from Harness Publicists across North America

Tuesday’s (March 2) Racing Roundup features results stories from Monticello Raceway, The Meadows and Dover Downs.

Five more wins for Billy Dobson on Tuesday

Monticello, NY — Billy Dobson added to his meet-leading win total by reining five winners on the Tuesday afternoon card at Monticello Raceway.

Geri Schwarz photo

Billy Dobson won five races on Tuesday at Monticello.

By his own admission Dobson is making a concerted effort to win as many races as he can this year and he has his sights set on copping the driving title at Monticello Raceway.

His barrage began in the second race when he guided Debron Stables’ Honored Hall to a 2:00 triumph and then came back to win the third race with Jack and Rose DeLuca’s Radical Reaction in a 1:59.2 clocking. For Radical Reaction it marked the pacer’s third consecutive victory and fifth in his last seven starts.

Dobson’s third winner came in the daily pacing feature when he guided Moen Stables’ Blue Collar Raider to a 1:57.4 clocking for the pacer’s second win in a row and third in his last four starts.

He then strung together two consecutive victories when he won the 10th race with Chalky Tom Racing Stable’s Double The Trouble in a time of 2:00.1 and the 11th with Orville Rursch’s Classy Cam in 1:59.4.

Dobson, who was all smiles after his afternoon performance, said philosophically, “I had good horses in the right spot today. And besides, I had to make up for yesterday when I got skunked.”

His Mighty M total of 66 winners leads runner-up Bruce Aldrich, Jr., who had one win on the afternoon card, by five victories.

Also of note on the card was Jordan Stratton winning three races. Stratton, who won the driving title here in 2008, was presented with the Rising Star Award at the USHWA Banquet at Yonkers Raceway this past Sunday night. This season Stratton is competing here only one day a week and still has reined 24 winners in just 72 starts.

— John Manzi

Sand Benelli pulls off 21-1 shocker in $25,000 Meadows pace

Washington, PA — Up in class and dismissed at 21-1, Sand Benelli found late racing room and roared through the stretch to score a stunning upset in Tuesday’s $25,000 Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows.

Though he had won four of his last six races, Sand Benelli was making his debut in the Preferred. Tony Hall saved ground with the 4-year-old gelded son of The Panderosa-Panterafansinlove before finding a narrow opening at the top of the lane. Sand Benelli knifed through and sizzled the last quarter in :27.4 en route to his victory in 1:51.3. Western Bay was second by a length while Fox Valley Tyrese rallied for show.

Tye Loy trains Sand Benelli, who extended his career bankroll to $172,590, for Bill Sanders, Jon Mantooth, Whitney Mantooth and Joseph Evans.

Dave Palone drove three winners on the 15-race card.

— Evan Pattak

Boots Place wins again in $30,000 Mares Open at Dover

Dover, DE — For the second straight time, Boots Place chalked up an impressive win in the $30,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace at Dover Downs on Tuesday.

Fotowon photo

Boots Place was a 1:52.2 winner in the Mares Open Handicap Pace.

Eric Goodell ushered Boots Place away quickly to take the lead and never looked back, registering a lifetime mark of 1:52.2 in the week’s top distaff feature. It was Goodell’s second win on the card. Mike Hall trains the Park Place-Put The Boots 5-year-old for owner Bernard Segebade. The win was the third of the meet for Boots Place, who lifted her winnings to $52,540. Ultra consistent Alice’s Restaurant, with Tony Morgan, recorded her fourth second-place finish of the New Year. Race favorite Chloes Silver Star raced outside down the backstretch with Ron Pierce and had to settle for third. Two contenders, Gabrielles Girl and Apache Dame, were scratched.

Ron Pierce did drive the winner of the $21,000 mares pace, one of his four wins. He guided Shady Sabrina to her third win in her last four starts, chalking up a 1:54 score in the sub-feature. KDK Standardbreds and Golden Hour Stable own the Cam’s Dignity-Mymymymysharona 8-year-old. Boca Hanover finished second with Frank Milby while Sherri On Ice and Vince Copeland took third.

— Marv Bachrad