from harness publicists across North America

Saturday’s (April 25) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Scarborough Downs, Vernon Downs and Saratoga Casino and Raceway.

Eddie Davis Jr. wins four at Scarborough Downs

Scarborough, ME — Eddie Davis Jr. held the hot hand at a chilly Scarborough Downs on Saturday as the Delmarva invader scored four wins on the card despite the brisk conditions.

Michael Newman photo

Eddie Davis Jr. secured one of his four wins with the classy 13-year-old Print It.

Davis began his day with a family style victory, steering Devil’s Embrace N to his first trip to the winner’s circle since 2012. The 12-year-old Kiwi import is owned by Davis and conditioned by his son Eric.

Davis then went back-to-back for Scarborough’s defending trainer of the year Bo Sowers, scoring the second consecutive win for claiming pacer Allen The Optomist before masterminding the 58th career win for the ultra-classy Print It.

The man in the red and white colors capped off his grand slam afternoon with a gate-to-wire rampage behind Sam Lucky which represented one of two wins on the card for trainer Steven Vafiades.

The successful day launched Davis into sole possession of second place in the Scarborough drivers’ standings with 17 seasonal tallies, just 10 wins behind Drew Campbell who is currently the top rated UDR driver in North America.

Live harness racing resumes at Scarborough Downs on Sunday with a 1:30 p.m. (EDT) post time. Next Saturday, Kentucky Derby Day, Scarborough will go to post at 2 p.m. For more information, visit www.ScarboroughDowns.com or our Facebook page.

— Michael Sweeney

Vernon Downs
Commencing a rally out of last with five-sixteenths of the mile to go, Damon Blue Chip ($44.00) stunned in Saturday evening’s $10,000 Open Pace at Vernon Downs, passing every other horse in the race to just prevail. The 6-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding came away last in the field of five, allowing odds-on favorite Ashley’s Husband (Fern Paquet Jr.) to establish solid early sectional times of :26.2 and :55. Before entering the far turn, Ashley’s Husband felt strong pressure from the first-over JK Panache (Chris Lems) and John MacDonald moved Damon Blue Chip off the pegs from last as the top pair dueled through a :27.3 third quarter. Ultimately carried four-wide at the top of the stretch, Damon Blue Chip was urged to gobble up ground through the stretch, prevailing in the final yards over a game Ashley’s Husband. JK Panache flattened at the top of the stretch, narrowly holding third. MacDonald, also the winning trainer, co-owns Damon Blue Chip with the J P Stables. The featured event was the cornerstone of a driving grand slam for MacDonald, who also prevailed with another trainee of his, Dragon Fever ($6.40, 1:52). The Green Knight ($6.90, 1:53.2) and Hot Lemonade ($4.70, 1:54.2) rounded out MacDonald’s quartet of driving wins on the evening’s 13-race card. The aforementioned Hot Lemonade was one of two winners in the first round of the Anthony Farina Pacing Series, pouncing from the pocket to defeat Sweet Bobbie (Chris Lems) in their division. Lilys Real Boy ($7.10) took the other $4,000 split, carried wide when circling to the fore early before kicking clear to a 6-1/4 length, 1:53.2 victory with Fern Paquet Jr. in the bike. Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Friday evening, with first post scheduled for 6:45 p.m. (EDT).

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Stay Up Late (Artiscape) became the third Jose Godinez-trained pacer to win the Saturday night Open at Saratoga Casino and Raceway as the 4-year-old went coast to coast in the $18,000 feature. Stay Up Late was coming off back-to-back victories but hadn’t competed in the local Open before when driver Bruce Aldrich Jr. moved him to the early lead on Saturday. They withstood a late surge from rival Memory Game (Frank Coppola Jr.) who ended up second and late closing JD’s Caleb Man (Billy Dobson) who earned the show spot. Stay Up Late was bet down as the race’s favorite and returned $5.20 to win while the exacta came back $37 and the triple paid $233. Stay Up Late joined stablemates RU Ready To Rock and BJ’s Guy as Open Pace winners this season.