from harness publicists across North America

Sunday’s (June 3) Racing Roundup features stories from Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Tioga Downs, Saratoga Casino and Raceway and Scarborough Downs.

Big Rigs captures Sunday trotting feature at Pocono

Wilkes Barre, PA — Big Rigs powered home for a come-from-behind victory in the stretch in the featured trot at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, highlighting the season’s first Sunday night card at the track. The feature, a condition trot for non-winners of $25,000 lifetime, carried the night’s top purse of $25,000.

Leaving from post position #3 in a field of nine as the 2-5 favorite, Big Rigs, a four-year-old stallion from the barn of Kelly O’Donnell, sat mid-pack early. Driver David Miller set him in motion on the back stretch second-over before urging him three-wide for a clear shot in the stretch. Big Rigs responded by speeding by the leaders for a half-length victory in 1:52:4. Equity, who led for much of the mile, settled for second, while Tui picked up the show.

Big Rigs, sired by Andover Hall, won for the third time in six 2012 starts. It was his 11th career victory, giving him lifetime earnings of $634,436.

— Jim Beviglia

Tioga Downs
Bettor’s Reward did just what his name indicates and sent his backers home happy in today’s featured $16,500 Open pace. Sent off as the $1.80 second choice, Mike Simons allowed the early action to unfold in front of him while taking a seat fourth along the rail. Fox Valley Tribal and driver Fern Paquet, Jr. cut the early fractions of :26.4 and :55.3. Along the way to the half, Simons edged out Bettor’s Reward to what looked liked a long grind first-over but as Bettor’s Reward came eye to eye with Fox Valley Tribal down the backside the 4-year-old gelding kicked in a little extra and was able to clear for the lead just before a three-quarters timed in 1:23. From there on he opened up on the field by 4 lengths and was able to hold off a late charging Hay Goodlooking to stop the timer in 1:52.4. Hay Goodlooking held on for second while Voice Of Truth was third.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
With no fillies and mares open on the Sunday docket at Saratoga Casino and Raceway, the $11,000 ninth race for distaff pacers served as the matinee’s feature. Miss Maverick (Western Maverick) was making her third local start since coming to the Spa for trainer Paul Zabielski. Driver Jim Devaux moved the 4-year-old mare out to the lead and once she got there, she would not look back. Though well off of the win time she set two weeks ago when she stopped the timer in 1:53.3, Miss Maverick held strong in the stretch to hang on for a 1:55.4 win, holding off a late surge by HF’s Super Star (Chris Long). Miss Maverick made good at odds of 6-5 while recording her third win in four tries and fifth victory on the season. Longshot Maximum Bet (Jay Randall) came on to earn the show spot.

Scarborough Downs
Rookies and veterans alike came to the forefront at Scarborough Downs this weekend. On Friday (6/1), third-year, twenty-one-year-old driver, Steve Nason, posted a grand slam driving performance, and disproving the old adage that “youth will be served,” veteran driver Gary Mosher stepped up to the plate belting a four bagger of his own on Sunday (6/3) with wins in the first four races on the program. In a weekend punctuated by driver accomplishments, the dominant equine story centered around the major upset in Saturday’s $6,000 Free for All event, as the up-start pacer, Art’s Sake, recently claimed by Ron Cushing for $8,000, manhandled the classy veteran and prohibitive favorite, Wholly Louy (Heath Campbell), snapping his four race win streak as the tandem dueled to the wire in a blazing 1:56.4 over an extremely muddy Scarborough Oval.