from harness publicists across North America

Friday’s (March 15) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from The Meadows, Saratoga Casino and Raceway and Buffalo Raceway.

Burke pair sweeps Meadows series splits

Washington, PA — Mattwestern and Save My Dragon, a pair of Ron Burke trainees piloted by Dave Palone, swept Friday’s $12,500 divisions of the Donna Dunn Memorial Pace, a series for 3- and 4-year-old fillies and mares, at The Meadows.

Mattwestern won her opening leg division last week off a five-month layoff and, if anything, looked even more impressive in repeating. Though parked the first quarter, she sailed home without a serious challenge in a sharp 1:53.4, 1-3/4 lengths better than the pocket-sitting Emotional Wreck. Michabu finished third.

Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC own the 3-year-old daughter of Western Terror-Mattonement.

Stuck with post nine, Save My Dragon had little trouble securing the early lead and scoring in 1:54.2. Lil Miss Snowflake rallied for second, three-quarters of a length back, with Iwannebejustlikeu third.

The 3-year-old daughter of Dragon Again-Save My Life races for Duke Sugg, Randall Van Hutchison and Robert V. Hutchison.

Palone (four) and Brett Miller (five) dominated Friday’s action, combining for nine victories on the 12-race card, while Burke notched four wins overall.

— Evan Pattak

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Upfront Billy (Andover Hall) prevailed in his first local Open Trot on Friday night at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. The Mark Ford trained highstepper earned almost $300,000 last year as a 3-year-old and is looking good in his 4-year-old campaign. Billy Dobson sat behind Upfront Billy as they sat patiently throughout a first half that went in :59.1. Behind a backstretch blitz, Upfront Billy cruised away from his rivals before reporting home a winner in 1:58.2 in the evening’s $20,000 feature. Enrico As (Shawn Gray) closed for second while Yankee Manny (Howard Okusko, Jr.) earned the show spot.

Buffalo Raceway
In what was arguably the best race of the night, Bit O Looks won the $8,500 featured trot in 2:01 for owner Paul Stolfo at Buffalo Raceway on Friday night. It was the third win this season for the 6-year-old ILooklikemymom mare. Leaving from the pylons in the field of eight, Bit O Looks ($6.30) and reinsman Dan Noble settled in third as eventual third place finisher JA’s Charmer (Jim Morrill, Jr.) cut all the fractions in the race, :29.2, 1:00.1 and 1:30.4. As the field hit the top of the stretch, Noble had Bit O Looks perfectly positioned second on the outside and a :30.1 last quarter-mile put the winner a head in front of Starbux Eden (John Cummings, Jr.) at the wire. Trained by Larry Clabaugh, the $4,250 share of the purse put Bit O Looks’ season’s earnings at $15,696 and $89,919 lifetime. It was her 24th win in 111 lifetime attempts.