Racing Roundup: Wednesday, July 23, 2008
July 24, 2008,from Harness Publicists across North America
Wednesday’s (July 23) edition of Racing Roundup features result stories from Pompano Park, Ocean Downs and Saratoga Gaming and Raceway, as well as the Billings Series.
Guy Gets Girl wins featured trot at Pompano Park
Pompano Beach, FL — Guy Gets Girl ($4.80) and Bruce Ranger were victorious in the $12,000 winners over trot on Wednesday at Pompano Park.
Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith
Guy Gets Girl, driven by Bruce Ranger, won the $12,000 winners over trot at Pompano Park in 1:56.3.
The duo moved swiftly off the gate from post four to take the early lead as they trotted over to the first quarter in :28.1. As they came down the stretch in front of the grandstand, Wally Hennessey pulled Gale Warning and took command at the half-mile marker in :58.2. Gale Warning and Hennessey led the field over to the three-quarters in 1:27. As they turned for home Ranger moved Guy Gets Girl from the pocket and they went right on by to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:56.3. Better By Design (Steve Oliwa) finished second with Hennessey and Gale Warning finishing third.
It was the fifth win this year for 9-year-old Guy Gets Girl (Keystone Nordic-Story Time), who is trained by Bruce Ranger and owned by the Bruce Ranger Racing Stable, Inc.
The second leg of the Sunshine State Stakes for 3-year-old Florida-bred filly trotters was also contested on Wednesday. Guided Miss Tique ($46.80) and Veral Bowman won the first division in 2:02.4. Guided Miss Tique (Guided Speed-Feather N My Hat) is trained by Bowman and owned by James W. Murphy. Baileysirishdream ($2.60) and Robert Roberts won the second division in 2:00.1. Baileysirishdream (Matchem Hanover-Lady Isabeau) is trained by Roberts and owned by Barbara Bailey.
Southern Rain ($2.40, Wewering-Saucy T) won by a head in the division for 3-year-old colts and geldings in 1:58.4 for driver Bruce Ranger. Mark Rorabeck owns Southern Rain, who is trained by Mike Deters.
— Debbie Schaut
Another win at Ocean Downs for Presidential Sam
Berlin, MD — Presidential Sam has fared very well at Ocean Downs this summer. The 4-year-old son of Presidential Ball and the Abercrombie mare Danacrombie has five wins in six starts at Ocean Downs, including three victories in the Bud Light Pace series. Ray Robinson, Jr. has had the lines for the past five outings.
“We get along very well,” Robinson said after Presidential Sam’s latest win (1:57.3, $4.60) on Wednesday. The horse owned by John Wagner has been racing consistently with six wins and two seconds in his last eight starts.
“Very much. It all comes down to post position and we’ve been very fortunate. We’ve had the rail the last two weeks. You can kind of dictate your own destiny from there, but he’s been racing very well,” Robinson explained.
Robinson now has 22 wins this summer and is only 21 victories shy of 1,000 in his impressive driving career.
— Jim Whittemore
Lonestar Ryan shines in Saratoga debut
Saratoga Springs, NY — Kathy Rutherford’s Lonestar Ryan had no trouble negotiating the sloppy conditions at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway on Wednesday, capturing the featured $5,500 non-winners pace in 1:55 to prevail in his first appearance at the Saratoga Springs oval.
Dave Oxford photo
Lonestar Ryan, driven by Chris Long, coasts to victory in his Saratoga Gaming and Raceway debut.
Starting from post one with Chris Long at the lines, Lonestar Ryan settled briefly in second place through an opening quarter in :28.1 before seizing control of the race with one bold move to the top, clearing the front while showing the way to the half-mile marker in :57.3.
After pacing uncontested down the backstretch to reach the three-quarter split in 1:26.1, Lonestar Ryan opened up a clear advantage on his overmatched rivals through the final turn, entering the stretch with an 8-1/2 length lead before widening that margin to 11-1/4 lengths under the wire.
Lonestar Ryan returned $3.90, $3.30 and $2.30 for the victory. Allamerican Kansas (Brian Allen) paid $3.10 and $2.10 when finishing second, while Honey Is that You (Jay Randall) brought in $3.50 for third.
Conditioned by Lawrence Gomez, Lonestar Ryan has visited the winner’s circle in five of 16 starts this year, competing exclusively at Plainridge Racecourse prior to his Wednesday victory at Saratoga. The son of Lisryan, out of the Rebel Blue Chip mare Talk Sense, now boasts a career record of 14 wins from 65 outings.
— Michael Costanzo
Zahn and Wrenn are Billings winners
Monticello, NY — The Midwest Region Billings splits that were to be presented at the Ottawa County Fair in Holland, Mich., on July 22 were held over to July 23, but when they were raced late scratches reduced the size of the fields.
But after the events were contested, Dale “the Big Boss” Zahn and “Rockin’ Ronnie” Wrenn, Jr. each emerged victorious in their respective splits.
In the first split, due to late scratches, the event was reduced to a two horse race and both Zahn and “Congenial Gene” Miller put on a show. Zahn, with Solo Status, and Miller, with Rompaway Ulaine, battled throughout with Solo Status on the lead until the backstretch the second time around. At that point Miller moved Rompaway Ulaine up to challenge and the two trotters raced head to head all the way to the finish line with Solo Status a head winner in a 2:08 clocking.
The other split saw young Ronnie Wrenn score his first competitive driving victory when he guided Artful Power to a wire-to-wire, one length triumph over Filly Photo and driver Kelly “Sky” Walker in a mile that was timed in 2:04. Third place in that contest went to EJ R Lad, driven by “Cracker Jack” Pasco.
Next Midwest Region action is slated for Saturday, July 26, at the Summit Fair at Northfield Park when a nine-horse contest will be presented as the fourth race on the 15-race card.
— John Manzi