from harness publicists across North America

Monday’s (March 19) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs, The Meadows, The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park and Monticello Raceway.

Fancyfreeshark wins third straight; takes $36,000 Dover feature

Dover, DE — For the third straight week Fancyfreeshark has stepped up in class and for the second week in a row the 5-year-old has turned in the fastest time of the week at Dover Downs, this time scoring a 1:50 victory to win the $36,000 Preferred Handicap on Monday.

Fotowon photo

Fancyfreeshark and Tim Tetrick scored in a time of 1:50.

Tim Tetrick was at the controls as Fancyfreeshark left quickly to take the lead and then never looked back en route to his fourth victory of the year in 10 starts for owner-trainer Bobby Glassmeyer.

The Four Starzz Shark-Fancy Art horse was followed across the finish line by Nova Artist, closing from far back with Allan Davis to finish second, and Bondy N with Ron Pierce, third. Fancyfreeshark has now won $66,530 this year and $207,130 lifetime.

M&L of Delaware’s Samandar turned in his career fastest victory, winning the $27,500 Open Pace with a 1:50.4 clocking, one of Ron Pierce’s five winning drives.

The 4-year-old son of American Ideal-Lady Sammie, conditioned by Bruce Saunders, registered his first win of 2012, lifting his career earnings to $277,929. Special T Rocks (Daryl Bier) spent much of the mile racing on the outside but still held on for second. Winsmith Art (John Wagner) closed well to finish third.

— Marv Bachrad

The Meadows
NF Notebook, whose experience consisted of a single qualifier, made a sparkling debut Monday at The Meadows when he launched an uncovered bid that carried him to victory in the Ken Weaver Memorial Trot. His time of 1:57.3 was the fastest this year by a 3-year-old gelding on a five-eighths-mile track. Upfront Charlieboy and Americangeneration also captured $15,000 second leg divisions in the series for 3- and 4-year-old colt and gelding trotters. The final is set for next week. NF Notebook found himself 6-1/2 lengths behind in his career bow when Randy Tharps tipped him off the pylons and asked for trot. The son of Like A Prayer-NF Notable responded like a veteran, gobbling up ground and prevailing by 1-1/2 lengths over the closing Mapler. Performance Chip finished third. Kris Rickert trains NF Notebook for Dale Wareham. In the $22,500 Filly & Mare Preferred Trot, Kandor Hanover grabbed the lead with a quarter-pole move for Dave Palone and made it look easy from there, winning in 1:54.4. The pocket-sitting Hawaiianphotograph was second — giving trainer Bill Zendt an exacta sweep — while Photo Fantasy was a ground-saving third. Online Stables, John Burns and J. Patrick Huber own Kandor Hanover, a 6-year-old daughter of Tagliabue-Katelyns Glory who now boasts $487,005 in career earnings. Palone drove four winners and Dan Noble three on the 15-race card.

The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park
Cara Mia Hanover has earned a deserved reputation as a broodmare responsible for producing offspring that raced to a remarkable number of upset wins in the 2011-2012 campaign at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park. The latest noteworthy winner from the mare was Jump Start at 17-1 in the fifth race of the Monday evening program at the South Florida venue. With Anthony Napolitano in the bike, the 7-year-old daughter of Albert Albert-Cara Mia Hanover sat prudently just off the pace in her upset tour of the track in the conditioned event for fillies and mares. Into the stretch, it appeared as though Joe Pavia, Jr.’s 3-year-old filly Arodasi was seriously prepping for a return to Pennsylvania Sires Stakes and Grand Circuit action after she surged to the front in a :27.4 third quarter. In the final eighth, Napolitano wheeled Jump Start to the outside from a perfect ground saving trip to earn a life’s mark of 1:53.1. It was the opening leg of the popular Pick-4 wager and it would lead to a carryover of $5,247 since it was immediately followed up by a 7-1 score by trotting mare Soxy’s Kid for the owner-trainer and driver team of Elizabeth and Rick Schaut. The surprise tally by Jump Start was preceded by memorable upsets earlier in the meet by Real Joy (25-1 on Oct. 24) and Real Jewel (9-1 on Nov. 12). Richard Noel retains ownership of Cara Mia Hanover and her offspring. She has now produced ten foals. The highest earning is Real Jewel at over $120,000 followed by Monday evening’s upset winner Jump Start at over $95,000 and Real Joy at nearly $63,000. That trio racing for Noel in Florida this meet are all trained by Mike Watson.

Monticello Raceway
There’s a new kid in town and he’s getting noticed. And why shouldn’t he? After all, Kevin Switzer, Jr. was the leading driver last year in his home state of Maine and now he’s brought that talent to the Mighty M. On Monday afternoon, the 24-year-old Switzer reined four winners on the 12-race card. He won the early double with Whiskey Gal in 1:52.2 and Lady On The Attack by 10 lengths in 1:57. Switzer’s next victory came behind Pembroke Lil in the seventh when he guided the veteran Blissfull Hall mare to a 1:56.4 triumph and then Switzer reined LM Elika to her third straight triumph despite having to start from the eight hole. They stopped the clock 1:56.4. Switzer had a big year last season when he reined 310 winners and finished the year with a .378 UDR. He was the leading driver at Bangor Raceway and finished as the State of Maine’s leading driver. Currently Switzer has 20 wins, 25 seconds and 25 thirds in 136 trips to post and sports a respectable .298 UDR.