from harness publicists across North America
Wednesday’s (August 17) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Batavia Downs and Monticello Raceway. Filly and Mare features contested at Batavia Batavia, NY — A pair of pocket rockets took the co-features for Filly and Mares on Wednesday night at Batavia Downs Casino. On the trotting side, it was the 4-year-old Hat with Jim McNeight who sat behind the front running Bigfinewoman and John Cummings, Jr., tipped out of the pocket at the top of the stretch and gradually wore down Bigfinewoman to score by a head in 1:58.2, a season’s best, in the $7,000 Filly and Mares Open Trot. Sue Stockwell trains for owner Fred Polk. Hat ($8.80) by Victory Sam notched her 20th career win. Later in the evening it was another 4-year-old who got the trip and the first place check in a three-horse blanket finish. It’s Only Roni with Troy Boring in the bike closed up the passing lane to win in a lifetime best 1:55.2 in the $9,000 Filly and Mares Open Pace. Only a head back in second was Allamerican Tout (Chris Page) and a neck back in third was a fast closing She Rocks (Jim McNeight). It’s Only Roni ($14.60) by Noble Ability is owned by Francis Feely. The veteran Joe Robbins is the conditioner. — Batavia Downs Media Relations Monticello Raceway
In an era where youth seems to be the name of the game one should be cautioned not to discount those veterans who have literally ‘been around the track’ over and over again. Case in point: John Gilmour and Imallottocatch in the weekly winners over trotting feature at Monticello Raceway on Wednesday afternoon. In a field full of younger horses and younger drivers it was the “old men” who brought home the bacon when 73-year-old Gilmour reined 10-year-old trotting gelding Imallottocatch to a 1:59.4 drilling of six other horses. And for the record it was the second consecutive time that this horse and driver combination reached the winner’s circle, although last week’s triumph was in a class notch below the one the duo prevailed in this week. The trotter, a homebred altered son of Allot owned by Gilmour’s daughter Janet Messenger, earned a new lifetime mark with his victory, the trotter’s third in eight seasonal starts. Imallottocatch overtook the pacesetter Samsawinner and Distinct Victory.