Harness Racing News
Jiggy Jog S picked up right where she left off.
The 2023 Breeders Crown and FanDuel winner, who finished off last year with a four-race win streak, extended her success to five victories in a row Saturday (May 18) night at The Meadowlands by taking the first major event on The Big M’s bloated stakes calendar, the $145,150 Arthur J. Cutler Memorial for open trotters.
The track record for 3-year-old trotting geldings at Plainridge Park was rewritten on Thursday afternoon (May 16) after Spaaaanzano (Coraggioso-Grace N Charlie) put on a sparkling gate-to-wire performance to claim victory in the $100,000 Battle of Bunker Hill Trot.
As the New Jersey Sire Stakes season kicked off Saturday night at The Meadowlands, it was Todd McCarthy who had the right stuff, as the 31-year-old native Australian won four races on the card, including both $30,000 divisions of the first leg of the NJSS for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers.
Sir Pinocchio took the lead from a group of breaking horses on the first turn and held off favorite Blackhawk Zette in the stretch to win Saturday’s $134,900 Dexter Cup for 3-year-old male trotters by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:56.2 at Freehold Raceway. Stockholm Hanover finished third.
After missing a week due to illness, Howlenthehills bounced back and picked up right where he left off by continuing his win streak with a lifetime-best 1:51.1 score in the $100,000 Paul Revere Pace, for 3-year-olds, at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon (May 2).
Hellabalou joined a select list of horses to win the MGM Borgata Pacing Series final in back-to-back seasons by taking Monday night’s (April 22) $457,000 championship in 1:50.2 after watching a duel for the lead between the two favorites and then pouncing on them past three-quarters.
Lit De Rose had to do the work from first-over but proved best through the stretch drive and won the $276,200 Blue Chip Matchmaker Series final for older pacing mares on Monday night (April 22) at MGM Yonkers Raceway in 1:52.3.
Linedrive Hanover posted his third win in the prelims, while driver Jason Bartlett had a double with a pair of first-time victors in the three $50,000 divisions of the final round of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series on Monday night (April 15) at MGM Yonkers Raceway.
Lit De Rose became the sport’s newest millionaire when she captured her $40,000 division of the final preliminary leg of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series at Yonkers Raceway on Friday (April 12) night for trainer-driver Patrick Lachance.
Desperate Man, Pleaseletmeknow and Backstreet Shadow gave driver Matt Kakaley and trainer Travis Alexander victories in the three $50,000 divisions of the fourth round of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series at MGM Yonkers Raceway on Monday night (April 8).