from harness publicists across North America
Saturday’s (Nov. 26) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Yonkers Raceway, Saratoga Casino and Raceway, Batavia Downs and Rosecroft Raceway. Foreign Officer wins Saturday night Open Pace at Yonkers Yonkers, NY — Foreign Officer (Jim Pantaleano) was up on the money Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $38,000 Open Pace.
Mike Lizzi photo
Foreign Officer (#4) was a neck winner in the Open Pace at Yonkers.
Away fourth from post position No. 4, Foreign Officer watched as pole-sitting, 7-5 choice Lucky Man (Brian Sears) line up his rivals through a :26.3 quarter-mile and :55.3 half.
Code Word (Yannick Gingras) then moved from third, with Foreign Officer chasing that one toward a 1:24 three-quarters.
Meanwhile, Lucky Man continued to hold sway, taking two lengths into the lane. He found the mile in 1:52, but also found some company. Foreign Officer closed widest and falsest, winning by a neck in 1:59.1 for the mile and one-sixteenth. Lucky Man held second over a cone-skimming Rosette’s Best (Brent Holland), with Shoobee’s Place (George Brennan) and Code Word grabbing the small change.
Foreign Officer, a 4-year-old Western Ideal gelding co-owned by David Rovine, Melvin Hartman, J L Benson Stables and Foreign Officer Partners and trained by Tony Alagna, returned $20.80 (fifth choice) for his 11th win in 31 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $59, with the triple returning $343.50.
— Frank Drucker
Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Kelly’s Noah put in maybe his most outstanding performance of the year on Saturday night at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. The track’s defending Horse of the Year is enjoying another fantastic season and in Saturday’s feature withstood being pressured every step of the mile to prevail in 1:52.3. To win in that fast of a time late in November is impressive enough, but do it after leaving in :27.1 and never getting a breather is just another feather in the cap of the sensational James Harvey trainee. Kim Crawford sat behind Kelly’s Noah (Dream Away) as he scored for the eighth time this season by way of pulling off the rare feat of leaving in :27.1 and pacing a final quarter of :27.4. The 5-year-old won as the 1-5 favorite in Saturday’s $16,000 feature. El Ringer (Jay Randall) was a close second while Restless Yankee (Chris Lems) closed for third.
Batavia Downs
Cam Patch might be one horse sorry to see the 2011 Summer-Fall meet come to a close next Saturday, when for the second week in a row he won the featured $8,100 Open Pace at Batavia Downs Casino. Scoring from the rail, Cam Patch, picking up catch driver Keith Kash, Jr., left hard and released Mc Ryan Michael (John Cummings, Jr.), who also fired out of the gate, at the opening station in :27.3. After a half in :56.3 things started to get interesting as Kash came out of the two hole with Cam Patch and Bettor’s Reward (Dave McNeight, Jr.) was three-wide and winging in 1:25.3. Down the lane, Cam Patch was able to outfinish Mc Ryan Michael and hold off a determined Bettor’s Reward to win by a half-length in 1:55.1 for owners David Ball and Jerry Reinhart. The Alex Giuliani trainee notched his ninth win of the season and raised his seasonal earnings to $47,089.
Rosecroft Raceway
In a thrilling Saturday night of racing, 2-year-old pacer Varsity Hanover recorded his sixth win in a row in 1:56.4 on the engine. Varsity Hanover moved up to face older and faster company this week, including Lislea Pat, winner of four of his last six; I Told Gordy, winner of two out of three in the highest classes at Rosecroft; and Gold Like U, winner of three in a row at Rosecroft before a fourth place finish in his last. Varsity Hanover was pushed hard to protect the rail and hit the quarter in :27.4 for driver Justin Vincent, and after backing the half off to :59.3 the field began the chase in earnest. Lislea Pat was attacking uncovered on the outside and Rocknroll Jewel loomed a major danger from the two hole. I Told Gordy had advanced to second over as the field paced a :28.2 third quarter. On the far turn Lislea Pat continued to grind away, I Told Gordy had tipped three wide and Rocknroll Jewel was waiting for clearance. But Varsity Hanover found more and stayed clear to the wire in a powerful performance, holding sway while completing the mile in 1:56.4, a new lifetime mark. Rocknroll Jewel grabbed the place late and I Told Gordy was steady late to hold the show. Lislea Pat just missed in a tight three-horse battle for place and show and was fourth. Varsity Hanover is owned and trained by James Whalen, Jr. and has seven wins and a second when driven by Justin Vincent. The winner paid $21.20 to win as handicappers discounted the 2-year-old’s chances against such an accomplished field.