from harness publicists across North America

Saturday’s (Sept. 5) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Running Aces, Batavia Downs, Saratoga Casino and Raceway, Vernon Downs and Kawartha Downs.

Impressive triple for Wiseman at Running Aces

Columbus, MN — Driver Steve Wiseman, involved in a season-long back-and-forth battle with Nick Roland for meet dash leader, scored a hat trick on Saturday night at Running Aces, including two of the three feature races. The three trips down victory lane gave Wiseman 68 wins in the first 49 nights of the 53-night meet. Roland, who was winless on Saturday, still leads with 70 triumphs.

Wiseman started his hot night by capturing the $9,600 Fillies and Mares Open Pace with Part Time Lady, who sped to a 1:53.2 score over Keep The Dream and Kiss On The Lips. With her stablemate Party Hangover Two sidelined, Part Time Lady took full advantage to garner her tenth win on the year and increase her seasonal earnings over $35,000 for owners Ron and Tammy Wells.

Da Terror gave Wiseman his other feature win when the blue-and-white clad reinsman gave the 6-year-old gelding a patient and masterful steer in the $7,800 Open II Pace. Despite starting from the rail, Wiseman was content to watch all the action develop in front of him during early fractions of :26.2, :54.4 and 1:23, while saving ground and moving up the inside as competitors moved to the outside passing lanes.

Da Terror was eighth in the full nine-horse field at both the quarter and halfway stations before starting to pass horses while still along the pylons. The winner was sixth at the three-quarters and fifth at the head of the stretch before angling out for an available seam and rushing to a half-length lifetime best 1:52.2 win (including a :28.3 final panel) over Thebestofjoel (Maier) and Headsup Yankee (Roland). Banks Standardbreds owns Da Terror and entrusts the training to Justin Anfinson.

Swagasaurusrex was Wiseman’s other win as the 2-year-old Minnesota-sired son of Voracious Hanover lowered his record to 1:56.1 in a $3,600 non-winners event, beating 3-year-olds Whatchystarinat and Cowgirl Unleashed by four lengths. Richard Davelaar owns Swagasaurusrex, who is expected to be one of the favorites in the $21,000 freshman colt pacing division as part of $201,000 Minnesota State Championships Night at Running Aces to close the season on Sept. 12.

— Running Aces

Batavia Downs
One of the toughest horses to ever race in upstate New York continued his dominance at Batavia Downs by winning his third consecutive start in the $9,500 Open pacing feature in front of a full house of race-goers. It was a battle from the start as Closing Credits (Dave McNeight III) pushed hard for the lead, parking Cobble Beach (Jack Flanigen) and Pocono Downs invader Scott Rocks (Kevin Cummings) two and three wide to the quarter in :26.4. Scott Rocks eventually cleared the front but didn’t slow the pace as the group rambled to the half in :55.1. At that point Fireyourguns (Mike Caprio) was sitting last. Scott Rocks continued his unfettered lead past three-quarters in 1:23.2 when his immediate pursuers started to fan three-across the track at the top of the stretch, forming a wall in front of the trailing Fireyourguns. But undaunted, Caprio dinked inside one horse and dunked around another, finding just enough room to allow Fireyourguns to turn on the afterburners and make up about two lengths in the final 20 yards and score a breathtaking victory in 1:52.3. It was the 11th win in 14 starts for the gelded son of American Ideal and it pushed his 2015 earnings to $68,625 for owners Jennifer and Robert Lowe and Terry McClory, who also trains the horse. The winner paid $9.20. Saturday was also Drew Monti bobblehead night and the promotion seemed to have a decided effect on the attendance and handle. Not only were all the bobbleheads distributed to anxiously waiting fans, the on-track handle was up 16 percent, making it the second best live wagering night of the season. The overall handle was likewise up 11 percent. The track also catered to a sold-out crowd in the clubhouse and was encouraged to see a solid group of fans on the apron and at the fence. Attendance was estimated at 3,000.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Burkentine Hanover (Cam’s Card Shark) recorded his first victory in the local Open Pace at Saratoga Casino and Raceway behind a gutsy first over effort in Saturday’s feature. The 5-year-old pacer finished third in his first try in the local Open last week but on Saturday would not be denied. Stephane Bouchard piloted the Heidi Rohr-trained pacer and moved first over on Panocchio (Gerry Mattison) who was seeking his fifth Open win of the year at the Spa. Burkentine Hanover battled the front-runner for close to a half-mile before poking his nose out in time to prevail in 1:51.4. Panocchio held on for second while the race’s favorite Domethatagain (Billy Dobson) had to settle for third. It was victory number seven on the season for Burkentine Hanover who returned $8.00 to win and led an exacta and triple that came back $29 and $104, respectively.

Vernon Downs
Driver Truman Gale notched a grand slam on Saturday evening’s 10-race program at Vernon Downs, and the “New York Night Train” got rolling with a pacesetting victory in the featured $8,000 Open II Pace with Card Knock Life ($8.50). Gale, who also trains the 5-year-old Western Ideal gelding, sent him right to the front, clearing his four rivals en route to a :27 first quarter before rating a :55.2 half. On the far turn, Gale and Card Knock Life accelerated, forcing pocket rival Cascata (Dustin Ingraham) to chase a :27.1 third quarter while 4-5 favorite Big City Jewel (Jimmy Whittemore) mounted an uncovered bid off the far turn. Despite late pursuit from Big City Jewel and Damon Blue Chip (John MacDonald), Card Knock Life had just enough to prevail, holding sway by a half-length in 1:50.3. Donn Lewandrowski and Gail Farrell own Card Knock Life. Gale also teamed up with Regal Glide ($3.10, 1:57.4) and Racintowardadream ($37.00, 1:56.2) before just prevailing with Drinksforthehouse ($19.40, 1:54.1) after an extended stretch battle with Count Speed (MacDonald) in a $7,000 upper-level conditioned trot.

Kawartha Downs
Tommy Riley, one of Kawartha Downs’ top trainers and Tony Kerwood, a leading driver at the Fraserville oval, combined to capture the inaugural edition of the Goodtimes Invitational Trot with Rose Run Oriana. Kerwood sent the 5-year-old mare straight to the top and tripped the quarter-mile marker in :27.1. Gord Brown put favorite Kyestone Wyatt on top well before the :56.1 half and still controlled the tempo at the 1:26.2 three-quarters. Kerwood’s trotter loved the pocket trip though and hauled down the leader and was first to the wire in 1:56.4. Excuse Me Please got up for second followed by Ramas Last Son and Keystone Wyatt.
Rolling Hills Racing Stable and Dimithri Pieris share ownership of the winner who was recording her third win of the season. A member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, Goodtimes began and ended his illustrious career at Kawartha Downs. His trainer and co-owner, John Bax; his driver, Hall of Famer Dave Wall; and his caretaker, Julie Morrison Kangas, were all with us this evening. All race fans were treated to posters depicting the three with Goodtimes over the years signed by Goodtimes himself.