by harness racing publicists across North America
The Saturday (Aug. 19) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Kawartha Downs, Saratoga Casino and Hotel, Batavia Downs and Vernon Downs.
Americanprimetime, Can I Say take Saturday features at Pocono
Wilkes-Barre, PA — The rain came to The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono just before the $20,000 featured pace on Saturday night (Aug. 19), but the moisture didn’t deter Americanprimetime from going wire-to-wire in 1:49.4 over the surface just rerated to sloppy.
The victory was far from easy for the 7-5 favorite, however. Starting from the rail with driver George Napolitano Jr., Americanprimetime would not give up the lead to parked challenger and 8-5 second choice Major Uptrend, who refused an early tuck and the pair dueled past fractions of :27 and :54, continuing towards the three-quarters until Major Uptrend start to tire before the station, reached in 1:21.3.
Through the lane Americanprimetime had to hold off the two horses behind him on the inside, but he had enough to keep pocketsitter JJ Flynn at bay by 1-1/4 lengths at the wire, with El Bloombito another half-length back in third despite broken equipment.
The victory was the seventh of the year for Americanprimetime, a son of American Ideal and a winner of $445,919, who is trained by Rick Dane Jr. for the Rock&Roll Stable Inc.
In the $16,500 handicap trot, raced over a fast surface, Can I Say, even though she was rising in class, did not catch the fans as unaware as they were last week, when she paid $60.00. This week the Fourth And One mare made it two in a row, equaling her lifetime mark of 1:53.1 taken here as a 6-year-old in 2015. Tony Morgan handled the sulky duties of the engine winner, who is trained by Doug Berkeley for owners Terry and Clarence Devos and James Whelan.
Tomorrow night at Pocono, 2-year-old trotting colts will contest not only $164,355 in three divisions (races three through five) of their Pennsylvania Sire Stakes’ final preliminary leg, but they will also be looking to have a big race to ensure themselves of a spot among the eight horses going behind the gate at the mountain oval on Labor Day, Monday (Sept. 4), in their division’s $252,000 Sire Stakes Championship.
— by PHHA/Pocono
Kawartha Downs
It was an excellent night for Jim Gillespie at Kawartha Downs Saturday (Aug. 19) as he won three races on the eight-race program and a pair of bouncy pony races as well. The young pilot’s hat trick was courtesy of Wildcat Jet who won the first race in 1:59, Wildcat Magic who took the fourth in 1:54.4 and Nothing But Bad who was home first in the sixth race to win in 1:58.3. Kawartha also featured bouncy pony races this evening with two qualifying races, the first for four of the track’s top drivers, Gillespie, Nick Boyd, Justin Turcotte and Rob Doyle, with the second qualifying race starring four trainers Ronda Markle, Rod Hughes, Tommy Riley and Dave Gibson. The top two finishers from each heat returned for the final race off after the seventh race. Gillespie won the drivers’ event and it was very tight for second between Nick Boyd and Rob Doyle with the judges giving the nod to Boyd. In the trainers’ match up Tommy Riley was the going away winner over Rod Hughes. In the face off it was the drivers edging the trainers and the finish was so close at the wire for first place between Boyd and Gillespie the judges declared a dead heat. The bouncy ponies were on loan from Grand River Raceway and the Kawartha race fans thoroughly enjoyed watching a different type of horse racing tonight featuring their favorite horse people. Racing returns to Kawartha Downs next Saturday night with a 7 p.m. post time.
Saratoga
Arsenic (Bettor’s Delight) has been a favorite of the betting public. The Heidi Rohr-trained pacer had been the top choice of the bettors in six consecutive starts competing at four different tracks heading into his try in Saturday night’s feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Arsenic was once again the favorite on Saturday and would wind up first-over in the $11,250 feature. Billy Dobson piloted the 4-year-old pacer as he cruised past the leader before opening up a big lead. Arsenic prevailed by better than three lengths in a mile paced in 1:52.3. The win was one of four on the card for Dobson who holds a big lead in the local driver standings. The Arsenic victory was one of three on the night for Rohr whose Beachy Dream prevailed earlier in the night. Her Burkes Bandit scored in the evening’s finale to complete the training triple. Live racing resumes on Tuesday night at Saratoga with a first post time set for 7:05 pm.
Batavia Downs
In a race that provided more moves than United Van Lines, Fireyourguns once again showed his local dominance as he won his third $10,000 Open Handicap victory at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Aug. 19). Fireyourguns (Mike Caprio) left and tucked in behind last week’s Open winner Believe This Bob (Drew Monti) by the eighth pole. But before they got to the quarter, Caprio decided to pull and take the lead himself and all that action only took :26.3 seconds. Despite the race proceeding at a crisp pace, the newly imported Australian Teo Enteo A (Larry Stalbaum) who had gotten away fourth, was already out and rolling at the three-eighths and grabbed the front by the half in :54.4. Teo Enteo A continued to motor along up the backside when Believe This Bob popped out from third and tried to push the issue. He got up to second on the outside and eventually drew even with the leader at the top of the stretch. But as those two continued to battle, Teo Enteo A tired and started to drift allowing the pocket-sitting Fireyourguns a clear path to the wire. Caprio raised the lines and drove hard and Fireyourguns did the rest, winning by a neck in 1:53.1. It was the fifth win in 11 starts this year for Fireyourguns ($3.00) and third win in as many starts at Batavia Downs. Now boasting $376,456 in lifetime earnings, Fireyourguns is owned by Jennifer and Robert Lowe and Terrence McClory, who also trains the winner. In the co-featured $9,000 Open II pace, Shady City (Larry Stalbaum) who hasn’t left in the last four weeks, shot off the gate and took the lead then never looked back; winning by two lengths in 1:54. Shady City ($7.80) captured his ninth win of the year for owner/trainer Larry Stalbaum. Driver Ray Fisher Jr. had three wins on the night. The guaranteed $5,000 USTA Strategic Wagering Pick-5 pool produced a $3,308.50 payout for the 4-1-6-4-7 combination. Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Sunday (Aug. 20) with post time at 1:15 p.m.
Vernon Downs
JK Panache (Chris Lems) wins the Saturday night (August 19) featured pace at Vernon Downs. Golden Gun (Josh Kinney) would lead them to the first quarter in :26.3. Oh My Joepa (John Macdonald) would then takeover hitting the half in :56.0 and three-quarters in 1:24.3. JK Panache (Art Major), who is owned by Phillip Hale and trainer David Dewhurst, would make a late bid to fly right by to win in 1:52.2. Oh My Joepa (Rocknroll Hanover) would hang on for second best. Energy Shakes (Jimmy Whittemore) would finish third. JK Panache ($5.10) won for the sixth time this year. The 8-year-old gelding now has 52 lifetime wins. The best race of the night featured the top two drivers. John MacDonald and Dragon Fever (Dragon Again) battled Chris Lems all the way down the stretch. In the end Dragon Fever ($9.80) would win by a nose. Chris Lems would win two other races on the night. He would win with Golden Brit (American Ideal), going gate-to-wire, holding off a late charge by McDan (Josh Kinney). Golden Brit paid $15.80 for the win. His third win of the night came with Pramatic Life ($17.80). Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Thursday (August 24) starting at 6:45 p.m. For more information go to www.vernondowns.com.