from harness publicists across North America

The Saturday (Sept. 9) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Batavia Downs, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Saratoga Casino Hotel, Vernon Downs and Running Aces.

Focus Power clearly the best in Batavia Downs Open

Batavia, NY — Focus Power moved up to the top class on the grounds after winning in the Open II last week, but the ascension was no impediment as he won the $10,000 Open Handicap Pace at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Sept. 9).

Paul White photo

Focus Power scored in 1:53.1 in the Open Handicap Pace at Batavia.

Focus Power (Drew Monti) left from post four and was in front and on the pylons before the race even hit the turn. With the short field settling, Believe This Bob (Shawn McDonough) wanted the front and came before the eighth pole and cleared before the quarter in :28.1. Positions remained unchanged until Southwind Torque (Ray Fisher Jr.) pulled midway up the backside in what would be a short-lived bid.

As the outside challenge faded in the turn, Believe This Bob was looking solid in front as they headed for home. However as soon as the passing lane was accessible, Monti directed Focus Power into it and shot right by Believe This Bob and paced away to a two length win in 1:53.1.

Focus Power ($7.80) now has $73,845 on his card on the strength of seven wins this year and the win time of 1:53.1 was only one-fifth of a second off the lifetime mark he just set last week. James Caradori owns the 5-year-old altered son of Shadow Play that gets his conditioning from Darrin Monti.

In the co-featured $9,000 Open II, Itsonlyrocknroll A (Larry Stalbaum) got away last and methodically worked his way up the rail while chasing fractions of :26.4, :54.4 and 1:23.3 before getting loose around the far turn to tip three-deep and simply pace away from everyone to win by two open lengths in 1:53.1.

It was the second win in a row and 11th of the year for Itsonlyrocknroll A ($16.40) who now has earned $61,695 in purses for Stalbaum who also owns him. Kim Asher is the trainer.

Larry Stalbaum visited the winner’s circle five times on Saturday with Itsonlyrocknroll A, Teo Enteo A (1:56, $7.90), Mister Livan N (1:53.2, $4.60), Anderlecht (1:54.4, $3.20) and Saint William A (1:56.3, $7.10).

Not wanting to be outdone, Drew Monti and Kevin Cummings each had two winners apiece as well. Trainer Kim Asher also sent four of her horses to the winner’s enclosure for pictures.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Monday (Sept. 11) with post time set at 5 p.m.

— Tim Bojarski

Pocono
Favorites were victorious in both $16,500 features Saturday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, with Somebody As posting a 1:53.3 clocking in the top trot and Maxdaddy Blue Chip equaling his lifetime mark of 1:49.1 on the pace. Perennial Downs’ driving leader George Napolitano Jr. completed a sweep of the Daily Double with his victory behind Somebody As, who rattled right down the road and then held off the pocket rocket attempt of Crosbys Clam Baker by a half-length in a stretch battle of $500,000-plus winners. The victorious Striking Sahbra gelding, trained by Anette Lorentzon for ACL Stuteri AB and Kjell Johansson, upped his lifetime bankroll to $639,396 with the victory. The Sportswriter gelding Maxdaddy Blue Chip took advantage of class relief and an absence of poor racing luck (last week he hooked wheels) to show his ability to best advantage. He paced his own back half in :54 despite going first-over and won by 2-1/4 lengths while equaling his own best win time taken earlier this year at The Meadowlands. Tom Jackson handled the 12-time winner in 2017 for the meet’s leading trainer Rene Allard and the ownership of Allard Racing Inc., Alycon Stable, How’s That Stables Inc., and VIP Internet Stable LLC.

