by harness racing publicists across North America
Sunday’s (July 2) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Buffalo Raceway, Hippodrome 3R, Saratoga Raceway and Hawthorne Race Course.
Drew Monti wins four at Buffalo Raceway
Steve Roth photo
Drew Monti won four races at Buffalo Raceway on Sunday.
Hamburg, NY — Driver Drew Monti was as hot as a firecracker on Sunday afternoon (July 2) as he capped a successful week of action at Buffalo Raceway with a four-bagger. Monti finished the 45-race week with 11 victories.
The 22-year-old Monti was the delight of the chalk players as he guided Rock The Dream ($2.30) Barry Hanover ($3.00), Fall Toy ($2.60) and McSexy ($2.70) to victories. He currently sits in third place in the driver’s standings with 115.
Buffalo Raceway’s leading driver is Larry Stalbaum and he pushed his seasonal total at the Hamburg half-mile oval to 177 thanks to a trio of wins aboard Dash For The Cash ($3.20), Thunderbolt Jaxon ($3.50) and Motor Shark ($7.40). Stalbaum had 10 wins on the week.
JD Perrin had a training double on the matinee card.
Racing will resume on Wednesday night at 5 p.m. with a 10-race card scheduled. Buffalo Raceway will offer simulcasting on Monday (July 3) and Tuesday (July 4) which would normally be dark days.
For more information including the latest news, race replays, results and upcoming promotions, go to www.buffaloraceway.com.
— by Brian Mazurek
Hippodrome 3R
Three-year-old pacers were in the limelight Sunday afternoon (July 2) at Hippodrome 3R in the first preliminary of their Quebec-bred series, known as the Breeders Cup. Two divisions of colts and geldings contested $7,500 purses; there was one 10-horse field of fillies in action in an $8,250 event. The Sportswriter colt Wildriverbumblebee, making his first start since setting a 1:54.3 stakes and track record in winning his 2-year-old Q Championship last Sept. 4, had plenty of sting in his 2017 bow, buzzing home in in 1:56. Stephane Brosseau refused to take the pocket behind hard-leaving Western Phil and paid a :27.1 price for command, but after rating the middle half to 1:00 he had plenty left for the dash home, with Western Phil retaining second over favored Doc Semalu, coming off an Ontario Roots win from post 10. Francis Richard had the victorious colt in prime form immediately for owner/breeder Dr. John Bradbury. In the other division, the Shanghai Phil gelding Rebel Voyager brought winning habits and early speed to 3R from Ontario and took his field wire-to-wire for driver Stephane Gendron in 1:58, giving trainer Francis Richard a sweep of the colt sections. ICR Racing is the owner and breeder of the promising sophomore. Noplay sat the pocket throughout to be second, while favored Majo Lou Beka, away fifth in the six-horse field despite the rail, had to go a long uncovered route and could not sustain his move though holding for third. The Shanghai Phil filly D GS Elsa overcame her bulky 10-horse field in the best way – make two moves to get the top, get to the half in :59.3, and then sprint home in :58 to complete a 1:57.3 mile that was her third straight victory. Yaris Barama, the favorite who finished a neck shy, lost no honor in the race, starting from post 10, coming three-wide late on the second turn to get to first-over past the half, re-tucking in the pocket, and then challenging again approaching the wire, only to come up just shy of the talented winner, guided by Jonathan Lachance for trainer Guylaine Fortin, the latter co-owner and co-breeder Daniel Surprenant. Last year’s championship winner, Queen Elsa, had a hard trip from the trailing post nine and ended up fifth. The 2-year-olds start their Quebec stakes in just three weeks, and several hopefuls made their lifetime debuts in a $3,500 freshman-only pace. The winner was the Sportswriter filly Butterfly BG, who made two moves to the lead, then held off Power Fog to the inside and Art of the Master to the outside (both colts) in 2:02.4 for driver Stephane Brosseau, trainer Daniel Martin, and owner/breeder Gaston Bibeau. Between the races all of the Quebec 2- and 3-year-olds made a stop in front of the four horse in the eighth race – and who else to get good advice about the local-bred series than its fastest pacer, Half A Billion, by virtue of his 1:52.2 win in the 4-and 5-year-old male pace on June 11, also the fastest mile of the season here. Half A Billion then went out and made what looked like easy work against a talented $8,000 Gold Invitational field, coming uncovered into twin back fractions of :28.1 and still winning handily in 1:53.4 for driver Stephane Brosseau and trainer Francis Richard, who both completed triples and the partnership of Michel and Francois Letarte, Jean Allaire, and Corey Giles, who saw their pride and joy win his sixth straight at 3R. The veteran Abundasass took a conditioned trot today in 2:02.2 – one day after he had won an Invitational trot at St-Hughes on the Quebec regional circuit in 2:04.4.
