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Wednesday night (Dec. 3) at Batavia Downs could prove to be monumental for two resident drivers who are on the cusp of reaching career milestones at the lines.

Spring Blake sustained a first-over grind for nine-sixteenths of a mile to collar pacesetter Leonard’s Legacy and narrowly held off a hard-closing A Major Attitude to secure a 1:53.1 victory in Monday’s (Dec. 1) featured $12,000 Open Handicap Pace at Rosecroft Raceway, capping a three-win night for trainer Johnny Crites Jr. in the act.

Captain Albano stands alone as the only horse in this year’s MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series at MGM Yonkers Raceway with a two-for-two record after he won Monday night’s (Dec. 1) last of four $50,000 divisions in 1:51.4 for Todd McCarthy and Noel Daley.

Already a champion this season in both Delaware and Virginia, Jane Dunavant’s homebred Kat’s Fancy made easy work of her five rivals in the lone $20,000 first-round preliminary of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders’ Fund (DSBF) series for 3-year-old trotting fillies at Bally’s Dover, coasting to a 1:57.3 win on Monday (Dec. 1).

After 50 years of serving the industry in the State of New York, Keith Hamilton has made a host of friends and acquaintances along the way.

Conditioner Zach Vickerson had three horses racing on Sunday (Nov. 30) at First Tracks Cumberland, and he won with all three.

Yogi Sheridan and Michael Shults both charged from off the speed and reached for the line in time to nab victories in their respective $7,500 divisions of the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) paces at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday (Nov. 30).

This Sunday, the second qualifying race for the Prix d’Amerique – Prix de Bourbonnais – will be held at Vincennes, raced over 1-3/4 miles, with four wild cards up for grabs once again. But the journey toward a start in the Prix d’Amerique is also underway on other fronts.

James Platz, from Noblesville, Ind., has been selected as recipient of the 2025 January Davies Humanitarian Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association (USHWA). The award was created in 2008 by U.S. Harness Writers Association member Callie Davies-Gooch in memory of her daughter to recognize contributions beyond harness racing.

The thirteen-year-old Real Desire gelding Real Lucky N is still living up to his sire’s name nearing the end of his career, taking the $12,500 Championship of a series for $10,000 claimers in 1:53.4 under less-than-perfect conditions at Harrah’s Philadelphia Sunday (Nov. 30).