Saratoga

Whether racing at Vernon Downs or at Saratoga Casino Hotel, JK Panache (Art Major) has been a force in the Open Pace for the last several years. On Saturday night, the Dave Dewhurst-trained 8-year-old toughed out a first-over journey to record his eighth victory of the season. The classy pacer took a couple months off this summer and returned in Aug. at Vernon where he rattled off two wins and a second in his three comeback tries. In his return to the Spa on Saturday, JK Panache was the 3-2 betting favorite in the $18,000 feature and was driven by Shawn Gray. After the first quarter went in a quick :27, the half was paced in :56 and at that point, JK Panache made his move. He served as live cover for Givenupdreaming (Billy Dobson) and they, in tandem, cleared the leader and turned for home separated by just a half-length. They took their battle right to the wire where JK Panache proved to be too tough in a mile paced in 1:52.4. Givenupdreaming was the runner-up while longshot Respectable Dream (Mark Beckwith) earned the show spot. The Saturday win for JK Panache was just his second in the local Open this year and his first since back in early May. Live racing continues at the Spa on Sunday afternoon with a matinee that kicks off at 12:15 p.m.

Vernon Downs

Just when you thought John MacDonald’s season at Vernon Downs couldn’t get any better. The leading driver would win six races on Thursday, five races on Friday and seven races on Saturday (Sept. 9). His first four wins on Saturday were with Coopers Beach ($2.10), All Steinam ($2.90) Engagedatlexington ($4.80), and Shootin Tyme ($4.20). His last three victories were with Aloneinspades ($2.90), Fuzzylegsandall, and Arizona Captor ($5.60) Golden Gun (Bret Crawford) would win the featured pace ($7,500) at Vernon Downs on Saturday night.
Golden Gun (Headmaster) would charge to the lead and go gate-to-wire putting up the times of :26.3, :55.3, 1:23.0 and 1:50.4. Golden Gun ($32.60), who is owned by the The Wiz Kids Stable and Trained by Misty Carey, survived a late rush by Dragon Fever (John MacDonald) to win fourth time this year and the 24th time in his career. Dragon Fever finished second with betting favorite Dreams Beachboy (Chris Lems) finishing third. Vernon Downs returns to live action on Thursday (Sept. 14) at 6:45 p.m. For more information go to www.vernondowns.com.

Running Aces

The featured event on the Saturday evening card was the $13,000 Minnesota-sired Open Trot for 4-year-olds and up. It would prove to be an exciting contest right down to the wire. Dougs Hobby Horse and driver Luke Plano flew off the gate wings from post eight to secure the front-running position and control the fractions, while Whatevershesgot with veteran reinsman Mooney Svendsen left alertly from post five to lay claim to the pocket seat behind the leader. Plano and Dougs Hobby Horse commanded affairs through all three fractional panels of :28.3, :58.2 and 1:27.1, while facing a strong first-over bid from Al Mar Reba Babe (James Yoder) around the final turn and into the lane. But as they straightened for home, it was Whatevershesgot ($20.00) and Svendsen who took to the inside lane and rallied right past the dueling trotters to the outside, getting up to win by a long neck in 1:57 over Dougs Hobby Horse, with Al Mar Reba Babe home in third. Whatevershesgot is a 4-year-old mare by Sos Lunar Eclipse. She now has won 14 of 48 career races and is owned and trained by Jenni King. Also on the Saturday card was the $13,000 Minnesota-sired 3-year-old pace, with Steve’s Hot Rod providing an encore to his track record performance from last week. Steve’s Hot Rod ($3.20) posted another sharp gate-to-wire victory from post one, stopping the clock in 1:53 with trainer/driver Rick Magee in tow. The impressive winner is a gelding by Voracious Hanover, and has now won five races in 16 starts this season, bankrolling $35,852 for owner Kati Sokolowski. Drivers Rick Magee and Steve Wiseman both picked up doubles on the Saturday program. Steve Wiseman has a 13-race lead as the current leading driver over Nick Roland. Kathleen Plested has a five-race lead over Roland as the current leading trainer. Live racing continues at Running Aces with three more nights remaining in the 2017 season: Sunday (Sept. 10) at 6 p.m. CDT, Tuesday (Sept. 12) at 7 p.m. CDT and Saturday, (Sept. 16) at 6 p.m. CDT. Next Saturday is the closing night of the season and also Night of Champions, with all of the Minnesota-sired divisional finals going for $250,000 (est.) in purses.