Author: by John Horne, for Vernon Downs

Driver Jimmy Whittemore won six races including the $6,500 co-featured pace with Major Leaguer at Vernon Downs on Saturday.

R Royal Port pulled into ‘port’ on time and scored a two-length victory over E Street in Buffalo Raceway’s $14,000 Open I-II Trot on Saturday evening

Tyler Buter had a first-rate day in the sulky Saturday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, coming back to the winner’s circle six times on the program, including winning two of the three trotting features and the top pace.

Heavy favorite Gowestyoungrace used a first over trip to overpower her rivals while equaling the track record at First Tracks Cumberland for 3-year-old pacing fillies.

Hidalgo, a $600,000 purchase at the Harrisburg Yearling Sale, continued to return on his connections’ considerable investment Friday night at The Meadowlands by remaining unbeaten in two lifetime starts on an evening that saw nine $25,000 leg one divisions of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for 2-year-olds of each sex and gait.

Ohio freshman pacers and filly trotters will open Ohio Sires Stakes action at Eldorado Scioto Downs and MGM Northfield Park on Saturday and Sunday night (July 13 and 14).

Brett Miller took three divisions of the first leg of Buckeye Stallion Series for 2-year-old colt pacers at Eldorado Scioto Downs on Friday. Each of the seven splits went for $20,000.

With just two MADC races carded Friday night (one pace and one trot), the betting public was treated to ideal racing conditions and 14 races in total. Both events were exciting, well bet and had the publics’ top betting selections in both events not finishing first, technically.

On Friday (July 5), the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals again ruled that the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) is unconstitutional, dealing yet another blow to the controversial piece of legislation. This new ruling follows a Fifth Circuit decision in November 2022 that also found HISA unconstitutional.