from harness publicists across North America

Saturday’s (September 3) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Yonkers Raceway, Saratoga Casino and Raceway, Batavia Downs Casino, Vernon Downs, Scioto Downs and Cal-Expo.

Giddy Up Lucky wins Open Handicap Pace at Yonkers

Yonkers, NY — Giddy Up Lucky (Daniel Dube) was wide early but talented all the way through Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $52,000 Open Handicap Pace.

Tom Berg photo

Giddy Up Lucky was a winner in the Open Handicap Pace at Yonkers.

Starting outside his six rivals (in one notch after Real Nice was a judges’ defection), Giddy Up Lucky was uncharacteristically put in play early. Getting some encouragement from his chauffeur, the 7-10 favorite worked around pole-sitter Shooebee’s Place (George Brennan) well after a :26.4 opening quarter-mile.

Giddy Up Lucky then rated a :55.4 half before Clear Vision (Cat Manzi )– from last — came looking for him. A 1:23.3 three-quarters afforded him a two length lead into the lane. Giddy Up Lucky found the mile marker in 1:50.4 before finishing the mile and one-sixteenth in 1:57.2, one-fifth off of his own all-age track record for the distance. Clear Vision earned double-bonus points for a tough-trip second — beaten 1-1/2 lengths — with Shoobee’s Place, Urgent Action (Jim Pantaleano) and Power Of A Moment (Brent Holland) completing the cashers.

Giddy Up Lucky, a millionaire 6-year-old Camluck gelding co-owned by Baron Racing and VIP Internet Stables and trained by Josh Green, returned $3.40 for his seventh win in 18 seasonal starts (2011 earnings now over a half-million). The exacta paid $16.80, with the triple returning $111.50.

— Frank Drucker

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Another name was added to the long list of Open Pace winners at Saratoga Casino and Raceway on Saturday night as invader Domitian Hanover scored in his local debut. The race’s favorite, Rare Jewel (Vinny Ginsburg), had led every step of the way as the field of eight competitors turned for home in the $18,000 Open Pace, but the earner of almost $1.3 million lifetime would be passed by a horse soon to become a millionaire. Domitian Hanover (Camluck) sat patiently on the back of the leader throughout the first seven-eighths of the mile but cruised up the inside to pass Rare Jewel in the stretch. The victory was fifth of the season for the Carl Tirella trained pacer and came in 1:54. Jim Devaux was the winning driver in the evening’s feature. Domitian Hanover moved his lifetime bankroll to more than $991,000 with the Open score. Rare Jewel held on for second while Mystery Chase (Chris Long) came on for third. The top three finishers from Saturday’s Open Pace have earnings of more than $3 million between them. The race’s trifecta returned $456.50.

Batavia Downs Casino
Lake Shark (Jack Flanigen) took a bite out of the field Saturday at Batavia Downs Casino, winning a thrilling $9,000 Open Pace. Spender Hanover (David McNeight III) left the gate from the four hole to meet Lake Shark around the clubhouse turn. McNeight continued to push and claimed the lead before the quarter pole in a brisk :27.4. New York Prime (Chris Page) pulled at the three-eighths and zipped up to second for a moment before he stalled and hung third. With Spender Hanover still leading the pack, the field remained in their positions reaching the three-quarter pole in 1:25.2. As they headed for the stretch, Lake Shark came outside and Fantasypan (Jim McNeight) rushed up the rail to push the issue as they approached the wire. With a close five-horse finish, Lake Shark’s strong final push earned him the upset victory in 1:54.1 by three-quarters of a length. He paid $18.40 to win. Lake Shark, who notched his second Open win of the season, is owned by Barbara L. Andzel and is trained by Mike Carrubba. Spender Hanover ended up second and Fantasypan held on for a close third. The victory capped another three win night for Flanigen that also included Nuclear Cam ($65.60) in the fourth and Eagle Art M ($11.40) in the fifth. Flanigen is currently the leading dash driver at the Summer-Fall meet.

Vernon Downs
The veteran trotter Sir Prize Hall benefited from a pocket trip en route to a 1:57 victory in Saturday night’s $5,500 featured 10th race at Vernon Downs. Chris Lems did the steering for trainer Jessica Okusko as Sir Prize Hall ($9.70) drafted along behind the leader Paco In The Sky until the top of the stretch, and then rallied in pay dirt to record a head victory over the fast-closing Ivanhoe Diamant. Brilliant Thunder finished third. Saturday’s score was the second in a row, fourth this season and 19th all-time for the 6-year-old son of Conway Hall-Prize Chip. Conrad Zurich owns the career winner of more than $172,200, who achieved his 1:56.2 record here in 2009. Veteran reinsman Rick Plano and former local provisional champ Leon Bailey each posted three wins during Saturday’s 12-race card, while driver Frank Milby and trainer Dan Daley were each credited with a pair of first-place finishes. Current leading provisional driver Truman Gale achieved his 17th score during the track’s 59th program.

Scioto Downs
Last week Lis Deo was trapped behind tired horses in the Open Pace at Scioto Downs, but on Saturday night he wasn’t about to be trapped again and won by 8-3/4 lengths in 1:53.4. Kyle Ater was in the bike for trainer Chris McGuire, who owns the pacer in partnership with Huggybear Racing LLC. Lis Deo dueled briefly with Camcoder and driver David Myers early in the mile, but assumed control of the race in the second quarter after an opening panel in :27.1. Ater then slowed the tempo and waited for the anticipated attack from the rear guard. That never happened as Lis Deo simply paced away from his pursuers, opening up to a five length lead at the three-quarter pole, a 10 length lead entering the stretch, and he hit the wire eased up with an 8-3/4 length margin. Spartan Pride rallied to get second place over Camcoder while Boccio and Moreland Flash also picked up checks. Whythehellnot N broke stride at the start and was never a factor in the race. It was the sixth win in 23 starts in 2011 for Lis Deo, who also has four seconds and a trio of thirds this season. Lis Deo was one of three winners on the night for driver Kyle Ater, whose lifetime wins now stand at 985.

Cal Expo
Getting reunited with Luke Plano was just what the doctor ordered as Got The Giggles got back to her winning ways. A half-dozen pacers were featured at Cal Expo on Saturday night for a purse of $3,700, in which the lone claimer, Got The Giggles, never looked back. Owned by trainer Robley Johnson and driven by Luke Plano, an all-out Got The Giggles lasted to win ($3.60) by a half-length in 1:54.3. Itza Free For All finished in second and Arch Nemeses finished 1-1/2 lengths farther back in third.