from harness publicists across North America
Friday’s (Dec. 2) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Batavia Downs Casino, Saratoga Casino and Raceway and Cal Expo. Fifty Two Finn does it again at Batavia Batavia, NY — The classy oldtimer Fifty Two Finn did it again, when for the second week in a row he won the featured $8,100 Open Trot on Friday night at Batavia Downs Casino.
Paul White photo
A three horse race to the wire saw Fifty Two Finn (center) defeating Mikey (along the rail) and Hello Carlo in the $8,100 Open Trot at Batavia Downs Casino.
Fifty Two Finn received a very well rated mile from reinsman Mike Baumeister. Leaving from post three, the 11-year-old Movie Mogul stallion got down to the half in a leisurely 1:01.3. A :59.4 final lap around the Downs half-mile oval was good enough to hold off the pocket sitting Mikey (Shawn McDonough) and a fast closing Hello Carlo (Kevin Cummings) for a head score in 2:01.2.
Ronald Stebbins owns and trains Fifty Two Finn, who notched his 54th lifetime win in his 267 race career and raised his earnings to $484,524.
With one night remaining in the 2011 live season, top trainer honors is yet to be determined. Alex Giuliani, coming off a two-win Friday night, leads with 44 wins. John Mungillo, who scored a three-bagger, moved into second with 43 wins. Jim Graham remains in contention with 42. Bobbi Jo Martin is now four wins behind but is mathematically still in the race.
There were no winners in the Friday night Pick-6 contest, meaning the entire $1,000 pool must be paid out to whomever picks the most winners in contest races 4-9 on Saturday evening. Sign up to play the contest begins at 5 p.m. at Players Club.
The 65th season of racing at America’s oldest lighted harness track concludes Saturday night, Night of Distinction night. First race post time is 6:40 p.m.
— Batavia Downs Media Relations
Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Cold Winner returned to town in style on Friday night. The Mark Ford trained trotter came from the back of the pack in the $16,000 Open to secure the feature win with driver Dan Cappello, Jr. at the controls. The 8-year-old veteran was a Saratoga regular for years and has enjoyed success throughout his career when competing at the Spa. Cold Winner (Credit Winner) got past the race’s favorite and a host of other challengers in the stretch on Friday night before stopping the timer in 1:57.4. The classy trotter, who has earned more than three quarters of a million dollars in his career, won for the tenth time in the 2011 campaign. Scotty Doesn’t Know (Jim Devaux) finished second while Gabby’s Creditcard (Stephane Bouchard) closed for third.
Cal Expo
Fresh from four straight dominating victories, Frankly Scarlett (Steve Wiseman) kept the momentum going at Cal Expo in Friday night’s $3,600 headliner for the pacing fillies and mares. Under urging and digging in, the Robert Bacon owned Frankly Scarlett held firm from mid-stretch on to win ($2.40) by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:57, thus winning her fifth straight while recording her 26th career triumph. Poor House (James Kennedy) finished in second and Lust (Lemoyne Svendsen) finished 1-1/4 lengths farther back in third.