from harness publicists across North America

Friday’s (July 2) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Yonkers Raceway, Harrah’s Chester, Saratoga Gaming and Raceway, Vernon Downs and Scioto Downs.

Ginger And Fred and Lady In The Wind win Friday night co-features at Yonkers

Yonkers, NY — Ginger And Fred (catch-driver Larry Stalbaum), given a perfect Friday night second-over trip from an imperfect eight hole assignment, grabbed Yonkers Raceway’s co-featured $42,500 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.

Tom Berg photo

Ginger And Fred was a 1:54 winner in the Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.

The millionairess, last seen in these environs winning the $237,000 final of the Blue Chip Matchmaker in early May, grabbed a seat fifth as the slight 2-1 favorite. She then stalked both pacesetting Twin B Tiara (Stephane Bouchard) and the first-up Soiree (Jordan Stratton) in a distaff derby with weigh stations of :27.3, :57.1 and 1:25.2.

Ginger And Fred went wide, whipping a third-over Little Mermaid N (Jim Pantaleano) by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:54. Sherri On Ice (Brent Holland), Twin B Tiara and a season-debuting Shacked Up (Jeff Gregory) grabbed the small change.

Ginger And Fred, a 4-year-old daughter of Real Artist trained by Ron Burke for co-owners Robert Feldman, Edwin Gold, Howard Taylor and Jerry Silva, returned $6.30 for her fourth win in 16 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $43.80, with the triple returning $245.50.

Friday night’s co-featured $42,500 Open Handicap Trot saw 20-1 proposition Lady In The Wind (Cat Manzi) kiss the boys and make ’em cry.

Leaving from post position No. 2, she moved from fourth to go after Pembroke Prayer (Brandon Simpson) after that one led through intervals of :28, :58.4 and 1:28. Y F Little Guy (Pantaleano), the 3-4 choice, went wide down the backside, figuring the lass was done.

Nope. Lady In The Wind found her second wind, grabbing the lead by early stretch and easily holding the people’s choice at bay by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:57.2 — matching her previous season’s best. Last week’s winner, Hurrikanebiggeorge (Bouchard), New Hampshire Boy (Steve Smith) and Swift Kid (Matt Kakaley) rounded out this week’s payees.

Lady In The Wind, a 4-year-old daughter of Windsong’s Legacy owned by Dreamland Farms and trained by Joe King, returned $42 (seventh choice) for her fourth win in 14 ’10 tries. The exacta paid $168, with the triple returning $846.

— Frank Drucker

Harrah’s Chester
David and Misty Miller’s Autumn Escapade ($13.00) took advantage of moderate fractions and minimal pressure to score a two length victory in Friday afternoon’s $32,000 Open Handicap Trot at Harrah’s Chester. Driven by owner David Miller, the 5-year-old Victory Sam mare floated toward the front on the first turn, sitting two-wide behind a developing pace, moving forward only as favorite Looking Hanover (Yannick Gingras) cleared the front through a moderate :28.2 first quarter. Passing the winning post on the first occasion, Autumn Escapade cleared the lead, and it was no looking back from then on out. She controlled intermediate fractions of :56.1 and 1:24.3, and no rivals got any closer to her than the pocket-sitting Looking Hanover throughout. She proved a convincing two length winner in 1:53.2 over Looking Hanover, while the first-over Stand Guard (George Napolitano) mustered a third place effort. Jonas Czernyson trains Autumn Escapade.

Saratoga Gaming and Raceway
Local trotting star Prime Interest moved his career bankroll over the $400,000 mark with a Friday night $16,500 Open Trot victory at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway. Leading trainer Jackie Rousse saw her stable star register his fourth Open win of the season, hanging on for the wire-to-wire, 1:56.4 score. Regular reinsman Frank Coppola, Jr. was at the controls as he has been for nearly $300,000 of the lifetime earnings of the now 8-year-old trotter. Cold Winner (John Stark, Jr.) took the pocket ride to finish second while McCoy (Wally Hennessey) came on for third. The win was one of five on the night for Coppola, who teamed up with Rousse for four of the victories.

Vernon Downs
Biggest Big Bertha, a recent ship-in from California, collected her 55th career victory after a 1:52.3 performance in Friday night’s $11,000 featured sixth race at Vernon Downs. Trainer Rick Plano was in the racing bike as Biggest Big Bertha rallied three wide from fourth in the final turn and then closed from third in the final furlong to earn a two length tally in the weekend’s top contest for female pacers. It marked the first local win, but seventh season’s score for the 9-year-old daughter of Little Steven-Ripreza Hanover, who is owned by Marilee Keene. The career winner of $324,281 paid $26.20, $9.20 and $7.90 across the board. Plano, a native of Frankfort who began his harness career at Vernon before achieving success at Ohio’s Northfield Park and on the California circuit, also finished first with the trotter Mr Friendly (1:58.3) to record his initial double of 2010 at the Downs.

Scioto Downs
Bettors sent Rewrite The Rules off at 10-1 odds in Friday’s co-featured trot at Scioto Downs, but driver Jack Daily sent the 7-year-old past the leaders in the stretch to win in 1:57.3 by a neck. Near The Limit, 2-1 in the betting, set all the fractions for driver J.D. Wengerd and rebuffed a challenge from favored Ritz Tracker in the final quarter, but had no answer for Rewrite The Rules in deep stretch. It was only the second win of the 2010 season in 21 starts for the 7-year-old gelded son of Mr Lavec. Near The Limit was second while Samsawinner and Ritz Track dead-heated for third. Rewrite The Rules is trained by Steve Boroff for owner Larry D. Farley. Done Dreamen was also overlooked by bettors in another trotting event at Scioto Downs, but the 7-year-old zoomed past his rivals in the stretch to win in 1:58.2. Del S. Miller guided the Donerail gelding to a 1-1/2 length victory for the Hatfield Stables and trainer Catherine Blanks. It was his first win in four starts this season. Driver J.D. Wengerd sent Wyatt to the front at the start of the race while Dan Noble put favored Ray J in the two-hole. Done Dreamen lagged well back in seventh place in the eight-horse field. Miller began to move his trotter forward in the third quarter, but he was still fifth as they turned into the stretch. Ray J broke stride and Wyatt simply couldn’t match the :28.2 final quarter of Done Dreamen. The winner paid a healthy $33 for a $2 win ticket. Wyatt held on for second while Ray J recovered for third.