by harness racing publicists across North America

The Saturday (Sept. 8) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Saratoga Casino Hotel, Batavia Downs, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Tioga Downs, Vernon Downs and Running Aces.

Carolina Beach wins sixth Open at the Spa

Saratoga Springs, NY — Carolina Beach (Somebeachsomewhere) became the first six-time winner of the Open Pace this season at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Saturday night (Sept. 8) as the Melissa Beckwith-trainee came from off the pace to record the win.

Mikayla Gray photo

Carolina Beach takes the featured event at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Saturday evening.

Carolina Beach was a beaten favorite in last Saturday’s installment of the $14,500 Open but was still bet down to odds of 4-5 this week. Wally Hennessey sat off the early speed with Carolina Beach who moved second-over after the first half went in a fast :55.2. Drafting behind the defending Horse of the Year Artful Way (Frank Coppola Jr.), who was brushing up first-over, Carolina Beach tipped off cover around the final turn before storming past his rivals to prevail in 1:51.2.

Artful Way was an improved second on Saturday while Somewhere Fancy (Billy Dobson) earned the show spot. Carolina Beach’s win was his twelfth of the year and his sixth in the local Open as the 4-year-old gelding continues to bolster the resume in what has been his career season.

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

— by Mike Sardella

Batavia Downs

Finding himself hopelessly boxed in approaching the stretch, Focus Power somehow shook loose and out-paced everyone to the wire to win the $10,500 Open pace at Batavia Downs on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 8). China Dream (John Cummings Jr.) took the lead by the quarter and backed the half off to :57 flat as no one challenged the position. But last week’s Open winner Validus Deo (Kevin Cummings) started to advance on the outside in front of the stands with Heaven Rocks (Ray Fisher Jr.) following him. This left Focus Power locked in on the pylons fifth, with nowhere to make a move. China Dream threw in a swift :27.4 third panel which stifled the advance by the outside horses. Cummings Jr. had let China Dream out another notch around the last turn and had a solid two length advantage at the top of the stretch. Still fifth on the pins, Focus Power found a lane to move forward as Validus Deo drifted out and then Monti went to work. Under a solid right-hand drive Focus Power was a blur with pace, making up the five lengths he was behind to win by a neck in 1:53.3. Focus Power ($7.20) got his third win in his last six starts and fifth overall of the year for owner Jim Caradori, who has now benefitted the amount of $41,541 from his gelding’s efforts. Darrin Monti conditions the winner. In the co-featured $9,000 Open II pace, Whosurpapa (Billy Davis Jr.) rebuffed and early challenge from Mr. Euroman N (John Cummings Jr.), another try from him at the three-quarters and then a late push from the pocket-sitting Barry Hanover (Shawn Mcdonough) to go gate to wire never headed in 1:54.1. Whosurpapa ($11.80) got his 10th win of the year and padded his bank to $59,318 for owner William Emmons and trainer James Clouser Jr. Billy Davis Jr. got his second consecutive driving hat trick on Saturday, besting all reinsmen for wins on the night. Davis currently sits third in the dash driver standings with 35 wins behind the leading Kevin Cummings (47) and Drew Monti (46). Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Monday afternoon (Sept. 10) with a post time of 5 p.m.

The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono

Summertime fled The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in a hurry – it was 59 degrees when the races started on Saturday evening — but the change in temperature made no difference to the American Ideal gelding Ideal Kiss, who won for the fifth time in his last six starts when he won the $20,000 claiming handicap pacing feature in 1:50.4 over “good” going. Ideal Kiss made the lead before the first turn for driver George Napolitano Jr. despite beginning from the outside post seven, “and he improved his position from there,” responding to mild stretch rocking to keep pocketsitting Big N Bad at bay by 1¼ lengths at the finish. The win was the third of the night for “George Nap,” giving him 16 over the last five Pocono cards, and his second of the evening teaming with trainer Hunter Oakes. Northfork Racing Stable the owner of the winner of $170,630, with almost half of that, $80,930, won in just over eight months this year. Music Is Art and JJ Flynn accounted for the $17,500 co-featured conditioned paces, though their styles of racing – and margins of victory – couldn’t have been more different. First up was Music Is Art, a son of Art Major who swept four-wide on the far turn from third-over, then – aided by some tight quarters in traffic inside of him spinning for home – drew away by seven lengths in 1:52.1. The winning race favorite, who raised his earnings to $162,240, was guided by Anthony Napolitano as he won for trainer Mike Deters and owner Rick Berks. In the other division, driver Marcus Miller had the Western Ideal gelding JJ Flynn in high gear from the start, cutting all the pace then holding off pocket-sitter Feeling Cam Lucky by a neck in 1:51.2. Now with a career bankroll of $326,608, JJ Flynn is trained by Josh Green, who is a co-owner of the winner with Richard Lombardo and Charles Cochran III.

