by harness racing publicists across North America

Friday’s (Oct. 14) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dayton Raceway, Vernon Downs, Batavia Downs and Saratoga.

Brookletssuprsonic shocks Dayton mares in 1:52.4

Dayton, OH — Don’t tell this older grey mare that she ain’t what she used to be. Brookletssuprsonic, a 6-year-old roan daughter of Personal Power, shocked the open distaff pacers at Hollywood Dayton Raceway on Friday night (Oct. 14) when she captured the $15,000 race in 1:52.4.

Dispatched at odds of 15-1 and facing open company for the first time in her career, Brookletssuprsonic and driver Kyle Ater dropped into the two-hole early in the :27.2 opening quarter, then sat chilly in the pocket through middle panels of :56.3 and 1:24.2. First-over bids first by favored She’s Shocking and then by last week’s winner. Town Temptress faltered around the final turn. Thtat resulted in an opportunity for the eventual winner to pounce from the pocket at the head of the stretch.

Pertty Music (Dan Noble), who was locked in behind Brookletssuprsonic throughout the mile, finally also found room to race in mid-stretch to garner runner-up laurels, while the pacesetter Albanian Era (Jeremy Smith) hung tough to complete the trifecta.

Although the winner now has $120,225 in lifetime earnings ($46,780 this season), she earned less than $100 per start in 19 2015 starts, failing to hit the board in any race last year. Owner Kirk Nichols plucked Brookletssuprsonic from a $10,000 claiming race at Scioto Downs in July and entrusted her to his longtime trainer Dan Ater.

Following five consecutive second and third place finishes in $15,000 claimers and high condition races, she was “forced” into the open where she was relegated to longshot status. The combination, however, of being in razor sharp form and a heads-up steer by Ater, resulted in this old grey mare being more than she used to be…at least on this night.

Brookletssuprsonic paid $32.80 to win, while the exacta returned a robust $126.20. Successful 10-cent superfecta punters were rewarded with a $133.45 payoff.

— by Gregg Keidel

Vernon Downs

J A T O, the 4-year-old gelding, who climbed rapidly from lower-level non-winners races to the Open ranks at Vernon Downs last fall, suffered his first defeat at the Miracle Mile in Friday evening’s (Oct. 14) featured $10,500 Miracle Mile/Open Handicap Trot. Despite a strong early push to the fore through a :27.3 initial quarter mile and a pressure-free :58.3 middle half, J A T O (Chris Lems) would ultimately be upended by pocket rival Waiting On a Woman ($3.10), who made his move off the pegs in mid-stretch and edged away to prevail by a length at the end of a 1:54.3 mile over fast going. J A T O held the runner-up spot, while Its Payday Friday (Ronnie Morales) sustained gradual uncovered gains to take third. Waiting On a Woman was availed a clear trip throughout by local leading driver John MacDonald, lacking for racing room at no point in the mile. The 8-year-old Northern Bailey gelding captured his 56th career win for owner Michael Polansky and trainer Kyle Spagnola. In the evening’s sub-featured $7,900 distaff trot, Homer Hochstetler and Robert Buddig’s Sweet Thing ($4.30) made every yard a winning one, holding sway of My Lucky Word for a 1:55 score. Fern Paquet, Jr. drove the 4-year-old Chocolatier mare for one of his three wins on the evening’s 10-race card. Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Saturday (Oct. 15) with an 11-race card; post time is 6:45 p.m.

Batavia Downs

After finishing second in the top local trot twice last month, Noble Legend ($25.40) blew up the tote board along with his rivals in winning the $10,500 Open trotting feature at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Oct. 14). After taking last week off, Noble Legend returned to the track with a new attitude and approach. Driver Shawn Gray sent Noble Legend right to the front and took no prisoners from there. He led the troops by two open lengths through fractions of :28.1, :57.3 and 1:26.2 while the trailers were struggling to keep up. At the top of the lane, Noble Legend was cruising under mild urging from Gray when Studio City (Dave McNeight III) who was second the whole mile, drifted off the pegs in an attempt to collar the leader. But all that did was allow BZ Glide (Mike Caprio) to slide up inside him and get into the action. Noble Legend trotted on to win in 1:56.4 by a length over the fast closing BZ Glide and Studio City, who finished second and third respectively. It was the eighth win of the season for Noble Legend who increased his 2016 bankroll to $55,983 for owners Vogel & Wags Nags and Jack Rice. Maria Rice trains the 4-year-old son of Kadabra. In the co-featured $10,000 Open mares pace, Dontch Remember ($26.20) shook off a two-month winless streak and led the ladies wire-to-wire by gapped lengths to win her eighth race of the year in a new lifetime mark of 1:54.4. Gerry Sarama trains the 6-year-old Western Terror mare for owner Mike Torcello. Driver Jim Morrill Jr. continued his torrid pace at the Downs, winning another five races on the card. He scored with Love U Forever ($3.70, 1:58.3), The Bronx Bumper ($7.10, 1:58.4), Keystone Wild Card ($4.10, 2:02), Dontch Remember ($26.20, 1:54.4) and Son Of Nordic ($9.90, 1:58.3). The five wins and one second in eight starts gave Morrill a .694 UDR for the night. Drew Monti had a driving double and Mike Ohol had two winners on the training side. The dash driving leader board continues to be tight. Kevin Cummings, despite not visiting the winner’s circle on Friday, remains on top with 67 wins. Drew Monti is second with 62 and Jim Morrill Jr. vaulted into third on the strength of his performance with 61 victories. Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Oct. 15) at 6:15 p.m.

Saratoga

Classy veteran Yagonnakissmeornot (The Panderosa) made her return to Saratoga Casino Hotel on Friday night (Oct.14) to compete in the $16,000 Fillies and Mares Open. The Rene Allard-trained distaffer romped in the local feature when she last came to town in Aug. but the 7-year-old had a little bit more difficulty on Friday night. The race’s 3-5 betting favorite, Yagonnakissmeornot made a methodical march to the early lead while pocketing So Nice (Mark Beckwith) before posting a first half of :56 seconds. The classy mare then paced through a final lap of matching :28.3 quarters en route to her win in 1:53.1. Facing a two-pronged challenge in the stretch from So Nice and last week’s Open winner Truth And Liberty (Bruce Aldrich Jr.), Yagonnakissmeornot held on to win by a nose to record her sixth victory of the year. So Nice was the runner up for the fifth consecutive time while Truth And Liberty earned the show spot. With the win, Yagonnakissmeornot moved ever closer to the $1.5 million mark in career earnings. She was driven by Billy Dobson, who piloted four consecutive winners on the Friday card. Live racing continues on Saturday night (Oct. 15) with first post time set for 6:45 p.m.
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