from harness publicists across North America

Friday’s (August 5) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Tioga Downs, Saratoga Casino and Raceway, The Meadows and Vernon Downs.

Freedom Crossing lights up the toteboard at Tioga

Nichols, NY — Freedom Crossing, the longest shot on the board, got up right at the wire to beat heavy favorite All Spirit in the $18,000 Fillies and Mares Open on Friday at Tioga Downs.

Fred Brown photo

Freedom Crossing scored in 1:52.1.

Perfectly placed off the gate by driver Mike Micallef, Freedom Crossing ($29.60) was able to draft along in the pocket through fractions of :26.3, :55.4 and 1:23.3 before tipping out at the top of the stretch and wearing down race leader All Spirit. Lickcreek Jazzy closed for third.

The 1:52.1 clocking was a lifetime best for the 4-year-old mare who has enjoyed a lot of success at Tioga Downs in 2011, winning four of her nine starts without ever finishing out of the top three. The win was her first in Open company and pushed her career bankroll to just over $144,000.

— Jason Bluhm

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
The August Fun Trotting Series took center stage for the second consecutive Friday at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. Leg two of the free for all featured two divisions, both of which would go in 1:55.2. Lorenzo Dream was the 1-5 favorite in his $22,500 division. The Jackie Rousse trainee has been dominant this season at the Spa, winning eight times in ten tries locally heading into the Friday tilt. Leading driver Billy Dobson moved the 1-5 favorite out to the lead past the quarter pole and Lorenzo Dream (Taurus Dream) did the rest, holding true in the stretch before stopping the timer in 1:55.2. Coach Fox (Larry Stalbaum), a leg one winner of the series, put in a valiant effort in the lane before coming up second best by a half-length while Flex The Muscle (Brian Allen) came on for third. The Rousse-Dobson combo also had the favorite in the other division as Prime Interest (Self Possessed) went postward at 1-5. The defending Trotter of the Year at the track was seeking his third consecutive victory on Friday, and at one point opened up a four length lead before getting tracked down in the final strides. Grand Victory (Victory Sam) continued his breakout season with a career best effort and reeled in the favorite under the shadow of the finish line. Melissa Beckwith trains the 4-year-old who has been a giant since coming to town this spring, winning for the ninth time on the season. Grand Victory posted a lifetime mark of 1:55.2, getting the best of Prime Interest, who was second, and Gelato Man (Kim Crawford), who ended up third. The win gave his connections a triple as team Beckwith had three winners on the Friday card.

The Meadows
Biletnikoff confidently took the lead from post eight but had to hold on for dear life late to secure his victory in Friday’s $22,500 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows. Biletnikoff shot to the front for Aaron Merriman and retook when he was pocketed, leading the field through three-quarters in a snappy 1:23.3. He wasn’t out of danger, though, as Red Hot Scandal, fifth by 3-1/2 lengths at the top of the stretch, poured through the Lightning Lane to challenge. Biletnikoff hung on by a nose to defeat Red Hot Scandal in 1:51.2, with Bongo a rallying third. Paul Kennedy trains the 7-year-old Keystone Raider-Strikeadeeze gelding, who vaulted over $600,000 in career earnings, for Markus Ernst.

Vernon Downs
The Saratoga shipper H And M’s Hit displayed the most lick in the lane while winning Friday night’s $10,000 featured ninth race at Vernon Downs with a career-best 1:55.3 clocking. With trainer Claude Huckabone, III driving for owner Michael Sorentino, Jr. in the week’s Open-1 trotting contest, H And M’s Hit ($59.50) idled in fourth as Mr Avalanche took the field of eight to the quarter in :27.4. The favorite Grey Ice took over from there, leading at the half in :57.4 and three-quarters in 1:26.4. Still fourth entering the payoff patch, H And M’s Hit out-hoofed three contenders to the finish, defeating Mr Avalanche by 2-1/4 lengths. Friday’s first-place showing was the first this season, but eighth all-time for the 5-year-old son of Giant Hit-Our Little Girl, who increased his career bankroll to more than $81,000, and chopped two seconds off his previous win-mark.