from harness publicists across North America

Friday’s (June 13) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Yonkers Raceway, The Meadows, Tioga Downs, Buffalo Raceway, Scioto Downs Racino and Vernon Downs.

Yonkers, NY — Yonkers Raceway’s Friday night $44,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by the greatest of ease by odds-on favorite Coraggioso (Brian Sears, $3.10).

Mayra Escamilla photo

Coraggioso was an easy winner in the Open Handicap Trot on Friday night at Yonkers Raceway.

In one notch after what figured to be his toughest challenger came up ill, Coraggioso—from post position No, 7—settled in fourth as invading Rossini (Jordan Stratton) slogged through flat sub-sections of 28 seconds and 58 seconds.

Coraggioso eased out, gradually gaining on the leader in and out of a 1:26.3 three-quarters.

Rossini was about to surrender to the people’s choice early stretch and Coraggioso widened from there. The final margin was 2-3/4 lengths in 1:55.1. Awesome Valley (Eric Goodell) snatched second at 30-1, with Rossini, Tall Cotton (George Brennan) and Hoorayforvacation (Eric Carlson) rounded out the payees.

For Coraggioso, a 5-year-old homebred/state-bred son of Conway Hall co-owned by Tom Durkin & Joe Spadaro, and trained by Julie Miller, he returned $4 for his sixth win in 14 seasonal starts (20-for-45 in his career). The exacta paid $45.80, with the triple returning $192.

Note that Saturday’s Pick-5 (50-cent base wager, races 5 through 9) shall offer a $10,000 guaranteed pool, spiced with a $2,223 carryover.

— Frank Drucker

The Meadows
Windsong Jack stalked his stablemate, Visible Gold, from the pocket, then brushed past him in the lane to score a narrow victory in Friday’s $18,000 Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows. As the field turned for home, Eric Ledford had clearance inside and outside with Windsong Jack and opted to attack outside. The 4-year-old Santanna Blue Chip-Milliondollarsmile gelding had just enough track to down the 3-5 Visible Gold by a nose in 1:52 on a “good” surface. Brooklyn Flight finished third. Ron Burke trains Windsong Jack, who vaulted over $500,000 in career earnings, for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Stable 45. Tony Hall, Aaron Merriman, Dave Palone, Dan Rawlings and Burke each enjoyed a triple on the 14-race card.

Tioga Downs
Embroiled in an intense duel with Little Santamonica for the final three-eighths of a mile, Edward and James Hall’s Rock N Load ($9.70) pushed clear in the last hundred yards to win Friday (June 13) evening’s $14,000 Miracle Mile 1 distaff pace at Tioga Downs by a widening 1-1/2 lengths. John Cummings, Jr. settled in mid-pack with the 6-year-old daughter of Rocknroll Hanover, drafting well behind the :56.2 half mile rated by 9-5 favorite Little Santamonica (Aaron Byron) before commencing her first-over salvo. On the backstretch, the two locked together, accelerating together through a :27.1 third quarter. With Rock N Load a length in front entering the far turn and the pocket-sitting Inittowinafortune (Jim Meittinis) working her way three-wide for a late bid, Little Santamonica dug back in for a brief lead off the turn, but was ultimately worn down, giving way in deep stretch. Rock N Load held sway from the late-closing Inittowinafortune, prevailing in 1:51.3. Southwind Trini (Jim Marohn, Jr.) stayed on late to finish third. Rock N Load, now a 27-time winner, is trained by Daniel Gill. Earlier on the card, two second-round divisions of the Morrisville College late-closing series for trotters were contested, with Cal Chips Brother (1:54.3, Corey Braden) and You Rock My World (1:55.2, Brandon Simpson) both scoring repeat wins in their respective races.

Buffalo Raceway
Winkys Pride made the trip across the border from Canada to the United States a successful one and took the featured $10,500 Open Trot at Buffalo Raceway Friday night (June 13). Competing at Flamboro Downs and Woodbine Race Track, Winkys Pride ($7.30) and Buffalo Raceway leading driver Kevin Cummings used a strong stretch drive to snatch the victory away from the pace-setting Fiorentina (Ray Fisher Jr.) by a nose in 1:59.0 over the fast track. Fiorentina set the tempo with splits of 29.4, 59.1, and 1:29.1. Winkys Pride, who managed to drop into the four-hole after starting in the seven position, swung three-wide down the lane and just got up in time for the victory. Fiorentina took the heart-breaking place position while Escrow Blue Chip (Jack Flanigen) finished in third. Owned and trained by Robert Hummel, Winkys Pride (Amigo Hall-Winkys Smile) has now won four times in 17 starts in 2014, earning $28,571 this season and $148,839 lifetime.

Scioto Downs Racino
Chris Page guided Banco Solo to a career best clocking of 1.54.4 in Friday’s Open Pace at Scioto Downs Racino. Banco Solo is a 4-year-old horse by Master Glide. He’s trained by Ron Burke for owners Atlantic Trot Inc and T L P Stable. Banco Solo left the gate from post four and quickly found himself in a great two-hole position. He benefited from a perfect trip behind the lone mare in the field of eight, East Strength. Easy Strength and Jim Pantaleano set the fractions of 27.4, 56.1 and 1:25.2 and Page waited patiently. Page finally tipped Banco Solo out in the midway part of the stretch and he cruised to a half- length victory. Easy Strength held on for the second spot and Boy Meets Girl K trotted up the super stretch for Randy Tharps to grab third. Betterluvnexttime and Ronnie Wrenn Jr took the other Filly And Mare Open Pace. She’s trained by Scioto Downs leading trainer, Virgil Morgan Jr. for Daniel Mitchell of Novi, Michigan. This gives the mare four wins in her last six starts. Betterluvnexttime was the second choice on the odds board and started from the assigned seven-hole. Wrenn was unhurried in the early going as Betterluvnexttime got away last in the field of eight. Wrenn got to work just after the quarter that was paced in 27.2. He pulled to catch live cover from a quick move by Mama Said and Josh Sutton. The pair were perfectly placed second-over to a half of 56.2 and then a three-quarter clocking of 1.24.3. That’s when Wrenn could wait no longer. He tipped the talented mare three-wide and she quickly paced clear of her foes. Betterluvnexttime paced this mile in 1.53.3. Canary Island and Dan Noble rallied for second and Up Front Kellie Jo completed the trifecta.

Vernon Downs
On a rainy and nasty night at Vernon Downs, A Penny Earned (Conway Hall-Penny Dream) shone bright through the storm in the $10,000 featured 7th race. A Penny Earned (Chris Lems) sat the pocket trip for a good chunk of the mile, as the favorite, Lutetium (John MacDonald) set the early pace of :27 for the quarter and :56 for the half. My Revenuer (Truman Gale) actually made the first move at the leader as the field entered the far turn, surging on the outside to grab the lead past three-quarters in 1:24.4. However, My Revenuer could not secure inside position in the stretch. This allowed A Penny Earned to rally up the inside after moving out to split horses, passing the tiring Lutetium. Evil Urges (Jimmy Whittemore), who followed the cover of My Revenuer entering the stretch, finished third. A Penny Earned finished the mile in 1:54.1. He is owned by Alfred Ross, George Ducharme, and Nicola Oliva of Massachusetts and Paul Fontaine of Rhode Island. Ducharme doubles as the trainer. The win was the second of the season at Vernon Downs for A Penny Earned. The complete order of finish was A Penny Earned, My Revenuer, Evil Urges, Mr. Web Page, Naughty Not Nice, Lutetium, Flashbacks. War Hero was a scratch (sick).