from harness publicists across North America

Saturiday’s (March 30) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Saratoga Casino and Raceway and Buffalo Raceway.

Imperial Count rallies for Preferred Trot win at Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Imperial Count overcame a wide final turn to stage a furious rally and win Saturday night’s $25,000 Preferred Trot at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.

Leaving from post position six in a field of seven as the 3-2 second betting choice, Imperial Count (Angus Hall-Miss Imperial) sat sixth in the early going as Photo King cut out the fractions.

Driver Tyler Buter sent the 5-year-old stallion from the barn of trainer Nifty Norman in motion on the backstretch third over, but the first-over horse, The Evictor, went off-stride entering the final turn.

Imperial Count, even after taking the turn wide to avoid the breaking horse, still had enough momentum to chase down Photo King and beat him by a half-length at the line in 1:54.2. Magic Tonight finished third.

Imperial Count, owned by Neven Botica of Australia, won for the first time in two starts in 2013. It was his 14th career victory and gave him lifetime earnings of $584,973.

— Jim Beviglia

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Trainer Ron Burke brought a few talented pacers to town on Saturday night and swept the Opens at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. Last week, Burke’s Windsong Harley won the Saturday feature but this week it was Transcending (Grinfromeartoear) who would score the Open Pace victory. Though it was just a five horse feature, Transcending had to overcome a difficult trip but did so, going last to first before stopping the timer in 1:55. The win in the $20,000 Open was the third victory in five starts on the season for the veteran pacer. Burke’s Outrageous Art prevailed in Open Two despite getting a first over trip after starting from post position eight. The 6-year-old pacer hit the wire first in an impressive 1:53.2 to record his fifth win in six seasonal starts for Burke. Driver Joe Bongiorno piloted both Burke trainees to their Saturday night scores.

Buffalo Raceway
Goodnite Goodluck, a 7-year-old by Bettor’s Delight, won the $11,000 Open Pace in 1:55.3 for owner Mark Jakubik at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday night. It was the second win this year for Goodnite Goodluck, who registered seven wins in 39 starts last year. Goodnite Goodluck ($10.00), driven by Kevin Cummings, took the lead from post five and set all the fractions in the race, :27.4, :58.2 and 1:27.3 to the three-quarter pole. A :28 last quarter-mile put the winner three lengths in front of second place finisher Running Book (John Cummings, Jr.) at the finish line. Naked News (Jim McNeight) came in third. Trained by J D Perrin, the $5,500 share of the purse put Goodnite Goodluck’s season’s earnings at $13,345 and $235,732 lifetime. Driver Dan Noble had four wins on the card.