from harness publicists across North America

Wednesday’s (April 30) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Buffalo Raceway and Saratoga Casino and Raceway.

Heavenly Place charges to victory in Buffalo Open

Hamburg, NY — Heavenly Place won the cavalry charge to the wire and registered a determined head victory over Ugly Betty in the $10,500 Fillies and Mares Open Pace in 1:59.1 over a sloppy track at Buffalo Raceway Wednesday.

Steve Roth photo

Heavenly Place (#6) rallied to win the F&M Open Pace at Buffalo Raceway.

It was a last-to-first place rally for Heavenly Place ($7.00) as the razor-sharp 6-year-old mare has now been in the money 11 of 12 races in 2014 including six victories.

The front-running St Lads Zena set the fractions to the third-quarter marker with times of :29.1, :59.2 and 1:29.3. As heads turned for home, the compact field of six all fanned out with a chance for the victory.

But it was Heavenly Place (David McNeight III), sitting sixth and last at the three-quarter pole, who was the widest and fastest in the race to the wire. The final panel of :29 was enough to edge out a hard-charging Ugly Betty (Jack Flanigen). Dontch Remember (Ray Fisher Jr.) finished in third place.

Owned by Chs Racing and Limerick Racing, Heavenly Place (Riverboat King-Angel Place) is trained by David McNeight Jr. The win pushed her winnings to $34,922 this year and $112,495 lifetime.

— Brian J. Mazurek

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Clown’s Smile (Grinfromeartoear) rattled off his third consecutive victory on Wednesday night in the $7,500 claiming pace at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. Leading driver Billy Dobson swung the 8-5 second choice three wide at the three-quarter pole and the 10-year-old pacer cruised right by to register his fifth win on the season. The Monica Krist-trainee stopped the timer in 1:56 over a sloppy track that seemed to play fast on Wednesday night. The win was one of three for Dobson who is seeking his fifth consecutive driver’s title at the Spa.