Saratoga Raceway
Twisted Pretzel (Crazed) has been one of the top trotters at Saratoga Casino Hotel this season and on Sunday afternoon (July 2) won for the seventh time in 2017. The Scott Mongeon trainee has been a force in the Open Trot this season and on Sunday moved into the $15,000 winners over. Jimmy Devaux has been the regular driver for Twisted Pretzel who assumed the early lead in the feature. Forced to park out a rival from the start, the race’s 8-5 betting favorite clicked off first half fractions of :27.3 and :56.1.The 7-year-old trotter had plenty left in the tank for the stretch drive as he turned away pocket sitter On The Podium (Bruce Aldrich Jr) en route to victory in 1:55.4. On The Podium was the runner-up while longshot Tropical Storm Bi (Frank Coppola Jr) came on for third. It was win number seven in 17 seasonal tries for Twisted Pretzel who completed a training double for conditioner Scott Mongeon.
Live racing resumes on Tuesday afternoon with an Independence Day matinee set to begin at 12:15 p.m.
Hawthorne Race Course
Trotters were featured on Sunday evening (July 2) at Hawthorne as juvenile trotters kicked off the night in the Cardinal eliminations. The Cardinal is for Illinois-bred 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters as a field of nine was set to meet the starter after the scratch of Two News. Favored was Vic’s Pizza for driver-trainer Mike Brink. Getting away quickly from the outside was Jiggle The Handle, clearing the lead through :30.1. After a half in 1:oo.3, the 99-1 shot Jiggle The Handle maintained the lead. On the turn, Mt Erie Mafia took over, through three quarters in 1:32.0. In the lane, Jared Finn kept after Mt Erie Mafia, as he held sway, winning in 2:01.2. Fox Valley Strpwr was second while Krispy K finished third. Mt Erie Mafia is trained by J D Finn. Race two was the first of two divisions of the Violet eliminations for Illinois-bred 2-year-old filly trotters as a field of eight took to the track. Favored was Good Design with Kyle Wilfong in the bike as they looked for consecutive wins to open her career. Making the lead from the inside was Sunny Sasha through a quarter in :30.3. On the backside, Jared Finn and Sunny Sasha kept the lead, trotting the half in 1:01.2. On the far turn, longshot New Queen moved to challenge but Sunny Sasha kept her lead, covering three0quarters in 1:31.4. In the lane, Sunny Sasha was all out as Maui Mama cruised up on the outside for Casey Leonard to catch her on the wire. Good Design finished third. Final time for the mile was 2:00.3. Maui Mama is owned by H W Wright and trained by Mike Brink. Race three on Sunday was the second division of the Violet eliminations as eight lined up behind the starter. Favored was E L Miss Kaibra with Mike Oosting driving. Getting away for the lead was the favorite, making the quarter in :30.3. On the backstretch, longshot Frontier Jackie assumed the lead, as E L Miss Kaibra broke stride. The half was in 1:01.4 as Trotting Grace took over, After three quarters in 1:31.4, Trotting Grace opened up in the lane for Kyle Husted, winning by daylight in 2:00.4. Lous Silver Star finished second while Fox Valley Winnie was third. Trotting Grace is trained by Steve Searle. Race five was leg two action in the Beulah Dygert Memorial Trot for Illinois-bred 3-year-old fillies as a field of 10 took to the track. The favorite from the outside was Anna Lucky Star with Kyle Wilfong driving. Making the lead was Daisy Lou Duke from the rail, through the opening quarter in :29.4. On the backstretch, Lous Game N Match moved to press the leader as Daisy Lou Duke held her lead through the half in :59.3. On the turn, Kyle Husted kept Daisy Lou Duke up top, covering three-quarters in 1:29.2. In the lane, Daisy Lou Duke battled but could not hold off the favorite as Annas Lucky Star rolled by in the final sixteenth to win in 1:57.0. Daisy Lou Duke held second while Fox Valley Ella was third. Annas Lucky Star is owned by Danny Graham and trained by Nelson Willis. Race eight on Sunday was leg two of the Erwin F. Dygert Memorial Trot for Illinois-bred 3-year-old colts and geldings. The heavy favorite from the field of eleven was Louscipher with Casey Leonard in the bike. Making the early lead was Trixie’s Jethro for Jared Finn through the opening quarter in :30 and the half in :59.4. Into the turn, Trixie’s Jethro continued to lead, pushed by Picky Picky Valor through three-quarters in 1:29.1. Late in the lane, Trixie’s Jethro gave way as favored Louscipher rolled up on the outside and drew clear, winning in 1:56.4. Picky Picky Valor got up for second while Muscle Image finished third. Louscipher is owned by Flacco Family Farms LLC and trained by Roshun Trigg.