by harness racing publicists across North America

Racing Roundup: China Dream gets the perfect trip at Buffalo Raceway

The Saturday evening (June 4) edition of Racing Roundup features results from Buffalo Raceway, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Vernon Downs, Tioga Downs, Saratoga and Running Aces.

Hamburg, NY — China Dream and driver Drew Monti couldn’t have asked for a better trip and the pair took total advantage of the situation to notch a 1-1/2 length victory over Knocking Around in Buffalo Raceway’s featured $10,000 Open I-II pace on Saturday night (June 4).

After watching Lucky Nadotremblay (Shawn McDonough) cut the half in :57.4, China Dream began a second over trip, following the live cover of Whosurpal (Jim Morrill Jr.).

With a quarter mile to pace, China Dream ($7.20) tipped three-wide in the stretch, unleashing a :28.4 final panel to easily secure the win in 1:55.0 over the fast track. Knocking Around (David McNeight III) rallied late and picked up the place position with Lucky Nadotremblay finishing in third.

Co-owned by trainer Maria Rice and Jack Rice, it was the sixth victory in 16 tries this season for the 5-year-old gelded China Dream (If I Can Dream-China Art). The win pushed his 2016 earnings to $41,975 and $131,568 lifetime.

Morrill Jr. finished the night with five wins in the sulky while Ray Fisher Jr. doubled. Maria Rice registered two training victories.

Racing will resume on Wednesday evening (June 8) at 5 p.m. with a 12-race card scheduled.

There will be a $697 carryover in the Pick-5 which begins in the fifth race.

For more information including the latest news, upcoming promotions, race replays and results, go to www.buffaloraceway.com

The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono

Ideal Cowboy chased hot fractions, then grinded up first-over and drew away in the last quarter to easily win the $25,000 winners-over featured pace Saturday night (June 4) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Jason Bartlett, the leading money-winning driver in North America so far in 2016, took a busman’s holiday from Yonkers, where he is the leading driver and which is on hiatus for a week, and sat back while half of the six-horse field laid out hot splits of :26.1 and :53.2. Bartlett and his winning American Ideal gelding began their raw move off three-quarters in 1:21.3. Ideal Cowboy quickly passed his competition off the final turn and drew off to win by five lengths over Jin’s Dragon, who’s risen through the class ranks to featured race status within three months. Trainer Jeffrey Bamond Jr. conditions the winner of $394,655, who lowered his lifetime mark by a tick, for Bamond Racing LLC and J&T Silva Stables LLC. Ideal Cowboy paid $12.20 to win. Bartlett wasn’t the only denizen of Gotham City to take the mountain trip and make it profitable. George Brennan also came over and had four winners on the card to Bartlett’s two. Fastest mile of the night as this story went to print came in the $18,000 co-feature, as the McArdle ridgling McArdle’s Lightning made every pole a winning one with a 1:49 victory, which was a lifetime best. The winner went in :26.1 in both odd-numbered quarters, with the 4-year-old, the youngest horse in the field, 1-1/2 lengths ahead at the wire of the oldest horse in the field, 8-year-old Eighteen. Simon Allard guided the winner in triumphing for trainer Steve Elliott and the Lightning Stable.

Vernon Downs

Pantheon Hanover ($4.50) lived up to his billing as the 5-4 favorite in the featured $7,500 Miracle Mile Pace at Vernon Downs, stalking live cover on the far turn and vaulting clear to a 3-1/2 length triumph. The 4-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding was no part of a :25.4 first quarter duel between Sassy Hanover (Claude Huckabone, III) and All Stienam (John MacDonald), settling second from last in the select field of six. As Panpero Firpo (Brett Derue) emerged from midpack to head outer flow at race’s midpoint, Chris Lems angled Pantheon Hanover second-over to stalk steadily improving cover through middle splits of :53.4 and 1:21.3. As the pacesetters began to toil, Pantheon Hanover swung three-wide, pushing to the fore at head-stretch and drawing clear at will. Behind Pantheon Hanover’s 1:50 mile, the first-over Panpero Firpo continued his rally to take second, while All Stienam saved third from the pocket. Trainer Dave Dewhurst co-owns Pantheon Hanover with Philip Hale. For Lems, the featured win was one of three on the night. John MacDonald also recorded a driving hat trick on the nine-race program. As no one hit the 50-cent Pick-5, a carryover of $256.53 will head to Thursday night’s (June 9) card. Post time for the 10-race program is 6:45 p.m. Eastern.

