by harness racing publicists across North America

The Saturday (June 9) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Saratoga Casino Hotel, Vernon Downs, Tioga Downs, Bluegrass Downs and Running Aces.

Carolina Beach wins at Saratoga

Saratoga, NY — Back in March, the Melissa Beckwith-trained Carolina Beach (Somebeachsomewhere) won his debut in the Open Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The gelding was only lightly raced in 201, but has put together a strong 4-year-old campaign here in 2018. On Saturday night (June 9), Carolina Beach went off at odds of 7-2 while starting from post three in just his third try while competing in the $14,500 Open.

Melissa Simser-Iovino photo

Carolina Beach wins the Open at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Saturday night.

After working hard in a :26.4 first quarter, Mark Beckwith gave Carolina Beach a bit of a second quarter breather before reaching the half in :55.4. From there, Carolina Beach drew away from his rivals to win by 5-1/2 lengths in 1:51.2, a new lifetime mark in just the 31st start of his career.

Chumlee A (Larry Stalbaum) was the race’s favorite and had to settle for a second-place finish while longshot Manny (Phil Fluet) earned the show spot.

Carolina Beach, who went four-for-eight in the win column in 2017, has now recorded eight victories in his sixteen seasonal starts in 2018. Carolina Beach paid $9.00 to win in the mild upset and led an exacta and triple that came back $24.20 and $141.50, respectively.

Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee beginning at 12:15 p.m.

— by Mike Sardella

Vernon Downs

Jimmy Whittemore won four races on Friday night (June 8) and four again on Saturday night (June 9) at Vernon Downs. Golden Brit (Adam Capizano) wins the featured pace ($5,100
Sapient Hanover (John MacDonald) laid down all the early fractions ($26.2, :54.2, 1:22.2). Golden Brit ($39.80) followed patiently in the pocket until zooming by in the stretch to win easily in a lifetime best time of 1:51.3. Sapient Hanover held for second Shell I Be Bad (Truman Gale) finished third. Golden Brit is a 5-year-old gelding by American Ideal. Owned and trained by Mary Nelson, he won for the first time this season and secured win number 11 for his career. Whittemore won as trainer and driver with Serious Major ($4.70), The Royal Garden N ($7.70) and Skip Jive ($9.60). His fourth driving win came with Get Torqed ($6.00). He now leads all driver at Vernon Downs with 33 wins. Vernon Downs returns to live racing on Friday (June 15) with a post time of 6:10 p.m. For more information go to www.vernondowns.com.

Tioga Downs

Prairie Fortune (Jim Meittinis) took the Open Trot ($12,000) at Tioga Downs for the third time in a row on Saturday (June 9). Dragin The Wagon (Aaron Byron) controlled all the early fractions (:26.4, :56.1, 124.4). Prairie Fortune ($4.20) went first-over from last just before the half and took over after the three quarter pole. Owned by Laurie Poulin and trainer Mike Deters, he cruised to an easy victory in 1:54.2. Golden Son (Mike SImons came up to get second place. Dragin The Wagon settled for third. The two-time defending Tioga Downs trotter of the year is a 6-year-old gelding by Arapa Victory. He now has won seven races in 2018. It was his 44th trip to the winner’s circle in his career. Meittinis had two more wins on the night. He also won with Fox Valley Leo ($48.80) and Sports Authority ($7.10). Jim Taggart Jr. won three races as well. He got wins with Rolling Sea ($6.30), Brown Titan ($10.40). His third win came with KJ Owen ($8.40) who was part of a dead heat with Tymal Vortex (Corey Braden). Live racing returns to Tioga Downs on Sunday (June 10) with a special 15-race card starting at 1 p.m. The Grand Circuit comes to Tioga Downs with a leg of the Graduate Series for both pacers and trotters. There are two divisions of trotters and three division for pacers all with a purse of $50,000 each. Also on hand are three divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings. For more information go to www.tiogadowns.com.

