prayer went wide to tackle Prism K. Presented that opportunity, Dan Charlino guided Hoopie to the Lightning Lane, where he overtook Prism K to prevail by a head in 1:55.3. Prism K broke stride just before the wire and was placed back to third after disqualification while Pembroke Prayer was promoted to second.

Joelene Christman trains and Mark Christman owns Hoopie, a 4-year-old gelded son of San Pellegrino-Crystal VW who pushed his career bankroll to $240,865.

— Evan Pattak

Last to first for Lucy Lucy at Pompano

Pompano Beach, FL — After sweeping three-wide from last place at the top of the stretch, Lucy Lucy ($5.80) and driver Anthony Napolitano won with ease in the $16,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace on Tuesday at the Isle Pompano Park.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith

Lucy Lucy went from last to first on the final turn to win the $16,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace at the Isle Pompano Park in 1:52.3.

The fifth race feature saw Biggest Big Bertha and driver Bruce Ranger leave from post four and take early command with Brissonte Hanover (Richard Simard) getting the two-hole trip in second. Biggest Big Bertha led at the opening quarter in :27.1, the half-mile in :56.1 and the three-quarters in 1:23.3.

Catalina Morgan, seeking her third straight win for driver Denis St. Pierre, came first-over in the backstretch and nearly collared the leader by the final turn. But it was Napolitano and Lucy Lucy who stole the show, looping the field and then pulling away for a 4-3/4 length triumph in 1:52.3. Biggest Big Bertha was second with Hypnotize (Dan Clements) third.

Trained by Kim Sears and owned by Jay Sears, it was the fourth win this year for Lucy Lucy, a Florida-sired 4-year-old mare by Tough Sir.

For driver Anthony Napolitano, the victory was part of a natural hat trick as he won the third race with Atlantic Filly ($15.20) in 1:54.2 and the fourth race with Eve ($4.40) in 1:56.1. He ended the night with five winners, also capturing the eighth race with Gordy’s Pan ($8.40) in 1:55 and the ninth race with Briley Shea ($8.20) in 1:55.3.

— Steve Wolf

Kissmeallover makes it a clean sweep

Crete, IL — Despite a late afternoon snowstorm which dumped anywhere between two and six inches of snow on the Chicagoland area the show continued on at Balmoral Park as a field of seven Illinois conceived and foaled 3-year-old filly pacers met in the $7,000 final of the Incredible Finale Series.

Balmoral Park photo

Kissmeallover dug in gamely to hold off the late challenge of Youaretheonlyone in Tuesday’s Incredible Finale Series Final.

After decisive victories in the first two legs of the series, Michael Parisi’s Kissmeallover was sent off as the 4-5 favorite in the race and she did not disappoint her backers as she held on gamely to win by a head in 1:57.

Given a confident steer by driver Mike Oosting, the daughter of Sportsmaster-Redhot Express floated away from the gate and was an unhurried fourth on the outside as Wolf Creek Cupid led the field through an opening quarter in :29.1.

Oosting then hustled the Hart Walker trainee to the front as the field headed towards the half-mile mark. Kissmeallover then proceeded to pace through middle splits of :58.2 and 1:27 while holding her rivals at bay.

In the lane Kissmeallover dug in gamely as a hard charging Youaretheonlyone (Josh Sutton) and the pocket sitting Wolf Creek Cupid tried to get to the favorite. Showing the grit and determination that netted her wins in the first two legs of this series, Kissmeallover dug in throughout the late stages and managed to hold off the late rally of Youaretheonlyone for the victory. Wolf Creek Cupid was third, 1-1/2 lengths behind the top pair.

The odds on choice in the wagering, Kissmeallover returned $3.60, $3.00 and $2.20 while pushing her record to 4-4-3 in 21 starts this season with earnings of $25,222.

— Tom Kelley

Southbound Trucker rambles to ninth seasonal victory

Monticello, NY — Despite starting 37 previous times this year and 47 last season, George Stamatien’s Southbound Trucker is still at the top of his game and on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, the 5-year-old Sharky Spur gelding rambled to his ninth victory of the season in the pacing feature at Monticello Raceway.

With Bruce Aldrich, Jr. subbing for regular driver Greg Merton, Southbound Trucker cruised to a two length triumph over Call Me Raider (Peter Lutman III) in a time of 1:57.4 over a wet, but firm racetrack. Badlands Come Home garnered the show dough for John Cummings, Jr.

After a slow start in which Southbound Trucker was some 10 lengths off the lead at the quarter pole, a first-up move at the three-eighths placed the pacer third on the limb as the leaders passed the half in :59.4.

Aldrich moved Southbound Trucker alongside pacesetter Cheyenne Bodie (Brent Holland) at the three-quarters. At the top of the lane Southbound Trucker had three lengths on his competition and rambled home an easy winner as Cheyenne Bodie faded to finish fourth.

Trained by Art Stamatien, the victory raised Southbound Trucker’s seasonal bankroll to over $57,500. The pacer returned a $6.40 win mutuel.

— John Manzi