Tioga Downs

Charlene Long’s Oh No Three O ($6.60) took advantage of the prevalent stalker-closer bias that developed early on Saturday night’s (June 4) 10-race card at Tioga Downs, striking from second-over to capture the featured $9,000 Open II Trot. Jeffrey Long pointed the 9-year-old second-over on the clubhouse turn, following live cover provided by Write That Down (Dan Clements) into a stout pace set by Brandos Muscle Man (Mike Merton). As Write That Down engaged Brandos Muscle Man in a final-turn duel following three-quarters of a mile in 1:24.4, Oh No Three O swung three-wide, sprinting off in deep stretch to a two-length win. Pocket Trip (Fern Paquet, Jr.) emerged from heavy traffic to just take second in the last yards, while a game Brandos Muscle Man saved third following his pressured journey. Paul Long trains Oh No Three O for owner-breeder Charlene Long. Corey Braden led all drivers with a grand slam on the 10-race card, rallying from off the pace with Blueridge Empire ($18.20, 1:58.1) and Swan For Dee ($14.60, 1:59.3), pouncing from the pocket with Red Zeppelin ($31.80, 1:56), and threading through up the pegs with Sweetasmusic ($7.80, 1:57.3). No one hit the 50¢-cent Pick-5, resulting in a $327.60 carryover in the wager which spans the first five races of Sunday afternoon’s (June 5) card. Post time for the first of 13 races is 1:30 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga

Givenupdreaming (If I Can Dream) posted the fastest mile of the year at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Saturday night (June 4) as the Heidi Rohr-trained pacer made his debut in the local feature. Stephane Bouchard piloted Givenupdreaming in the $15,000 Open Pace and moved him first over at the half on the race’s favorite Idealbeach Hanover (Billy Dobson). The two Yonkers invaders went at it throughout the entire second lap before Givenupdreaming surged at the wire to stop the timer in 1:51.2. Returning $9.30 to win, Givenupdreaming recorded his third victory of the year. Idealbeach Hanover held strong for second to complete an exacta that returned $40.20. The triple, which came back $201.50, was rounded out by Caution Signs (Bruce Aldrich Jr). The 1:51.2 clocking was the fastest of the season at the Spa by nearly a full second. Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee that begins at 12:15 p.m.

Running Aces

The Saturday night (June 4) feature was the $9,000 upper level conditioned pace and it was longshot Del Rio Seelster who pulled the upset at exactly 13-1. Driver Jim Marino took the 8-year-old Western Maverick gelding off the gate fifth in the six horse field, then made a sharp first-over move past the three-quarter pole, took the lead turning for home and held off the late charge of Gotta Dream Big (Steve Wiseman). Del Rio Seelster scored by a half length in 1:54.0. It was his fifth tally this year in 11 starts, but first win with his current connections: owner Paul Sanders and trainer Sean Lancaster. He paid his backers $28.00 at the windows. Dapper Dan, the 6-year-old Minnesota-sired gelding by Clover Steele and had an earlier career as a pacer, posted his second consecutive impressive trotting win tonight (June 4) in 2:01.4. Starting from post nine, Dapper Dan fired out to an early lead, and never looked back, posting fractions of :30.1, 1:02.1, and 1:31.4 over the track listed as good. He is owned and trained by Dave Carter and has been driven in both victories by Brian Detgen. Dapper Dan paid $11.20 for every $2.00 ticket. The upper-level conditioned trot was captured by Banker Volo (Nick Roland) who was heavily favored and paid $3.60. This 7-year-old stallion by Yankee Glide showed his back class and destroyed a field of nice trotters, scoring the win by 10-1/4 lengths in 1:56.1 The accomplished trotter is owned by Daniel and Jeralene Roland, with Dan handling the training. Cruzin Coco ( by Voracious Hanover ) scored her third straight Aces win, taking the $7,000 3-year-old Minnesota-sired filly pace. She posted a dominating 5-1/4 length score in 1:56.1 with Rick Magee aboard, paying $2.80. Drivers Steve Wiseman, Nick Roland, and Rick Magee all scored doubles on the Saturday night (June 4) card. The next card of live harness racing at Running Aces Casino and Racetrack will go to post on Sunday night (June 5) at 6:00 p.m .CDT. There will be a carryover in the 50-cent Jackpot Pick-6 wager of $2,575.59.