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The Saturday (Oct. 7) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Vernon Downs, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and Saratoga Casino Hotel.

Calvin B wins Open Pace at Vernon

Fotowon photo

Calvin B captures the featured event at Vernon Downs on Saturday evening.

Vernon, NY — Calvin B (Chris Lems) captured the featured Open Pace ($11,400) at Vernon Downs on Saturday (Oct. 7).

The favorite Oh My Joepa (John MacDonald) would take the lead just before the first quarter and posted early fractions of :26.1 and :55.3.

Calvin B (Bettor’s Delight), owned by Delores Smiel and trained by Heidi Rohr, went first-over and took control just before three-quarters. He would put them away in the stretch to win in 1:50.0.

Geez Joe (Atlee Bender) would charge late and come up to finish second. Dreams Beachboy (Jimmy Whittemore) would take third.

Calvin B ($10.80) would win for the seventh time this season and won the 28th time in his career.

Lems would also get a win with Mac’s Black Hat ($4.60).

Leading driver John MacDonald would win three on the night. He was victorious with Cam’s Lucky Sam ($2.60), A Fool For Mark ($2.80) and Yule Love It ($10.00).

Live action returns to Vernon Downs on Friday (Oct. 13) starting at 6:45 p.m.

For more information please go to www.vernondowns.com

— by John Horne

The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono

The Jereme’s Jet gelding Alta Jerome N, who won his last start at Yonkers, shipped back to the “home track” of his trainer Chris Oakes and promptly made it two in a row, taking the $20,000 featured conditioned pace Saturday at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in 1:50.3. Top driver George Napolitano Jr., noted for his aggressive steering of horses, played a well-timed waiting game in the feature, sitting just behind pacesetting favorite Bushwacker, who led through early splits of :25.4 and :55.1, and Archangel Three, who popped the pocket to challenge the leader in a huge third-quarter, with the third marker reached in 1:22. Napolitano kept his pacer to the inside, ducked into the famed Pocono Pike, and went on to get a half-length decision over Bushwacker while equaling his lifetime best. Alta Jerome N went over the quarter-million dollar lifetime earnings plateau for Northfork Racing Stable and Sam Dalia. On a generally bad night for chalk at Pocono, two favored horses owned at least in part by the VIP Internet Stable LLC won the $16,500 co-featured paces, with both cuts going faster than the feature event. First out, in the very first race, was the Four Starzzz Shark gelding Allstar Partner, who never looked back for driver Anthony Napolitano while lowering his lifetime mark over two seconds to 1:49. Andrew Harris trains the winner $543,126, and VIP owns him outright. In the other feature, the Sportswriter gelding Maxdaddy Blue Chip was a pocket rocket, getting home first in 1:50 for the brother team of driver Simon Allard and trainer Rene Allard. The late developing speedster is co-owned by VIP with Allard Racing Inc., Alycon Stable, and How’s That Stables Inc.

Saratoga Casino Hotel

Artful Way (Artistic Fella) continued his sensational campaign in Saturday’s feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The defending Pacer of the Year at the Spa, Artful Way put the swoop to the group in the $18,000 Open Pace for the second consecutive weekend. The Jackie Greene trainee again got away last in the seven-horse feature and sat patiently as track record holder Dancin Yankee (Mark Beckwith) battled it out with co-favored Deetzy (Billy Dobson). Those two checked in together to three-quarters in 1:23.2. All the while, Frank Coppola Jr. was about to make his move with Artful Way who is actually having a better year already than he did in his award winning 2016 campaign. Coming from last at the half when he was still nine lengths off the lead, Artful Way powered past the dueling rivals to win in 1:52.2. Dancin Yankee was the runner-up in the Open for the second consecutive week while Deetzy earned the show spot, hitting the board for the third straight week in Saturday feature. Artful Way was co-favored at odds of 8-5 and led an exacta and triple that paid $17 and $24.40, respectively.
Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee set to begin at 12:15 p.m. There is a Monday matinee scheduled as well with the Columbus Day program also starting at 12:15 p.m.