Tioga Downs

Mike Simons drove six winners on the night including the featured pace ($13,000) with Stormont Czar A at Tioga Downs on Saturday (Sept. 8). Stormont Czar A ($2.60) cruised to the lead and went gate-to-wire (:27.0, :56.0, 1:22.3, 1:50.4) Trained by Amber Buter for owners Oldford Racing LLC. and Tyler Buter, he got pressured around the final turn by Dreams Beachboy (Gates Brunet). Stormont Czar found another gear when he reached the stretch and won with ease. Shady City (Larry Stalbaum) came flying late to finish second. Dreams Beachboy settled for third best. Stormont Czar A is an 8-year-old gelding by Bettor’s Delight. It was his third win of the season and the 23rd time he reached the winner’s circle in his career. Simons added five more wins. His other wins came with Fritzie Pic Up Man ($7.70), Sam’s Escape ($6.00), Always A Tiger ($46.80), Dash Of Danger ($4.30), and Thespywholovedme ($4.00). The title for winning driver is still wide open with four full racing cards left. Mike Merton leads all drivers with 61 wins. Aaron Byron and Jim Taggart Jr. are tied for second with 57 wins each. Jim Mettinis is fourth with 51 victories. Andy Santeramo is fifth with 46 wins. Tioga Downs returns to live racing on Friday (Sept. 14) with a post time of 6:15 p.m. For more information go to www.tiogadowns.com.

Vernon Downs

John MacDonald had five driving wins and four training wins at Vernon Downs (Sept. 8). He would win both features on the night. MacDonald won the featured trot ($6,500) with Kabu. Walk The Floor (Claude Huckabone III) controlled all the early fractions (:28.2, :57.3, 1:26.1). Kabu ($4.20) was fourth after three-quarters. Owned by JP Stables and trained by MacDonald, he charged down the stretch to beat second place finisher Southwind Cruze (Leon Bailey) in 1:55.1. Finishing third was Cantad Kid (Claude Huckabone). Kabu is a 7-year-old gelding by Valley Victor. It was his eighth win of the season and career victory number 29. Oh My Joepa who is owned, trained, and driven by MacDonald, won the featured pace ($6,500). Card Knock Life (Leon Bailey) took the group to a first quarter in :26.1. Oh My Joepa ($2.50) then took over to lead to a half of :54.1 and three-quarters in 1:23.1. Card Knock Life followed in the pocket until the stretch but had to settle for second as Oh My Joepa gutted out a win in 1:54.4. I Am Golden (Ronald Harp) was third best. Oh My Joepa is a 10-year-old gelding by Rocknroll Hanover. He won for the sixth time in 2018. It was his 51st career win. MacDonald also drove and trained Girllovepearls ($2.60) and Stonebridge Frosty($4.70) to victories. He also piloted Fox Valley Photog ($4.90) to a win as well. Vernon Downs returns to live racing on Friday (Sept.14). Post time is 6:10 p.m. For more information go to www.vernondowns.com.

Running Aces

The featured event on the Saturday night (Sept. 8) harness racing program at Running Aces was the $13,000 Open Handicap Pace for horses and geldings with a good field of seven squaring off behind the gate. Bestinthebusiness (James Yoder) was the race favorite, coming in fresh off a huge first-over mile in this event last week where he just missed by half a length to stablemate Whatchyastarinat in a 1:51.3 mile. Again this week Whatchyastarinat (Lemoyne Svendsen) fired right off the gate from post seven to take command after an early battle with Stuckey Dote (Rick Magee), the fractions were solid with a :26.4 quarter, followed by :56.0 and 1:24.1. Bestinthebusiness launched his first-over attack near the five-eighths marker and the two Gene Miller trainees were once again going head to head for the final quarter-mile in the top event. Whatchyastarinat was dead-game but Bestinthebusiness and Stuckey Dote were firing on both sides in the final yards and Besinthebusiness would get up to prevail by a neck on the line over Stuckey Dote and Whatchyastarinat was just a half-length back in third in a 1:52.1 mile. Bestinthebusiness ($4.20) is owned by Brett Boyd Racing and trained by Gene Miller, the feature win tonight was the 46th career tally for the winner of $431,130 lifetime. The $14,000 Minnesota-sired 3-year-old pace event went to Giggle Monster again tonight, for two wins in a row in this division. Driver Dean Magee fired up Giggle Monster much earlier than usual and they cleared the lead just before the three-eighths pole and faced heavy pressure from Frewil Dakota Sven (Corey Larson) through the middle stages, producing a :56.3 middle half. After turning back that challenge near the top of the lane, Giggle Monster ($3.60) cruised home a winner by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:54.3 for his fourth win in fourteen starts this season. The impressive son of Wind Me Up has now won $73,580 in 23 career races for owners Alan and Cheryl Sandbulte and trainer Justin Anfinson.
Steve Wiseman led the Saturday card with three wins, with Dean Magee picking up a double. Live racing returns on Sunday (Sept. 9) with first post at 6 p.m. CDT and a carryover in the 20-cent Jackpot Pick-5 wager of $36,161.20.