from harness racing publicists across North America

The Thursday (Oct. 5) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Saratoga Casino Hotel, Plainridge Park, Hollywood Dayton Raceway and Vernon Downs.

Devaux pilots Hal N Sammy to victory at the Spa

Saratoga Springs, NY — Jimmy Devaux recorded his 5,000th career victory on Monday afternoon (Oct. 2) at Monticello Raceway. The leading driver at Monticello this year, Devaux currently sits third in the driver standings at Saratoga Casino Hotel. On Thursday afternoon (Oct. 5), Devaux piloted his first local winner since reaching the career milestone on Monday.

Melissa Simser-Iovino photo

Devaux and Hal N Sammy win in a career-best 1:55.2 at Saratoga.

Two-year-old pacer Hal N Sammy (Yankee Cruiser) parlayed his pocket trip to victory in Thursday’s $6,600 non-winners of one race or $11,000 lifetime pace. The freshman Don Billings trainee had three starts at the Spa coming into the matinee card and in those races recorded a win and a pair of seconds.

Faced with the daunting task of squaring off against 1-9 favorite Delightful Joe (Billy Dobson), Hal N Sammy rode the leader’s coattails throughout before popping the pocket around the final turn and getting up to win in a career-best 1:55.2.

Devaux, who is currently sixth in North America in wins for a driver in 2017, was recognized in the winner’s circle on Thursday with a sign acknowledging his career achievement.

Live racing continues on Friday night with a first post time set for 6:45 p.m.

— by Mike Sardella

Plainridge Park

Plainville, MA — Cumberland, R.I. native Mike Eaton has been racing in New England for over 30 years but he is currently enjoying what looks to be his best season. Proof of this is having two of his stable members capture both top trots on Thursday afternoon (Oct. 5) at Plainridge Park. In the $14,000 Open Handicap trot, Black Broadway (Mike Eaton) settled in fourth off the gate momentarily before Eaton decided to come early and rolled off the pylons before the quarter. From there Black Broadway was parked every step the rest of the mile chasing the front running Wind And A Prayer (Nick Graffam). Despite solid fractions and the appearance of tiring around the final turn, Black Broadway caught a second wind, chased down Wind And A Prayer and then held off a fast closing Bloodstockshalltab (Jimmy Whittemore) to win right at the wire in 1:55.1. It was the seventh win of the year for Black Broadway ($8.40) who now has $69,400 on her card for 2017. And in the co-featured $10,000 conditioned trot, Shorething Fashion (Jimmy Whittemore) was parked out the entire mile before tipping three-and then four-deep around the last turn to trot away by almost two lengths in 1:55.3. Shorething Fashion ($5.60) now has eight wins on the year with $52,177 on the card. Both horses are owned by Eaton and Bob McHugh. For this year Eaton trainees have won 39 races out of 179 starts and $274,564 in purses, giving him a .348 UTR. He is currently the fifth leading dash winning trainer at Plainridge with 31 wins, ninth for UTR (.323) and sixth in earnings ($205,337). For his career Eaton has 714 wins and $1.87 million in earnings. This year he has already exceeded his highest previous annual earnings total ever ($170,145) and is only nine wins away from tying his best one-year win production ever (48). Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday (Oct. 6) with post time set at 2:30 p.m.

Hollywood Dayton Raceway

Track record holder Penn returned to his winning ways on Thursday night (Oct. 5) winning the $18,500 Open Trot at Hollywood Dayton Raceway in a mild upset. It was two years ago that the now 7-year-old Master Glide gelding established the all-time 1:52.3 standard for squaregaiters, but his 1:55.1 mile on this damp night was good enough for a frontstepping triumph for Penn and leading driver Josh Sutton, who posted fractions of :27.4, :57.3 and 1:25.3 before tackling on the winning :29.3 final panel. The 70-1 longshot Really Deep Chip (Scott Cisco) rallied to finish second with Anaffairtoremember (Kayne Kauffman) surviving a first-over journey to grab the show dough. Barkley Counts owns the winner that is trained by Alicia Hanners. Penn returned a $2 mutuel of $7.20; while the exacta paid a whopping $203.40 and the $2 trifecta was good for a $2,806 payoff.

Vernon Downs

Roll With Sparky (Shawn McDonough) would capture the filly and mare featured pace ($7,500) on Thursday night (Oct. 5). Roll With Sparky (Roll With Joe) would control all the fractions of :26.3, :56.1, 1:23.4 and 1:51.3. Owned by Paul Tandimeyer, Lee Winters, and trainer Jim Graham, the 3-year-old filly would hold off a late charge by the favorite Love To Roll (John MacDonald) to win with ease. Love To Roll (Rocknroll Hanover) would settle for second best. Bye Bye Michelle (Chris Lems) finished third. Roll With Sparky ($7.10) would have a career best time to get win number nine of the season and pick up career victory number 11. Leading driver John MacDonald would pick up wins number 156 and 157 at Vernon Downs this season. He would first win with ABC Crown Me Queen (ABC Garland) in 1:55.4, paying $4.00. Win two came with Strike A Chord (McArdle) taking the mile in 1:53.3. She would pay $2.90 for the victory. Vernon Downs returns to live action on Friday (Oct. 6) with a nine-race card starting at 6:45 p.m. For more information go to www.vernondowns.com.