from harness publicists across North America

Saturday’s (May 31) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Buffalo Raceway, Tioga Downs, Running Aces, Vernon Downs and Scioto Downs Racino.

Closing Credits romps in Buffalo Raceway Open

Hamburg, NY — The sun shined brightly in Western New York for a big night of racing at the half-mile track in Hamburg. The track listed as fast proved to be so, as the horses for the Spring Break Claiming Series and Open pacers raced over the track.

Last week Naked News was the pacesetter, trained by Bob Gruber III, and Closing Credits was parked most of the mile, just missing at the wire by three-quarters of a length. Tonight, when the gates opened Western Alumni (Jim McNeight) went three wide to go after Art Two D Two and Naked News. When the smoke cleared at the opening quarter, Western Alumni had cleared to the lead, but was used very hard to get there.

When the field hit the backstretch for the last time Closing Credits (Jack Flanigen) had a perfect first over trip just like last week, except this time he cleared for the lead. Once getting on top it was no looking back as Closing Credit won easily in the Open. Salazar (Ron Beback Jr.) closed very nicely to be second and Art Two D Two (Drew Monti) was a very game third.

Closing Cedits is owned by James P. Graham and the Cybo Stable Inc. This 4-year-old has three wins and has hit the board five out of seven times this season, getting better and better as the year goes on.

The Spring Break Claiming Series started tonight at Buffalo Raceway and Wild Cruise, trained by Michelle Gramza and driven by Jim McNeight, set a lifetime mark, cruising to victory in 1:56.4. The Spring Break Series continues next Saturday with Leg No. 2 as they compete for the final on Saturday (June 21).

— Michael Carter

Tioga Downs
Faced with a host of challengers in the final 300 yards, Oldford Farms and Tyler Buter’s Antigua Hanover ($8.20) had just enough left in reserve, digging in to stave off three late-charging rivals en route to a 1:53.3 score in Saturday evening’s $11,000 Miracle Mile 2 pace for fillies and mares at Tioga Downs. The 4-year-old daughter of Somebeachsomewhere was beaten to the first turn by Canaco Star (Mike Merton), but brushed to the fore immediately upon Canaco Star’s clearing at the apex of the first turn. After setting sensible early splits of :28.2 and :56.3, Antigua Hanover turned aside a first-over challenge from If I Didnt Care (Rick Dane), edging clear to the top of the stretch. After dismissing If I Didnt Care’s challenge on the approach to the far turn, Antigua Hanover withstood late charges from eventual runner-up Bazooka Terror (Aaron Byron) and third-place finisher Dirty Girty (Greg Merton), digging in late to prevail by a diminishing three-quarter length margin. Brandon Simpson handled the driving duties aboard Antigua Hanover for trainer Amber Buter.

Running Aces
Despite torrential rains during the last half of the first Saturday night card of the season at Running Aces, some quick miles resulted in the co-featured pacing events for fillies and mares. In the $9,000 mares Open it was Keystone Christa (Nick Roland) edging Lady’s Art (Steve Wiseman) by a short head in 1:56 over the sloppy surface. Nocturnal Rose (Tim Maier) got the show dough. The 5-year-old Mach Three lass, making her initial Minnesota start after a successful winter season at Pompano Park, sat patiently in third along the pylons until the head of the stretch, then found room between horses to engage in a fiesty winning stretch drive. It was the fourth win of the season for Keystone Christa, who is owned by Lee Cullen and is being conditioned in Minnesota by Bev Kingston. The co-featured $7,800 Class A event for state-sired 3-year-olds went to the outstanding filly Delco Voracious (Nick Roland) in impressive gate-to-wire fashion. It was the seventh win in just nine lifetime starts for the daughter of Voracious Hanover who also won 2-year-old filly honors for owner-trainer Jesse DeLong. FF Big Show (Jason Ryan) finished 4-1/2 lengths back in second with Flick A Fly (Rick Magee) third to cross the wire.

Vernon Downs
Long Island Tea picked up a victory in the $8,000 featured trot at Vernon Downs on Saturday night. While the favorite may have made it to the winner’s circle, she did not have an easy time of it at all. Naughty Not Nice led through the bulk of the mile for driver-trainer Rick Plano and set fairly comfortable fractions of :27.1 for the quarter, :56.2 for the half, and 1:24.2 for three-quarters. Long Island Tea sat the pocket trip and was actually pinned in by Client Nine, who made a first-over move on the turn. However, Client Nine faded and when that happened, Long Island Tea was guided out by driver Chris Lems and eventually wore down Naughty Not Nice to win by three-quarters of a length in a time of 1:53.4. Long Island Tea is owned by Steve Stewart and Kelley Racing Stable LLC. Paul Kelley is the trainer. The complete order of finish for the featured fourth race was Long Island Tea, Naughty Not Nice, Painite, Client Nine, Master Builder, Pegasus Point, and Mc Tiny’s Hope. Long Island Tea was one of four winners for driver Chris Lems on the Saturday program. He won the first race with Ziegler Hanover, the fifth race with Lindys Real Deal, and the ninth race with Suzies Little Vic in addition to the score with Long Island Tea. Ziegler Hanover and Long Island Tea were sent off as race favorites, while Lindys Real Deal won as a 4-1 second choice and Suzies Little Vic was a nice value play at 7-1.

Scioto Downs Racino
Windsong Jack and Chris Page won the Open Pace at Scioto Downs. A 4-year-old son of Santanna Blue Chip out of the mare Milliondollarsmile, the gelding took the $20,000 Open Pace in 1:52.1. Windsong Jack is trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi and Stable 45. P L Dragon, trained by Ryan Angus, was second and The Pan Poobah for Brandon Presto completed the trifecta. However, the featured race was not the fastest mile of the night; that came in race three, a conditioned race with a $15,000 purse. Rockin Wizard for the Virgil Morgan Jr. stable started from post three and was the runner-up in last week’s Open Pace. Also dropping down in class was Ardyne Ace for Jim Pollock Jr. and Royal Outlook for trainer Terry Deters. Rockin Wizard and driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. wanted to set the pace as the post time favorite. The fractions came up in :26.2, :55.1 and 1:22.3 and the timer was stopped in 1:50.3. Rockin Wizard held off a persistent, first up bid by Ardyne Ace, driven by Randy Tharps. Bursting Blaze was third.