Racing Roundup: Dancin Yankee wins again at Pocono
July 19, 2014,from harness publicists across North America
Saturday’s (July 19) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Tioga Downs, Buffalo Raceway, Running Aces and Scioto Downs Racino.
Dancin Yankee wins again at Pocono
Wilkes Barre, PA — Dancin Yankee continued his dominance in 2014 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs with a victory Saturday night in the featured Preferred pace. The race carried the night’s top purse of $25,000.
Dancin Yankee (Yankee Cruiser-Dancewiththebest), a 6-year-old stallion from the barn of trainer Amber Buter, left from the assigned outside post in the field of seven as the 2-5 favorite and sat fourth early on as Digital Z Tam set a fast early pace. Pocket horse Domethatagain pulled to take the lead on the back stretch, allowing driver Tyler Buter to grab some cover before urging Dancin Yankee past Domethatagain in the home stretch for the win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:48.4. Fat Mans Alley finished third.
The win was the sixth out of the last seven for Dancin Yankee, a stretch that includes five straight victories at Pocono. Owned by Baron Racing and Richard Lombardo, the stallion now has 13 wins in 20 races in 2014 and 37 lifetime victories for career earnings of $888,462.
— Jim Beviglia
Tioga Downs
After a dominant 1:53.3 win in last week’s sub-featured trotting event, Spice It Up Lindy ($6.50) sustained a first-over bid en route to a 1:54.3 triumph in Saturday (July 19) evening’s $14,000 Miracle Mile 1 trot at Tioga Downs. With the two mares in the field–As Ya’ll Like It (Brandon Simpson) and Dough Dough (Mike Simons)–assuming the pacesetting duties with a circuit remaining and Spice It Up Lindy eight lengths off the lead while trailing the sextet, Jim Meittinis angled the 11-year-old SJ’s Caviar gelding first-over, progressing steadily after a :57.1 half-mile and into a :27.4 third quarter. On the far turn, Spice It Up Lindy turned up the pressure on As Ya’ll Like It, taking the lead off the corner and kicking clear. In the final sixteenth, Dough Dough found room at the pegs to re-rally, but only got to within a length of Spice It Up Lindy. Mr Web Page (Aaron Byron) followed the winner’s cover throughout, staying on for third. Santo Zuzolo owns and trains Spice It Up Lindy, who scored his 30th career win. The winning drive in the feature kicked off a hat trick on the evening for Meittinis, who tied Brandon Simpson with three driving wins on the night.
Buffalo Raceway
The season is almost over at Buffalo Raceway but one of the most exciting races of 2014 took place in the featured $8,400 conditioned pace on Saturday night (July 19) with a pair of noses separating the top three finishers. When the photo came up after the blanket finish, Little Man Cam (Jim McNeight) had a nostril in front of Peenie (Drew Monti) while What The Sheik (David McNeight III) was a nose back in third. Little Man Cam covered the mile in 1:57.4 over the good track and returned $17.80 for the win. It was a classic stretch battle as Peenie tried to desperately hang on after setting the fractions of 28.4, 58.4 and 1:28.3. But Little Man Cam took the outside route and nailed Peenie at the wire while What The Sheik had to settle for a disappointing third after using the passing lane. It was the third victory in 19 starts for Little Man Cam (Camotion-Rocket Time). The 8-year-old gelding is owned by Michael Ohol and Steven Gross and is trained by Courtney Ohol. The win upped Little Man Cam’s seasonal earnings to $20,578 and $149,947 lifetime. The season concludes on Sunday with a 1:05 p.m. post for the 11-race card. The New York Sire Stakes will close out 2014 campaign with the 2-year-old filly trotters taking to the track.
Running Aces
That’s Mara extended her Running Aces win streak to three on Saturday night, handling the step up into open fillies and mares company with relative ease. The 5-year-old Lis Mara mare closed with a :27.4 final panel to sweep past a full field and win by over a length in 1:52.3. That’s Mara is owned by Piece Of The Action LLC, trained by George Reider and has been driven to her three straight victories by Kim Pluta. Love Live Laugh (Tim Maier) finished second with Lady’s Art (Steve Wiseman) garnering the show share of the race, dubbed the “Back To The Track Sweepstake” and carrying an $18,000 purse. Patrons were treated to free programs, a t-shirt toss after every race, an autograph session with Running Aces’ top 10 drivers and ten lucky fans got to enjoy two-seater jog carts around the quick five-eighths mile oval between races.
Scioto Downs Racino
Ardyne Ace and Randy Tharps stole the Saturday Night Open Pace in 1:50.3 at Scioto Downs. Ardyne Ace is an 8-year-old gelded son of Aces N’ Sevens out of Hertown Hanover. He’s conditioned by Jim Pollock for David Ehrenberg II and Daniel Fawcett of Ohio. Ardyne Ace started from post four in the field of eight and was touted as the 4-5 favorite, and rightfully so, after competing in the Open Pace ranks in his last four outings and the veteran had been in the money every time. When the starter said go, Tharps put the throttle down and paced around the inside leaver, DJ Lance and Ryan Stahl. They clocked the opening quarter in a hot 26.2. Tharps gave Ardyne Ace a 29 second quarter breather as they passed the half-way mark in 55.2. Special Forces made a first-over bid and pushed the pace down the backside and tripped the three quarters in 1:22.3. DJ Lance and Stahl waited patiently for the super stretch, but they still couldn’t catch the strong, Ardyne Ace. DJ Lance was second for trainer, Nichole Gagnon and Special Forces was a valiant third. This was Ardyne Ace’s 195th career start, 37th victory and adds to his bankroll of $336,741.