Racing Roundup: Dynamite Diva wins Meadows $25,000 trot
March 18, 2009,from Harness Publicists across North America
Wednesday’s (March 18) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from The Meadows, Dover Downs and Monticello Raceway.
Dynamite Diva wins Meadows $25,000 trot
Meadow Lands, PA — Dynamite Diva controlled the field with a measured first half but had to dig in late to preserve her victory in the $25,000 Filly & Mare Preferred Handicap Trot on Wednesday at The Meadows.
When Aaron Merriman sent Dynamite Diva through early fractions of :28.1 and :58, she had plenty left in the tank. She needed all of it to repel the first-over challenge of In Focus Hanover and the late thrust of Whybabywhy. Dynamite Diva prevailed in 1:55.4, with Whybabywhy missing by a head. In Focus Hanover and Whotookwhat dead-heated for show.
Peter Wrenn trains Dynamite Diva, a 6-year-old daughter of Davanti-Benns Limit, and owns with Eugene Oldford, Stephen Oldford and The Kales Company.
Dave Palone drove four winners on the 13-race card.
— Evan Pattak
L T’s Best is the best in Dover trot
Dover, DE — L T
‘s Best won the $32,000 Open Trot at Dover Downs on Wednesday. Tony Morgan had four winning drives.
Fotowon photo
L T’s Best held off Joey The Jet JT by three-quarters of a length.
Razor sharp L T’s Best, driven by Vince Copeland, held off a strong stretch drive by Joey The Jet JT and Ross Wolfenden to score by a half-length to win the week’s top trot. Entering the stretch, race favorite Allmar Surprise (Vic Kirby) broke stride as her six rivals converged behind her. Twelve Seventeen, a former pacer now trotting for Jack Parker, finished third for the second straight week.
Tom Barrett owns L T’s Best, a consistent Davanti-Light Tackle gelding who is now a three-time winner this year with a pair of seconds and thirds in 10 starts. L T’s Best has won $62,600 in 2009 and $251,920 in his career.
Vic Kirby sent Charles Cochran’s Jobo Da’Shabra right to the lead in the $21,000 sub-featured trot and the Carry The Message-Rose Run Caitlin gelding was not to be denied in a 1:56.3 victory. It was the second win in his last three races and upped his seasonal earnings to $28,940. Good Feeling closed well for Vince Copeland to edge Letmetellusumthin and Corey Callahan for second-place honors.
— Marv Bachrad
Caviar Kid rambles to victory at Monticello
Monticello, NY — Caviar Kid rambled down the center of the track to win the trotting feature at Monticello Raceway on Wednesday.
Driven by Kyle DiBenedetto, the veteran 8-year-old SJ’s Caviar gelding notched his first victory of the season when he trotted by Bar None (Mike Forte) and Genesis Royal Oak (Ken Devaux), the latter who provided cover for the winner during the final half-mile of the contest.
Owned by the Karlyn Bars Estates and trained by Doreen Gatie, the winner raced with a $20,000 claiming tab. Last season Cavair Kid won five times and earned $30,969.
Caviar Kid’s victory was one of four on the card for DiBenedetto.
He won the first race with East Creek Stables’ trotter East Creek Huck in 2:02.3 and then won the third with Linda and Stanley Noga’s pacer Rocket Rob in 2:01.1.
DiBenedetto’s final triumph on the card came in race eight when he guided King of the Castle Stable and Margaret Olmstead’s Super Cat Begonia to the trotter’s third consecutive victory in a time of 2:03.
DiBenedetto (33) began his career here at the Mighty M as an 18 year old and with his four driving victories on Wednesday he now has 40 for the season. During his career he has won 4,896 races.
— John Manzi