from harness publicists across North America

Saturday’s (April 19) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Buffalo Raceway, Saratoga Casino and Raceway and Vernon Downs.

Diditagain Hanover does it again at Buffalo Raceway

Hamburg, NY — Diditagain Hanover ‘did it again’ at Buffalo Raceway as the 6-year-old gelding won his fifth straight race with a half-length victory over Rock N Roll Legend in the featured $10,500 Open Pace in 1:55.4.

Steve Roth photo

Diditagain Hanover won his fifth straight at Buffalo Raceway.

After racing in the $10,000 optional claiming ranks a little more than a month ago, Diditagain Hanover has progressively and successfully stepped up the ladder and reached the top rung this week. He showed he was ready for the challenge against the best pacers on the grounds.

It was a slightly different tactic used by Diditagain Hanover ($4.20) and driver Kevin Cummings. Usually coming off the pace, Diditagain Hanover, who scored from the rail, went to the top and didn’t look back. After putting up fractions of :29, :58.2 and 1:27, the :28.4 final panel proved to be just enough to hold off the late charge from Rock N Roll Legend (Jack Flanigen). Western Alumni (Jim McNeight) took the third place position.

The victory was the sixth in Diditagain Hanover’s last seven starts and seventh win of the season. He is owned by Thomas Mazzone and trained by Lisa Zgodzinski. The win sent his earnings to $29,746 in 2014 and $149,989 lifetime.

— Brian J. Mazurek

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
R Caan (Four Starzzz Shark) became the seventh different horse to win the Open Pace in seven installments of the regular Saturday feature at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. Heavily backed by the betting public into favorite status, R Caan marched out to an easy lead in the early going and never had an anxious moment en route to his first local Open score. Billy Dobson piloted the 5-year-old Rene Allard trainee to his third win in seven seasonal tries. The victory in the $18,190 Saturday Open came in 1:53.1. Village Jackson (Jim Devaux) hit the board for the third straight time in the local feature as the runner-up while Cashendash Hanover (Shawn Gray) earned the show spot. The four time defending leading driver at the Spa, Dobson piloted three winners on the Saturday card.

Vernon Downs
Chris Lems sent Fireyourguns ($4.40) to the front and never looked back, pulling clear on the far turn and winning by a convincing 6-1/4 lengths in Saturday’s $10,000 Miracle Mile 2-1 Handicap Pace at Vernon Downs. The 5-year-old American Ideal gelding rated a :55.3 first half-mile before getting good separation on his seven rivals, opening up a six length lead over the pocket-sitting Sheer Brilliance through three-quarters in 1:22.3. Unable to keep up, Sheer Brilliance faded through the stretch, overtaken by eventual runners-up Stonebridge Master (Aaron Byron) and Western Trademark (Fern Paquet, Jr.) while Fireyourguns held his clear margin intact for a 1:50.2 win. Trainer Terence McClory co-owns Fireyourguns with Jennifer and Robert Lowe. Three $4,000 divisions of the Anthony Farina Pacing Series co-headlined the card, with Medusa (1:53.3), Crew Dream (1:54.4) and Stony Brook (1:53.3) claiming victory in their splits.