from harness publicists across North America

Saturday’s (August 7) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Yonkers Raceway, Northfield Park, Batavia Downs and Running Aces.

Atochia wins Yonkers Open

Yonkers, NY — Atochia (Yannick Gingras) was second-over and first home Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $42,500 Open Handicap Pace.

Tom Berg photo

Atochia (#6) was a 1:52.3 winner in the Open Handicap Pace.

Assigned penultimate post position No. 6, Atochia towed in behind Gidddy Up Lucky (Eric Goodell) as they chased 17-10 choice Psilvuheartbreaker (Cat Manzi). That one stepped around pylon-sitter Forensic Z Tam (Patrick Lachance) and led through intervals of :27.1, :56.2 and 1:24.1.

However, after taking a 1-1/4 length lead into the stretch, Psilvuheartbreaker tired. Atochia was a neck better than Forensic Z Tam in 1:52.3, with Giddy Up Lucky, Psilvuheartbreaker and Arduous (Jim Pantaleano) completing the cashers.

Atochia, a 5-year-old Dragon Again gelding co-owned by (trainer) Ronnie Burke, Weaver Bruscemi, JJK and M1 Stables, returned $5.60 (second choice) for his fourth win in 18 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $62.50, with the triple returning $336.

— Frank Drucker

Northfield Park
Dan Charlino took both feature races on Saturday at Northfield Park. Charlino steered Meadows invader Maggies Son A ($6.80) to a 1:55.1 lifetime best-equaling win in Northfield’s $5,500 Open Pace. R. Mac Davis trains the recent Aussie import for Brent Davis. The 11-year-old Safely Kept gelding led at every call to beat Howyadoinpal, who closed five-wide from last around the final turn, and Camcoder, whose first-over bid was unsuccessful. Maggies Son A will go over the quarter-million dollar career earnings mark with a win in his next start. In the $6,000 Open Handicap Trot, Charlino piloted the Fred Winstead-trained Master Buckin Uhl ($3.40) to his fourth victory in his last five starts, using the same strategy as he did in the top pace — go to the front and improve your position from there. William Cantrell’s 4-year-old Master Lavec gelding defeated Online Auction and Giulio in the 1:57.2 mile, as he pushed his career earnings to $37,055.

Batavia Downs
As Batavia Downs Casino racing fans munched on food that had prices rolled back to a different era it was only fitting that the winner of the $9,000 Preferred Handicap Pace was out of one of the top mares that raced at the Downs a long time ago. Two Twentytwo, a son of former Downs Open mare Marvelous Helen, made his second lifetime start at Batavia a winning one when he pulled the mild upset in the weekly pacing feature. Getting away third, Two Twentytwo and catch driver Jamie Dunlap stayed along the pylons until the field, led by Vernon Downs invader Stonebridge Wish (Jack Rice), made their final swing. Deciding it was time to go Dunlap pulled the 6-year-old by Blissfull Hall and they were quickly up to engage Stonebridge Wish as they turned for home. Down the lane the two classy pacers threw down the gauntlet but it was Two Twentytwo, who paced his final quarter in :27.2, who got the best of the Vernon track record holder to score by three-quarters of a length in 1:54.3. Last week’s Preferred winner, Arm And A Leg, finished a non-threatening third. Two Twentytwo ($9.50) notched his fifth win of the season after taking two years off due to a bowed tendon. Back in 2007, Two Twentytwo was one of the highest rated 3-year-olds in all of North America. Trainer Richie Mays has done a tremendous job bringing him back for owner Dominic Colarusso, Jr. The win was one of four for reinsman Jamie Dunlap.

Running Aces
A trio of Minnesota-sired horses shared the spotlight with leading driver Dean Magee on Saturday night at Running Aces Harness Park. The stage was set early when Gravity Storm won a 2-year-old state-restricted $4,000 pacing event in track record time. The son of General Aidid, owned by Wolfswinkel Pacers, Inc. and trained by Chris Banks, stormed home in 1:58.3 for the first of Magee’s three triumphs on the nine-race card. The clocking eclipsed the 1:59 track standard for 2-year-old geldings set by Doug’s Legacy in 2009. Gravity Storm bested a pair of other nice Minnesota freshmen as I Do It Myself (Rick Magee) and Powerful Place (Bob Lems) finished second and third in the record-setting mile. DJ Speedy Fox extended her win streak to four against the best Minnesota-sired trotters in a $6,500 Handicap Trot. Driver-trainer Craig Banks co-owns the filly by Dem Speedy Bones with Ernie and Lucas Koltas. Banks left alertly from the assigned outside post position to lead in :29 at the quarter, then cruised home an eight length winner in 2:01.1 over Nearly Rich (Brandon Jenson) and Shadowontheground (J.D. Perrin). DJ Speedy Fox and DJ French Baby, another outstanding Minnesota-sired filly, will meet head-to-head in a $20,000 (est.) championship race on closing day, August 28, which has been designated Minnesota State Championships Night with approximately $150,000 in purses. Magee was on the reins of the third Minnesota-sired winner on the evening as well when he guided Yo Lady’s Man to an upset victory in a $5,500 conditioned event for 3- and 4-year-olds at 11-1 odds. It was the first win in nine tries for the Relentless Yankee gelding owned by John Hendricks and trained by Justin Anfinson. The winner took advantage of an early break in stride by favored Mint Paddy to best Daddy Don’t Care (Perrin) and General Caper (Joey Mapes) in 1:59.1. When Magee captured the final race on the program with Farragut, it was his 51st win in 38 nights of racing at Running Aces this season. The 46-year-old Chicago-area veteran has double the wins of his nearest competitor and is a shoe-in to become the third leading driver in three years at the Minnesota five-eighths-mile oval. John DeLong captured the title in the inaugural season and Rick Magee, Dean’s cousin, was the 2009 dash champion. The race for place in the driver standings is still very tight with Rick Magee (26 wins) a single victory ahead of Tim Maier (25). DeLong and Nick Roland are tied for fourth with 23 tallies apiece.