Racing Roundup: Elizabeth Lane sweeps Meadows Series elims
February 27, 2009,from Harness Publicists across North America
Thursday’s (February 26) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from The Meadows, Dover Downs, Monticello Raceway, Cal-Expo, and Maywood Park.
Elizabeth Lane sweeps Meadows Series elims
Meadow Lands, PA — Elizabeth Lane made it a clean sweep in the eliminations of the Closing Bell, winning her third straight in the series for 3- and 4-year-old filly and mare trotters on Thursday at The Meadows.
Trainer/driver Doug Snyder hustled Elizabeth Lane to the pocket, where she enjoyed a golden trip behind Wild Nordic. The 4-year-old daughter of SJ’s Caviar-Braker Lane blew by in the lane, scoring by a widening 4-3/4 lengths in 1:58.1. KT Attitude closed for second while Wild Nordic saved show. Snyder owns Elizabeth Lane with Shaffer Standardbreds.
Graceful Sister, Fancy Wine and Cameron Chip also won $12,000 series divisions. The Closing Bell final for approximately $30,000 is set for next Thursday, March 5.
In the $25,000 Filly & Mare Preferred Handicap Pace, Spring Break and Mike Wilder sailed to a front-end victory in 1:53.4, 1-1/4 lengths better than Niabunny. Jans Luck was a rallying third. Dan Altmeyer trains Spring Break, a 5-year-old daughter of Dream Away-Siobhan who has won four of seven starts this year, for Joann and Joe Thomson.
— Evan Pattak
Cosmic Illusion N scores in Dover feature
Dover, DE — Longshot Cosmic Illusion N won the headliner on Thursday at Dover Downs.
Fotowon photo
Cosmic Illusion N defeated Dina’s Gamble by a half-length.
In the $14,000 male pace, Katja Schreyvogel’s Cosmic Illusion N, an altered son of Fake Left-Cosmic Quest, put in a strong effort, racing on the outside for much of the mile before winning a stretch duel with runner-up Dina’s Gamble (Brandon Givens).
Cosmic Illusion N scored the 1:53 victory with Jon Roberts as the winning driver. Dina’s Gamble had a good effort also and finished second. The Phantoms Guest (Ross Wolfenden) was third.
— Marv Bachrad
Dobson wins five at Monticello
Monticello, NY — Michigan native Billy Dobson put on a great display of driving ability when he scored five victories on the Thursday racing program at Monticello Raceway.
Now relocated in New York State and among the most sought after catch-drivers at Monticello Raceway, Dobson began the afternoon by winning both ends of the early daily double. He reined Holmes Stock Farm’s trotter Spurlin to a 2:03.2 victory in the first race and followed with a 2:00 triumph behind Ryan Merton’s Oakbrook Raider in the second.
Dobson’s next visit to the winner’s circle came in race seven when he guided Ed Mihalek’s Classic Patrol to a 1:58.2 victory.
He then proceeded to win the 10th race with William Emmons’ Albagold in 1:57.2 and came right back to score victory number five in the 11th with Rebecca Williams’ Delco Tross in a 1:58.2 clocking.
With his five victories on Thursday Dobson now has 44 for the meeting which ranks him second on the local leaderboard behind Bruce Aldrich’s 52.
— John Manzi
Luck and skill work for Flirtiscape at Cal-Expo
Sacramento, CA — Filly & Mare Open I pacers, racing for a purse of $6,500, were featured at Cal-Expo on Thursday night, in which Flirtiscape got back on the winning track.
Leaving strong, Flirtiscape (Steve Wiseman) was joined by the gate-leaving Amber Delight (Rick Plano), Don’t Tempt Me (James Kennedy) and Reno Rose (Jim Lackey) as the four mares at one point would be four across the track before Wiseman would yield 3-16ths of a mile past the start into a :28.2 opening quarter. Remaining in third position through the first half, timed in :57.3, Wiseman was pleased.
“I was fine where I was and was staying right there because I had used her a little leaving, plus I know she has one good run finishing.”
Sticking to his guns and staying inside while choosing not to go first-over as the field had 7-16ths of a mile to go, Wiseman found himself locked in, but then a second-over Tawny Reserve (Gilbert Herrera) gapped the cover of the first-over Don’t Tempt Me.
“This is where the saying ‘I’d rather be lucky than good’ comes into play because I was able to slip out and was now getting the trip behind the horse to beat,” laughed Wiseman.
Sliding out and now second-over past the midway point of the final turn while following a charging Don’t Tempt Me, Wiseman would find himself only 2-1/4 lengths back at the three-quarter pole, timed in 1:27. Moving three-wide for the drive, Wiseman still knew he had his work cut out for him as Don’t Tempt Me was hanging tough while now on the lead.
“Don’t Tempt Me never gives up and fights all the way to the wire. My horse, however, was able to get past her, which was probably helped by the fact that we got a better trip.”
Taking over a slim lead with just less than a sixteenth of a mile to go, Flirtiscape would outfight a hard trying Don’t Tempt Me to win ($19.40) by a neck. Owned by John Darrah and Nick Ruscigno in partnership with trainer Lou Pena, Flirtiscape, in winning her third race in the last four, stopped the timer at 1:55, a lifetime best. Don’t Tempt Me was gallant in defeat while second, and Reno Rose, who had some road trouble at the top of the lane, came on to finish 2-1/4 lengths farther back in third.
“She’s a nice mare who raced good in a race that worked out for her,” finished Wiseman, who had five winners on the card.
Also on the Thursday night card, trainer Frank Petrelli conditioned four winners, of which Ron Lingle owned three of them.
— Scott EhrlichFox Valley Redhot Series produces some surprises
Maywod, IL — Round two action in the Fox Valley Redhot Series shifted to Maywood Park on Thursday night as a total of 24 pacing fillies squared off in a trio of $6,500 events.
The opening division of the night provided the biggest upset on the card as the Alex Adam owned and trained Not So Slim swooped by the field in the lane to win at odds of 50-1. Not So Slim (Tyler Buter) circled the field on the final turn and then drew off in the lane to win by a widening 3-1/2 lengths in 1:59.1 over a track that had been pelted with rain throughout the entire day. East Tower (Mike Oosting) provided the live cover for the winner and wound up settling for the bridesmaid role while Miracle To Me (Dean Magee) was third.
The middle division held true to form as Willis Clark’s Haylie Sue, an easy winner in round one of the series and the 3-5 favorite in the race, used the inside post to perfection in an easy wire-to-wire victory. Pointed right to the top by driver Tyler Buter this good looking daughter of Givemewhatineed was in complete command from the word go. After fighting off a minor challenge from a first over Dingy’s Model (Jason Dillander) heading to the three-quarter mark, the Perry Smith trained miss then drew clear of her rivals in the late stages to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:59.1. Smiling Angel (Sam Widger), who also posted a round one victory, came on late to finish second while Pictonian Queen (Mike Oosting) was third.
In the final division of the night Thomas Cave’s Ali’s Buttercup uncorked an eye catching late move as she rallied in the final strides to win by a neck in 2:02.1 over the sloppy track. This petite daughter of Cambest took to the tight turns and the sloppy surface on the half-mile oval beautifully, storming up three wide from sixth for driver Brandon Simpson as the field circled the final turn. Sitting fifth as the field turned for home the Buddy Simpson trained 5-year-old then seemed to find yet another gear as she flew home in :28.3 to nail the victory in the closing yards. Honey B Skipalong (Tyler Buter) followed the winner’s every move while finishing a tough luck second and Cammi Place (Pat Curtin) was third.
— Tom Kelley