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The Friday (Sept. 21) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Hollywood Dayton Raceway, Saratoga Casino Hotel, Vernon Downs and Tioga Downs.

Closers capture Hollywood Dayton Friday night features

Dayton, OH — Hollywood Dayton Raceway returned to action on Friday (Sept. 21) with a pair of $18,500 Open class events highlighting the 14-race program.

Conrad photo

Optimist Blue Chip had the most trot, besting Churita by 1-1/4 lengths at the wire in 1:55.1.

An outstanding group of ten top-notch trotters went postward in the seventh race. All four of the horses following the outside wing of the starting gate sprinted early to seek forward seating. When the field reached the first quarter in a snappy :27 it was Churita (Kayne Kauffman) on the point, followed by Cantab Lindy (Tyler Smith), Moonshiner Hanover (Aaron Merriman) and Another Breath (Dan Noble).

When the halfway point was reached in :56.1 it was Moonshiner Hanover in front with Churita, Another Breath and Cantab Lindy still in hot pursuit. At the three-quarter station, reached in 1:25.1, longshot Optimist Blue Chip (Jeremy Smith) joined the fray in second-over position. In the stretch Optimist Blue Chip had the most trot, besting Churita by 1-1/4 lengths at the wire in 1:55.1. Fusion Man (Trevor Smith) rallied from far back to grab the third money.

The winner, a 4-year-old son of Deweycheatumnhowe, was recently purchased by Antonia Storer and is now trained by Daniel Maier. It was the 13th win in Optimist Blue Chip’s career and boosted his earnings to $147,978. He rewarded his faithful with a $35.60 mutuel return.

Two races later, some of the best female pacers in the Midwest battled start-to-finish before Carobbean Pacetry (Aaron Merriman) persevered in deep stretch over Juslikeaqueen (Jeremy Smith) and Endeavors Star (Chris Page).

The 7-year-old winning daughter of Somebeachsomewhere raced fifth until reaching the :54 half, then launched a second-over attack past the 1:22.3 third quarter. The Tyler George trainee reached the wire in 1:52 for her seventh win in 19 seasonal starts, increasing her bankroll to more than $380,000. Carobbean Pacetry is owned by the partnership of Allard Racing, Kapildeo Singh and Gerrie Tucker. She paid $10 to win.

— Hollywood Dayton Raceway

Saratoga
Driver Wally Hennessey and trainer Melissa Beckwith achieved a feat that may have never been done before, when they teamed up for wins in five consecutive races on Friday night at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The evening’s $15,000 feature saw Beckwith’s Happy Heart draw the rail for her first attempt in the Fillies and Mares Open in quite some time at the Spa. Hennessey piloted Happy Heart for the first time last week, and the mare went coast to coast in a conditioned race. Hennessey was back in the sulky on Friday evening and he wound up getting a pocket ride for Happy Heart, who rode the coattails of the favored Spreester (Frank Coppola Jr.). Spreester paced a first half in :56.4 before checking in at three-quarters in 1:25.1 while confronted by rival Rock N Roll Rosie (Jimmy Devaux). As those two squared off, Happy Heart sat patiently in the pocket before shaking loose in the passing lane. Happy Heart and Spreester went toe-to-toe for a few strides before Happy Heart got up to win the photo in the $15,000 Friday feature. The Melissa Beckwith trainee went off at odds of 6-1 in her first victory in the local Open. Returning $14.40 to win, Happy Heart led an exacta with Spreester second that paid $46.20. Rock N Roll Rosie earned the show spot. Hennessey and Beckwith also teamed up with pacing mares Sports Delight, Media Queen N and Fade To Gold and trotter Glide In The Wind. Hennessey drove winners in six consecutive races on Friday, as he also piloted trainer John MacDonald’s Stonebridge Frosty to a wire-to-wire score following the five straight with Beckwith trainees in a historic night for the Hall of Fame reinsman and meet’s leading conditioner.

Vernon Downs
Under The Bus ($12.80, Truman Gale) captured the featured $6,500 fillies and mares pace at Vernon Downs on Friday. Under The Bus charged to the front and led gate to wire, putting up fractions of :27.1, :57.2, 1:25.4 and 1:53.4. Owned by Hossman LLC and trained by Robert Gale, she held off second-place finisher Love Live Laugh (Jimmy Whittemore) and late charging third-place finisher Jaclyn Hanover (John MacDonald) to win her second straight race. Under The Bus is a 4-year-old mare by Art Major. It was her fifth win this season and her 19th career victory. Leading driver Jimmy Whittemore won three on the night. He got his wins with Hanrahan ($4.90), Star Flyer ($6.00) and Come Monday ($11.40). John MacDonald and Leon Bailey each drove two winners on the night. MacDonald got his wins with Pink Gardenias ($10.20) and Agood Time To Rock ($2.60), while Bailey went to the winner’s circle with Ms Casey Mac ($31.40) and Southwind Vixon ($5.70).

Tioga Downs
Leading driver Mike Merton padded his lead with seven wins, including both co-features, at Tioga Downs on Friday (September 21). In the featured $13,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace, K J’s Caroline (Jim Taggart Jr.) led to the first quarter in :27.2. Coveredndiamonds N ($2.50) took over just after the quarter and led to the half in :57 and hit the three-quarter mark in 1:25. Trained by Rob Harmon for owners Seth Rosenberg Racing LLC and Joel Kahan, she flew home in a last quarter of :27 to win going away in a lifetime best of 1:52. Northern Dali (Mike Simons) came up to finish second with K J’s Caroline holding on for third. Coveredndiamonds N is a 5-year-old mare by American Ideal. It was her eighth win of the season and her 13th career victory. Kinetic King (Merton) charged late to capture the $13,000 Open Trot. Buff (Corey Braden) went right to the front and controlled early fractions of :27.2, :57.1 and 1:24.1. Kinetic King ($9.10) was fifth after three-quarters. Trained by Patti Harmon for owners Brian Kleinberg and Harmon Racing Stable LLC, he went three-wide at the top of the stretch and blew right by to win in a lifetime best of 1:53.3. Prairie Fortune (Jim Meittinis) finished second best with BJ Lorado (Aaron Byron) getting third money. Kinetic King is an 8-year-old gelding by Ken Warkentin. It was his fourth win of 2018 and his 21st career victory. Mike Merton had a magical night with seven wins. He got his five other wins with Rollingndiamonds ($4.30), Modern Mercury ($4.40), Persistent Bettor ($4.70), QB Kemp ($3.90) and Sweet Kix ($28.60).