from harness publicists around North America

Thursday’s (Feb. 24) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs, The Meadows and Cal-Expo.

Headbutt Harley gets up to win Dover feature

Fotowon photo

Headbutt Harley captured the $14,500 feature at Dover Downs in 1:54.3.

Dover, DE — Headbutt Harley rolled down the passing lane to capture the $14,500 feature at Dover Downs on Thursday, Feb.24. Ross Wolfenden had a driving triple.

Daryl Bier won the dash to the finish line in 1:54.3 scooting along the passing lane to catch front pacing Mr. Jerry C (Tim Curtin) in the final strides to win the $14,500 4&5-year-old pace, his first win of 2011. David and trainer Jeff Clark own The Panderosa-Hawaiian Dixie gelding. Lucky Times (Vic Kirby) finished third in a group of contenders.

— Marv Bachrad

The Meadows
Parked the opening quarter, Bettis had just enough to hold off the hard-charging Outdoor Action and earn his third consecutive victory — the fifth in his last six starts — in Thursday’s $22,500 Preferred Handicap Trot at The Meadows. Assigned post 8, Bettis moved right for the lead but had to work hard for Aaron Merriman to clear Outdoor Action, who settled into a comfortable pocket. Outdoor Action attacked in the Lightning Lane but fell a nose short of Bettis, who prevailed in 1:56 over a “good” track. Springboard was a rallying third. David Wade trains Bettis, a 6-year-old son of Sierra Kosmos-SJ’s Shad Roe who now boasts $212,722 in career earnings, and owns with William F. Peel III and Gerald Brittingham. Elsewhere on the program, 2005 Hambletonian winner Vivid Photo made his second start of 2011 in a conditioned event, fronting the field until the stretch where he tired and finished third for trainer/driver Roger Hammer.

Cal Expo
A perfect trip combined with feeling her oats led to the 28th career victory for Jam And Jelly. A half-dozen trotters were featured at Cal Expo on Thursday night over a sloppy track for a purse of $4,500, in which Jam And Jelly was the pocket-rocket. Sitting a tight and anxious pocket under a hold through a soft first half in 1:03, driver Luke Plano found himself locked in the box at the three-quarter station, timed in 1:34. Getting racing freedom past the three-quarters when a first-over Broadway Victory made a break, Plano moved his 7-year-old to the outside and soon took over a slim lead at the seven-eighths pole while under a drive. Owned by Marlene and Rick Thomas in partnership with trainer George Reider, Jam And Jelly held her slim lead for the final eighth of a mile to win ($10.60) by three-quarters of a length in 2:02.4. Big Baller had to settle for second and Alpine Hawk finished just a head back in third.