Brown/Wagner combo connects again at Colonial Downs

New Kent, VA — A day after the John Wagner/Manley Brown, Jr. driver/trainer combo scored a 1:51.2 winning mile at Colonial Downs with Camafications, the duo connected again in Thursday’s featured seventh race with Salazar in that same 1:51.2 time. Those are the fastest two miles recorded thus far in opening week action.

The consistent Salazar took the lead from Columbia Art shortly after a :27.1 opening quarter, then went on to carve out :55.3 and 1:23.4 fractions.

Coady Photography

Wygant Pearl captured the first leg of the Todd & Doug Parker Memorial Trotting Series in 1:59.

The 6-year-old McArdle gelding distanced himself from the field with nearly every step in the stretch and coasted home to a 6-3/4 length victory. He is co-owned by John Denison and Frank Denison.

An hour long rain preceded the races and though the track condition was sloppy for Salazar’s race, the track was upgraded to good for the next race.

A pair of late closer trotting events got underway Thursday. Wygant Pearl got a wire-to-wire trip in capturing the Todd & Doug Parker Memorial Trotting Series’ first leg in 1:59. The 4-year-old Muscles Yankee mare squeaked out a head victory over a pesky Justgottogetthere who challenged the winner stride for stride in deep stretch. Jason MacDougall guided Wygant Pearl for trainer Chase Vandervort.

The Parker Memorial will continue each of the next two Thursdays with one mile contests.

Jane Dunavant’s Taste Of Paradise captured the Virginia Harness Horsemen’s Association Series after making a break while on the lead exiting the turn. Driver Dan O’Mara quickly got the 4-year-old mare trotting again and coasted home to a 4-1/2 length win over Rise N Shine in 1:57.1.

The VHHA Series will also continue the next two Thursdays, but the $5,000 final on Sept. 20 will be raced at a 1-1/4 mile distance.

— Darrell Wood

Scioto Downs
Trotters starred in the co-featured events at Scioto Downs on Thursday night as two $6,500 events were contested. Favored R E Shawn prevailed for Ohio of Fame driver Chip Noble in the first, scoring from behind with a 1:59 mile. The son of Jailhouse Jesse is trained and owned by Paul Russell. Starting from post eight, R E Shawn was outside at every call in the mile and still managed to trot away from his rivals to win by 1-1/4 lengths. E Z Go Lavec and Heavenly Chip were the early pacesetters as Noble gradually advanced on the outside with R E Shawn. In the final quarter, it came down to a duel between Heavenly Chip, driven by Dan Noble, and R E Shawn, driven by his father. The senior Noble had the trotter with the most step in the homestretch and he won. Heavenly Chip saved second and the 77-1 shot Pinechip’s Babe rallied to get third. Two races later trainer-driver Don Pfister scored with Makin Green Lavec in 2:00 as he gunned down the favored pacesetter Reverand Speed in the final quarter. Makin Green Lavec had raced in mid-pack before Pfister asked his trotter for speed and he responded willingly. Reverand Speed wasn’t about to surrender easily and was just a neck back at the finish line. Jesses Smirk, sent off at odds of 36-1, finished third. Makin Green Lavec is owned by George Ervin.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Ideal Fame moved his local record to four for four at Saratoga Casino and Raceway with a convincing victory on Thursday night. Ideal Fame (Western Ideal), who is trained by the meet’s leading conditioner Melissa Beckwith, cruised on the lead at odds of 1-9 en route to his fourth consecutive win at the Spa. The 3-year-old pacer set a lifetime mark on Thursday, stopping the timer in 1:53.4 in the $15,000 conditioned-claimer. Mark Beckwith piloted Ideal Fame to the win for owners Bill Grass and Bruce Karel.