from Harness Publicists across North America

Monday’s (December 15) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from The Meadows, Woodbine Racetrack, Pompano Park, Yonkers Raceway, and Western Fair Raceway.

Threepeat for Marty’s Charm at the Meadows

Meadow Lands, PA — The odds seemed stacked against a threepeat for Marty’s Charm at The Meadows on Monday. He was assigned the outside post position, and the sloppy track guaranteed a tiring trip for the leader.

Nevertheless, Randy Tharps gunned Marty’s Charm to the front, and the 4-year-old gelding encountered no serious challenges en route to his third straight victory in the $25,000 Preferred Handicap Pace. He scored in 1:52.3, 2-1/2 lengths better than the pocket-sitting Tarver Hanover. Abraxas was a rallying third.

Paul Corey trains Marty’s Charm, a son of Aces N Sevens-Bets Mae, for Martha and Gerald Baluck. Unraced until this year, Marty’s Charm has won 14 of 27 starts and $146,910.

— Evan Pattak

Longshots rule in opening leg of Niagara Series

Toronto, ON — Signal, Aqua Rosa and The Three Of Us all posted upset victories in Monday’s opening leg of the Niagara Pacing Series for 3-year-old fillies at Woodbine Racetrack.

Signal kicked things off with a gate-to-wire effort in the first C$20,000 split for driver Jack Moiseyev in 1:57.1. The daughter of Astreos-Greenwich Sign turned back a closing Gottogetoutmore and Starofthesea Devie while returning $12.30 for the win. It was the third win in 10 tries this season for Signal who is owned and trained by Ricky MacPhee.

In the second split, Aqua Rosa was able to sneak through late in tight quarters to win by a nose for Mike Saftic in 1:56. Paper Cut set all the fractions but could not quite hold off the late rally of the winner with Haylie Sue finishing a neck back in third. The daughter of The Panderosa-Aquatic Yankee returned $20.50 in winning for the seventh time in 19 outings this season. The filly is trained by Jim Ainsworth who co-owns along with William Boden.

The Three Of Us capped off the longshot parade with a 1:55.4 score in the final division — the fastest of the three. The daughter of Mach Three-Smooth Crossing was put on the front early by Roger Mayotte and turned back Rip Rockin Lady with heavily favored Windsong Experanza coming up slightly flat and finishing in the show spot. The victory was the seventh in 29 starts this season for the Bob Young trainee who is owned by Bruce Davy. She returned a whopping $51.20 to win.

The Niagara Series, which is open to non-winners of C$50,000 lifetime as of October 31 of this year, will continue next Monday night at Woodbine.

— Greg Blanchard

Farmer Jones grinds out impressive Open Trot win

Pompano Beach, FL — Farmer Jones ($9.20) was able to grind out an impressive first-over victory in winning the $16,000 Open Handicap Trot at the Isle Pompano Park on Monday in 1:55.2.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith

Farmer Jones and driver Denis St. Pierre captured the $16,000 Open Handicap Trot at the Isle Pompano Park in 1:55.2.

It was the race favorite, Battleshoe Victor, who started off the fifth race feature by leaving from post nine and grabbing the early lead away from Cisco Hall (Kevin Wallis), who then went off stride by the opening quarter in :27.3.

The lone mare in the field, Diva Diva (Andy Santaramo), then claimed the pocket seat behind Battleshoe Victor, who led the field to the half-mile in :57.4. It was then that Farmer Jones and driver Dennis St. Pierre moved out of fifth place and started grinding it out first-over and pushed Battleshoe Victor to the three-quarter marker in 1:26.

Farmer Jones was then able to collar Battleshoe Victor as they started down the stretch and began to pull away, winning by one length with Diva Diva second and Battleshoe Victor fading to third place.

It was the sixth win this year for Farmer Jones, a 6-year-old gelded son of Credit Winner, trained by Stephane Bardier and owned by Richard Moreau and Sylvain Decheneaux.

— Steve Wolf

Gregory wins five at Yonkers

Yonkers, NY — Jeff Gregory had five winners in just eight drives during Yonkers Raceway’s 13-race Monday night program.

Gregory won the evening’s first three races — including a sweep of the $23.40 early daily double — with Yankee Rocketeer ($4.70) in the $17,000 pacing opener (1:55.2) and Ultra Star ($10.80) in the $6,000 second race trot (2:00.2).

Sign Of A Ditch ($11.80) stuck his tongue out on the money in the $6,000 third race pace (1:58.1) before Gregory took the next four races off.

He picked up right where he left off in the $10,000 eighth race pace, going the distance with Bunk ($11.20) in 1:55.4. After a pair of fifth-place finishes in races nine and 10, Gregory scored with Pembroke Cushy ($15.00) in the $17,000 11th race pace (season’s best 1:54.4).

After another race worth of R&R, Gregory ended his night with a sixth-place finish in the finale.

— Frank Drucker

Forward makes big donation to toy drive

London, ON — Brad Forward had a keen sense it was a special day at Western Fair Raceway and he made the most of it.

The 38-year-old driver, originally from The Goulds, Newfoundland and now residing in Woodstock, Ontario, pledged his driving fees from the afternoon program to the Salvation Army 2008 Toy Drive for needy children in the London area. The initiative is in conjunction with Granton Trailers and Western Fair Raceway.

The total of Forward’s donation came in at C$1,173 on the strength of three winners on the card. He drove in all 12 races on the program and added a a pair of runner-up finishes and a third. He finished out of the top five paying positions with just one drive.

“These special days I really do enjoy and this is a great cause,” the reinsman said. “I’m a Dad myself and I know what it means to do all we can to ensure every child in need gets a toy this Christmas.”

The Granton Trailer will remain in the front lobby at Western Fair Raceway through this Friday, December 19. The goal is to fill the horse trailer with new, unwrapped toys for children up to the age of 12.

On the day that a major TV feature about his career went to air, Dave Wall got into the zone to win three races on the Monday card at Western Fair.

Wall was interviewed by London A-Channel TV sports reporter and anchor Brent Lale, with the profile containing a supporting testimonial from fellow horseman Greg Dustin.

“We’ll be watching very closely next year and hoping the Hall Of Fame does the right thing and inducts Dave Wall in 2009,” Lale said on the end of his tag to the story when it aired at 6:50 p.m. The story was also scheduled to air on the 11:00 p.m. newscast on the London A-Channel, seen widely throughout Ontario.

— Frank Salive