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The Friday (Sept. 14) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Batavia Downs, Saratoga Casino Hotel and Vernon Downs.

Southern Palms sways opponents in Batavia feature

Batavia, NY — After settling for minor spoils in the top class at Batavia Downs over the last few weeks, Southern Palms swelled up on the front end to win the $10,500 Open Handicap trotting feature on Friday night (Sept. 14).

Paul White photo

Southern Palms won in a season’s best 1:56.2.

After a lengthy delay for a shoe malfunction, Southern Palms (Kevin Cummings) returned to the track well-heeled and uncharacteristically left the gate hard to take the front. He cut fractions of :27.2, :57 and 1:26.2 with only a mild challenge from last week’s Open winner Empire Earl N (Ray Fisher Jr.) which didn’t last into the final turn.

However the pocket-sitting Chelsea’s Chance (Billy Davis Jr.) was fresh and popped the deuce to bring game down the lane. Davis was urging Chelsea’s Chance as best he could but Southern Palms was on cruise control and wouldn’t allow the mare to get any closer than a length and won in a season’s best 1:56.2.

Southern Palms ($9.90) scored his sixth win of the year for owner Mike Torcello, who has now pocketed $47,946 this year as a result of his horse’s good work. Gerry Sarama trains the winner.

In the $8,000 Open II Trot, Barn Winner (Ray Fisher Jr.), who made his first start since July 20, tripped-out to the half before pulling to take a lead he would hold to the wire and win in 1:57.4. It was the second win in only 10 2018 starts for Barn Winner ($4.90) who is owned by Tanah Merah Farms and the Swift Racing Stable. Ryan Swift trains Barn Winner.

Ray Fisher Jr. had a big night in the bike, scoring a driving grand slam. Besides the already mentioned Barn Winner, Fisher also won with Drive ‘Em Cowboy (1:55.4, $4.20), Wallflower (1:56.2, $6.50) and Lougazi (1:57, $24.20).

Kevin Cummings also drove three winners on the night and those wins put him back on top of the dash driver standings by two, ahead of Drew Monti who had the lead going into the evening.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Sept. 15) at 6 p.m.

— Tim Bojarski

Saratoga
With no Fillies and Mares Open on the card, a $9,500 conditioned event for distaffers served as the Friday feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The race had the look of an Open, though, as a few of its participants were dropping out of top-flight company. Happy Heart (Woodstock) was a nominee for Filly and Mare Claiming Pacer of the Year in 2017 as one of the stars of the Melissa Beckwith stable. While her ’18 campaign hasn’t quite matched last year’s, Happy Heart is enjoying another solid season and on Friday night driver Wally Hennessey sat behind her for the first time. Starting from post two, Happy Heart was aggressive in the early going and powered out to the lead in a sizzling :26.4 first quarter. After getting a breather in the second quarter, Happy Heart was met with the challenge of the race’s odds-on favorite who made her move first-over though that rival never got close to the leader. Happy Heart seemed to be tiring a bit late in the mile as longshot Pull The Shade (Frank Coppola Jr.) motored up the inside in the stretch to come after her. Happy Heart hung in there and recorded her fifth victory of the season, stopping the timer in 1:54.1 to spring the mild upset at odds of 6-1. Pull The Shade was the runner-up while one of the Open droppers Rock N Roll Rosie (Jimmy Devaux) came on for third. Happy Heart paid $14.20 to win and led an exacta and triple, with the favorite out of the number, that returned $121.50 and $530, respectively. Live racing continues on Saturday night at Saratoga with a first post time of 6:45 p.m.

Vernon Downs
Kabu (John MacDonald) captured the $6,500 featured trot at Vernon Downs on Friday. Gimme The Cash (Claude Huckabone III) stormed to the front and controlled all the early fractions (:27.2, :56.4, 1:25.2). Kabu ($3.10) followed in second. Owned by JP Stables and trained by MacDonald, he popped the pocket and flew down the stretch, holding off the late charge of second place finisher Pier Ho Exotic (Jimmy Whittemore) in 1:54.2. Gimme The Cash held on for third. Kabu is a 7-year-old gelding by Valley Victor. He won for the ninth time this season and the 30th time in his career. Under The Bus (Truman Gale) won the $6,500 featured fillies and mares pace. Jaclyn Hanover (John MacDonald) led to way to all the early fractions (:26.4, :56, 1:23.3). Under The Bus ($19.60) followed in second all the way to the stretch. Owned by Hossman LLC and trained by Robert Gale, she wore down second place finisher Jaclyn Hanover in the long Vernon Downs stretch to pick up the victory by equaling her lifetime best of 1:51.4. Love Live Laugh (Jimmy Whittemore) took home third money. Under The Bus is a 4-year-old mare by Art Major. It was her fourth win in 2018 and career victory number eight. Vernon Downs returns to live racing on Saturday (Sept. 15) with a 13-race card starting at 6:10 p.m. For more information go to www.vernondowns.com.