from Harness Publicists across North America

Monday’s (March 9) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs and Pompano Park.

George At Bigs comes up big in $40,000 Dover feature

Dover, DE — Overlooked at odds of 28-1, George At Bigs stormed home a winner in the $40,000 Open/Preferred Handicap Pace at Dover Downs on Monday.

Fotowon photo

George At Bigs held off I Ain’t No Fool by a half-length in the $40,000 Dover feature.

Next to last on the final turn, Corey Callahan moved George At Bigs four-wide turning for home and then sped past the leaders for a 1:52.2 triumph in the week’s top pace. Tim Tetrick, racing seventh in the field with I Ain’t No Fool, followed the winner, making up ground with each stride, but was still a half-length back at the wire. Eagle Real One and Eric Goodell held on for third.

Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar and Steve Iaquinta own the altered son of Cam’s Card Shark-Art Expo, a three-time winner this meet to go along with two seconds and two thirds in eight 2009 races.

Wood, who has personally supported his humanitarian effort of digging wells to prove water in Ghana smiled after the race.

“That win must have been providence. I just paid $100,000 for pipes to send overseas and was wondering how I was going to pay for it,” said Wood. “This was the answer to my prayers!”

Mr Apples poured it on in the $37,500 Delaware Special. Jim Morand took the early lead with the Bettor’s Delight-Never In Paris 5-year-old, then fought off a continuing challenge from Art Director and Tim Tetrick until the three-quarters when Mr Apples sprinted into an uncontested lead on the way to a 1:50.3 clocking, the fastest on the program. JK Lullabye closed with Corey Callahan to finish second. Art Director held on for third.

A recent Down Under acquisition by Preston Walls and John Lewis is paying immediate dividends. Ruling VC N roared down the lane for Brandon Givens to record a 1:52.1 decision in a $25,000 Winners Over Pace. It was the second win in three starts for the Washington VC-Ruling Delight gelding trained by Les Givens. Devil’s Ivy, the race favorite teamed with Ron Pierce, finished second. That’s Justice was third for Mark Gingrich.

— Marv Bachrad

Blessed Victory upsets at Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — It was a “blessed victory” to those patrons who played him at the windows as Blessed Victory, a 23-1 longshot, upset the field in winning the $16,000 Open Trot on Monday at the Isle Pompano Park. He paid $48.80 to win.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith

Blessed Victory edged Farmer Jones to win the $16,000 Open Trot on Monday at the Isle Pompano Park.

It was the 3-5 favorite, No Pain No Gain, the lone mare in the field against seven male rivals, who shot right to the early lead for trainer/driver Joe Pavia, Jr. in the fifth race feature. She cut the mile to the opening quarter in :27.1 and then caught soft fractions to the half-mile marker in :57.3. But it was then that the action started to heat up.

Farmer Jones and driver Kevin Wallis came first-over at the half-mile with Blessed Victory and driver Dan Clements following the outside flow. They pressed the leaders to the three-quarter pole in 1:26.3. Then by the top of the stretch, Farmer Jones had collared No Pain No Gain, who then began to tire, and Clements tipped Blessed Victory to the outside and was able to nip Farmer Jones at the wire to win by a neck in 1:56. Slave Dream (David Ingraham) was third.

It was the fourth win in eight starts this year and a lifetime mark for Blessed Victory, a 5-year-old gelding by Conway Hall, trained by Bill Gallagher and leased by Bill Gallagher and Victoria Jackson-Carinda.

In the very next race, Front Page Star ($2.80) and driver Anthony Napolitano posted their sixth straight victory, winning the $4,180 pace in a lifetime mark of 1:54.2. Front Page Star is now six for eight in 2009 in the win column and won on Monday by 2-3/4 lengths. He is trained by Paul Holzman and is owned by Mary Holzman.

— Steve Wolf