Bluegrass Downs

Amazon Girl continued her advance up the class ladder winning her third in a row at Bluegrass Downs in devastating fashion on Saturday. The 4-year-old daughter of Big Bad John, trained by Rico Johnson for Mioshae Hughes and driven by leading driver Randy Crisler, sat patiently before unleashing a three-wide bid on the backside. She cleared on the final turn and drew clear in 1:58.2 while just missing her lifetime mark (1:58.1). The nightcap was one of the best races ever at Bluegrass Downs as seven winners over”pacers squared off. Friskies Cheapsuit (K. Wilson) decided to go down the road and the field was double-decked the entire way. Friskies Cheapsuit led until the top of the stretch when a determined One Stop Deal (R. Crisler) poked his head in front, but at that point the entire field was within 1-1/2 lengths. Special Blend (Jerrell), who had sat the pocket trip, found a seam and charged through to grab the win. Speed Trap (Cullipher) overcame a parked trip to seize the place finish for the third time this meet. One Stop Deal never stopped trying and held on for the show dough.

Running Aces

Running Aces Casino & Racetrack played host to an action-packed Saturday of both live harness racing, and Triple-Crown flat racing coverage. A large and enthusiastic crowd was on hand to witness history unfold in the Belmont Stakes, and then take in the fantastic live local harness action. Moments after Justify etched his name in the annuls of greatness, seven 3-year- old pacers lined up for the $8,500 Minnesota-sired male division at Running Aces. Ridonkuloso (Steve Wiseman) established the early lead before public choice Giggle Monster (Dean Magee) made a big move in the middle part of the race, to take command and lead the charge into the final turn. Three-year old pacers were stacked up across the track as they straightened for the wire, with Here Comes Teddy (Gerald Longo) posting a solid effort and Frewil Dakota Sven (Brady Jenson) making a sharp bid for the money as well, the field swarmed in on Giggle Monster who waived the white flag after pacing a :27.3 third panel. Myskillspaydabills (Rick Magee) was fastest of all with a sweeping stretch rally to pass the field and stop the timer at 1:55.2 for a lifetime best mile, and his third win in just six career starts. Myskillspaydabills ($10.40) is by Voracious Hanover and is owned by Van Oterloo Stables and also trained by Rick Magee. This week’s edition of the $12,000 Open Handicap Trot was a repeat performance by Silverlode, who re-enforced her track record performance from last week by trotting another 1:55.1 mile in gate-to-wire fashion with driver Lemoyne (“Mooney”) Svendsen in the bike. Banker Volo trotted fast from the outside seven post to take the early lead before Svendsen sent his mare up and around right at the quarter pole. Silverlode would never look back from there, with Banker Volo (Nick Roland) posting a strong second with a pocket-pulling challenge in the lane and Al Mar Reba Babe (Gerald Longo) closing along the pylons for a strong third place showing, fresh off of her own track-record equaling win last Tuesday night. Silverlode now has five wins in 15 starts this year. She now has career earnings of $191,587. Silverlode is currently leased to Emilio Cisneros and trained by Rick Bertrand, and hails from the Desomer Stables. I’m On A Terror and driver Rick Magee paced to a new lifetime mark of 1:56.1 to capture the win in the $8,500 fillies division of the Minnesota-sired 3-year-old pace. After finding an early pocket position, Magee sat comfortably with his filly, behind an early battle for the lead that saw longshot Sing N Sandi (Nick Roland) on the front early, before Miss Sassy Pants took control at the half-mile juncture. Heavy favorite Peekaboo Tattoo (Steve Wiseman) pounced on the leaders just past the half and opened up two-lengths on her rivals. Magee then activated his filly to engage the leader as they turned for home and I’m On A Terror ($9.60) obliged her driver with a strong stretch rally, to pace by Peekaboo Tattoo and post a 1-1/2 length win for her ninth lifetime score in 17 starts. The winner is by Fancy Schmansy and is owned by Brian Anfinson and Jesse De Long, with Justin Anfinson handling the training. Driver Rick Magee led on Saturday with three wins on the program. The 20-cent Jackpot Pick-5 wager has a carryover of $4,413.72 for Sunday (June 10).