from harness publicists around North America

Thursday’s (July 19) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Scioto Downs, Vernon Downs, Yonkers Raceway and Saratoga Casino and Raceway.

Blazing Future best in Scioto feature

Columbus, OH — Blazing Future won the co-featured seventh race trot event on the Thursday night card at Scioto Downs. The 3-year-old gelding triumped in 1:57.4 for driver Dan Noble and trainer Jim Arledge, Jr.

The victory was his third in nine starts this season and brought his seasonal earnings to $15,375 for owners Ronald Bates and Dustin Arledge. Blazing Future defeated Master’s Fly Trap and B Cor Thomas.

In the other co-feature, Fortune Sailor and Jim Dailey trotted to the wire first in 2:00.3 over Heavenly Chip and Jesses Smirk. It was only his second win in 17 starts this year and the upset victory rewarded bettors with a $17.80 payoff. Stephanie Hanood trains and owns the gelding.

Earlier in the program, a pair of events for 2-year-olds featured some promising freshmen in action over the fast five-eighths-mile oval. Each was contested for a purse of $4,500.

In the opening race of the evening, the rookie lass Artprize (Somebeachsomewhere) went to the front early and led all the way, stopping the timer in 1:58.4 with her victory. The filly is trained by Brian Brown and Ryan Stahl was in the sulky as she defeated Latenight Rendevous and Caviart Savannah. Artprize is owned by Jennifer Brown and Gary Cook and paid $24.20 in winning from post eight in her first career start.

The next race was for first-season trotters and Paris Hall got to the wire first by a nose in 2:03.3 for trainer Jim Pollock, Jr. and driver Chris Page. The Deweycheatumnhowe filly scored over Little King Cole and Double A Hurricane. She paid $6.40 in duplicating Artprize’s feat of overcoming post eight. She is owned by Stephen Richard and David Ehrenberg II. It was her first start after two qualifying efforts.

— Dean Hoffman

Vernon Downs
The hard-charging pacer Glad Cam didn’t disappoint her backers in Thursday night’s featured first race at Vernon Downs, posting a 1:52.3 victory. Going off as the favorite in Thursday’s $10,500 Open for laterally-gaited females, Glad Cam ($3.00) gathered momentum from fourth at the quarter before sweeping into the lead with a fast and frisky move approaching the three-quarter mark. With veteran trainer Chuck Connor, Jr. at the controls, the 6-year-old daughter of Camotion-CR Charisma opened up a six length advantage entering the final furlong, and then coasted to a two length triumph. It marked the second Vernon victory this season, the fourth in 2012 and her 14th all-time tally. Robert J. Lovett owns the career winner of $90,878, who came within three ticks of the timer of her lifetime speed mark. It was one of two tallies during Thursday’s nine-race program for Connor, who has earned three wins in five local appearances this season. The 57-year-old horseman currently ranks third on Vernon’s all-time list for 2:00 driving miles with 822. Driver Rick Plano also piloted a pair of first-place finishers during the track’s 38th program, raising his meet leading total to 62.

Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers Raceway turned into the Holland Tunnel Thursday night. More specifically, the Brent Holland Tunnel. Holland lit up the tote board not once, not twice, but thrice, bringing home a trio of bombardiers on the dozen-race card. Holland began his parade of prices with Lookettejasper — a horse he used to own — and a 13-1 ($28.40) upset in the $11,500 third race pace. The winner snapped a season-long (0-for-18) skid, skimming the cones in 1:55.3. Holland then closed stoutly with 18-1 Cosmo Madness ($38.40) in the $14,500 eighth race pace (1:54.3), who, like Lookettejasper, came in zilch-for-18 in 2012. Both horses are owned by Evan Katz and trained by Paul Blumenfeld. Holland’s third and final assault on the odds came with All Star Dragon ($31.40) in the $19,000 11th race pace, going the distance in 1:53.1 for co-owners (trainer) Gilberto Garcia-Herrera and Michi Abday. Holland is currently seventh in the local driving standings with 81 wins.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Denyittotheend (Tell All) set her lifetime mark in Thursday’s conditioned pace for fillies and mares at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. Getting class relief for her third local start, Denyittotheend took over the lead heading to the three-quarters and turned back the favorite in the stretch to secure her first win of the season. The victory for the John Berger trained 3-year-old filly came in 1:55.2, which served as a career best. Leading driver Billy Dobson sat behind the sophomore who competed in the New Jersey Sire Stakes earlier this spring before making her Spa debut in June. The win was one of three on the night for Dobson. Upstroke Hanover (Dan Cappello, Jr.) had to settle for second while Abrokenarthanover (Jay Randall) earned the show spot.