Vernon Downs played host to eight $55,000 New York Excelsior Finals on Friday (Sept. 13) with driver Jason Bartlett claiming victory in five of them.
Author: by John Horne, for Vernon Downs
Sabonis posterizes Hoosier Cup field, wins 11th straight
Sabonis headlined the Peter Haughton undercard at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday (Sept. 13), crushing in the $75,000 Hoosier Cup Final for Indiana-sired 3-year-old pacing colts for his 11th consecutive victory. The Hoosier Cup was featured along nine divisions of Indiana Sire Stakes with purses on the night totaling $1.275 million.
Dunn sweeps Haughton, Doherty Memorials
Driver Dexter Dunn made his way to Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday (Sept. 13) and swept the two richest Standardbred races in Indiana, taking the $390,000 Peter Haughton Memorial with Maryland and the $305,000 Jim Doherty Memorial with Champagne Problems.
Rookie trotters impress in Champlain divisions
Trainer Blake MacIntosh led the way with winners in two of Friday’s (Sept. 13) three Champlain Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Johnny Boy goes the distance at Batavia
Johnny Boy led at every station en route to victory in the $10,000 featured trot at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Sept. 13).
Hardy reaches 3,500 career driving wins
When Jim Hardy won the sixth race at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon (Sept. 12) with Poppy Wow (1:56.1, $10.40), it gave him his 3,500th driving win in a career that has now spanned 40 years.
Khaosan Road takes life mark in Philly feature
Khaosan Road, a pupil of Åke Svanstedt, wore down his old stablemate Asteroid then trotted away to a career-best 1:52.2 win in the $15,000 feature at Harrah’s Philadelphia on a sunny Thursday afternoon (Sept. 12).
Elims set for Woodbine stakes extravaganza
The C$1 million Metro Pace for rookie pacing colts and geldings will have two eliminations Saturday (Sept. 14) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Top Jug Contenders, Week No. 6
Here are Jay Wolf’s final ranking of the top 10 horses eligible for the 79th edition of the $700,000 (est.) Little Brown Jug, which will be contested on Sept. 19.
Teague triumphs Tuesday at Harrington
Harrington Raceway’s leading driver, Montrell Teague, had six wins on the southern Delaware harness racing venue’s Tuesday (Sept. 10) program.