from harness publicists across North America

Friday’s (Oct. 7) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Northfield Park, Yonkers Raceway, The Meadows, Vernon Downs, Saratoga Casino and Raceway and Batavia Downs Casino.

Eric Tharps Jr breaks maiden

Northfield, OH — Eric Tharps, Jr. scored his first driving victory on Friday (Oct. 7) in the opening race of the evening at Northfield Park. Tharps executed his plan of go to the top and stay there. Starting from post two and driving the 11-year-old pacing mare, Silky Sailor, Tharps quickly moved to the front. Tharps kept to his plan as he parked Ryan Stahl, who was aboard the favorite, Hillcrest Crystal, through opening fractions of: 29 and 58.2.

“I pretty much knew I had it when he hadn’t cleared me going to the half,” explained a jubilant Tharps. Approaching the three-quarter pole, Tharps asked his horse for more, and she took off. Leading by twelve lengths at the three-quarter pole Silky Sailor continued to draw off, winning by fifteen lengths in a clocking of 1:57.1.

Silky Sailor garnered her 61st lifetime win and her first in 2011. “I got the drive because I’m pretty good friends with her trainer (Eric Thomas),” explained Tharps. “I’d like to do this more, you know, pick-up more drives and make a career out of this.”

Tharps, a 19-year-old Dayton, Ohio native, has been around harness racing his entire life. He grew up in harness racing at Lebanon Raceway and Scioto Downs, rooting for drivers in his family, father, Eric Sr., and uncles Trent and Randy. As a youth, Eric had large aspirations, “I wanted to be a driver and an announcer.” Tharps counts Tim Tetrick as his favorite driver and Roger Huston as his favorite announcer. Tharps currently works for JD Wengerd and plans on hanging around northeast Ohio at least through the winter.

— Ayers Ratliff

Yonkers Raceway
Odds-on Western Silk (George Brennan) rallied from second-over Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s co-featured, $52,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace in 2:00.1. Fox Valley Sage got up for second over Hula’s Z Tam, with Breakheart Pass and Panagler (Jason Bartlett) completing the cashers. For Western Silk, a millionairess 4-year-old daughter of Western Terror co-owned by (trainer) Casie Coleman and Tom Hill, she returned $2.90 for her fourth win (third consecutive) in a dozen seasonal starts. Friday night’s co-featured, $52,000 Open Handicap Trot saw Second Hand News (Brent Holland) just last on the lead in 2:03.1 in his marquee trot debut over KLM Express and Calchips Brute. For Second Hand News, a 9-year-old Pathway to Glory gelding trained by Jack Franklin for co-owners Gary Evans and Foulk Stables, he returned $5.70 (second choice) for his eighth win (fourth in succession) in 26 ’11 tries.

The Meadows
Red Star Hottie returned to her home base with a flourish Friday, rolling to a facile front-end victory in the $22,500 Filly & Mare Not Listed Preferred/Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows. Red Star Hottie had been performing regularly at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Harrah’s Chester and Yonkers without seeing the early lead in six straight starts. That streak ended Friday when she blazed to the front from post 7 for Tony Hall in 26.3 and prevailed without a serious challenge in 1:52. Tremor Hanover raced well from post 8 for second, 2-1/2 lengths back, with Star Keeper a ground-saving third. Ron Burke trains Red Star Hottie, a 6-year-old daughter of As Promised-Whitehorse Fever who now boasts career earnings of $489,155, for Burke Racing Stable and Weaver-Bruscemi LLC.

Vernon Downs
The trotter Yankee Manny continued to display winning form in a 1:55.1 performance during Friday night’s $10,000 featured seventh race at Vernon Downs. Trainer Frank Davis was at the controls as the favorite Yankee Manny ($3.20) flashed to the front early in the week’s Open-1 contest for square-gaiters and maintained his advantage to the finish, holding off the surging Mr. Avalanche by one-half of a length. Friday’s first-place finish was the third in a row for the 5-year-old son of Yankee Glide-Yankee Minuet, who now sports seven current victories and 18 lifetime tallies. The career winner of $93,302 is owned by Brian Green. The final time was 1/5th second off the record mile that the bay gelding produced here last Friday.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Three divisions of the New York Sire Stakes Late Closers highlighted the Friday program at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. 2-year-old pacing fillies squared off for their share of the $12,300 per division. The best battle of the evening came between two standout freshman fillies who took win streaks into their Friday tilt. Blows Me Away (American Ideal) and Canamerica (American Ideal) have both taken the Late Closers by storm in the past couple of months. Squaring off for the second time locally, Blows Me Away (Jim Marohn Jr) and Canamerica (John Stark Jr) had a similar fate this week as they did when they battled on September 2 at the Spa. Blows Me Away blew past her major danger in the stretch for the second time to extend her win streak to six. The victory came in 1:58.4 for the Jim Perry trainee. Canamerica once again came up second best. The fastest mile amongst the Late Closers on the night came from longshot Miracle Lynn (Artiscape) who pulled off the upset in 1:58.1. Miracle Lynn, who was dismissed at 13-1, came on in the final strides to record the victory for driver Chris Long and trainer Kevin Johnson. The third division of the freshman Late Closers was won by Cheer My Dear (Bettor’s Delight) and Billy Dobson who came on late to score in 1:59.3. Cheer My Dear is trained by Linda Toscano.

Batavia Downs Casino
A pair of $6,000 conditioned claiming trots headlined Friday nights (10-7) action at Batavia Downs Casino. The second race provided racing fans an exciting finish with three horses just noses apart. When the photo was examined, it was the 4-year-old mare, Isthatallyagot and Ken Holliday that proved to be the best. The road to victory was not easy as the pair had to avoid breaking horses in the first turn and ended up getting shuffled back as a result. By the time things settled down after the start, High Sonyador (Jim McNeight) grabbed the lead at the quarter in 29.1. The outer flow formed at the half as Manfromnantucket (John Cummings Jr.) came first-over with Isthatallyagot in tow. Manfromnantucket tucked it back to the rail behind the leader at the three quarters and left Isthatallyagot outside by himself in 1:29.1. But Holliday kicked it in gear and motored into a duel with High Sonyador as the pair hit the stretch. Manfromnantucket then abandoned the rail and went wide out and the three horses were wheel to wheel charging towards the wire. As the trio tripped the timer in 1:59.1, the winner wasn’t obvious but Isthatallyagot got it all for owners Betty Tauber, Vogel and Wags Nags Stable and trainer Sherri Holliday. Isthatallyagot won for the eighth time this season and returned $10.80 for the win. The second division went in the ninth race and J Semper Fi with Jim McNeight aboard took advantage of a perfect two-hole trip to notch his fourth win of the year. The time of the mile was 2:00.2. J Semper Fi returned $13.40 for owner Fred Polk and trainer Sue Stockwell.