Hot (97 degrees) and humid (80 percent) conditions with a “feels like” temperature of 112 degrees made for an uncomfortable afternoon of harness racing Friday (June 30) at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds for both horses and horsemen alike, nevertheless the sweltering weather didn’t slow down the red-hot driver Cordarius Stewart a bit.
Sophomore colts to contest third Buckeye leg
Four divisions each of 3-year-old colt pacers and trotters will wrap up the third leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series Sunday and Monday (July 2 and 3) at MGM Northfield Park.
Friday five-pack of MADC events
Five different drivers won in the quintet of Meadowlands Amateur Driving Club events held on a warm and hazy Friday night (June 30) at the Meadowlands.
$25k guaranteed Pick-8 returns to Scioto Sat.
With the fourth annual Next Generation events on Saturday (July 1), Eldorado Scioto Downs is bringing back the popular Pick-8 for the first time in 2023.
Extra! Extra! Newsroom wins at Big M
The bettors at the Meadowlands crushed Newsroom down to 1-2 in the wagering, and the son of Always B Miki-Well Hello There delivered in the Friday night (June 30) feature, a $34,050 Geers Stakes division for 2-year-old colts and geldings on the pace.
Travlin Swan, Uniquerock take Friday Northville Opens
A pair of Opens shared the Friday (June 30) spotlight at Northville Downs as 7-year-old trotting gelding Travlin Swan, driven by trainer Art McIlmurray, and 5-year-old pacing mare Uniquerock, driven by Kody Massey, won their respective divisions.
Up Your Deo delivers in Yonkers Trot
Up Your Deo, fresh off a track record win in his elimination a week ago, kicked off this year’s Trotting Triple Crown with a 1:53.3 triumph for trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt in the $300,000 MGM Yonkers Trot, for 3-year-old colts and geldings, on Friday night (June 30) at MGM Yonkers Raceway.
Captain Batboy hits home run in Messenger
Captain Batboy and driver Jordan Stratton made every call a winning one, capturing the $250,000 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes, the first jewel of Pacing’s Triple Crown, at Yonkers Raceway on Friday night (June 30) in a sparkling 1:57.4 clocking for the 1-1/16-mile distance. A son of Captainreacherous, Captain Batboy, a winner of just $94,468 entering the race, more than doubled his earnings for owner Joseph Smith and trainer Tom Fanning.
Record handle, Davies trotters in Cumberland spotlight
Fans showed Maine harness racing some love on Friday (June 30) at First Tracks Cumberland with an all-time record handle of $265,000. In addition, trainer-driver Ivan Davies swept both divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-olds, with both trotters being bred by the late Mike Andrew, sired by Boy Band, and owned by Anita Anastosopolous.
Island Of The Sea, Hot Mess Express, rookies impress at Philly
Both Island Of The Sea and Hot Mess Express rode pocket trips to victory in the $16,200 featured paces on a hot Friday afternoon (June 30) at Harrah’s Philadelphia.