from harness publicists across North America

Saturday’s (Aug. 31) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Yonkers Raceway, Tioga Downs and Saratoga Casino and Raceway.

Invading Michael’s Power wins Yonkers Open Pace

Yonkers, NY — Canadian invader Michael’s Power (George Brennan, $4.10) could not have had it much simpler Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $46,000 Open Pace.

Sean Hamrock photo

Michael’s Power was a 1:51.4 winner in the Yonkers Open.

The lone leaver — from post position No. 6 — Brennan and the favorite had things all their own way. Waltzing through qualifier-like early fractions of :27.4 and :57.1, last season’s Little Brown Jug and Confederation Cup winner had ’em right where he wanted ’em.

It was Malak Uswaad N (Eric Goodell) taking a shot from fourth going toward the 1:25 three-quarters, but he was rebuffed. The leader, with a 1-1/2 length advantage turning for home, completed a :26.4 final quadrant (1:51.4) to prevail by a comfy 1-1/4 lengths. China Grill outdid Flem N Em N for second, with Domethatagain (Brent Holland) and Malak Uswaad N rounding out the payees.

For locally-debuting Michael’s Power, a 4-year-old homebred Camluck gelding owned by Jeff Snyder and trained by Casie Coleman, it was his third win in seven seasonal starts (career 18-for-30, earnings of $1,546,817). The exacta paid $16.20, with the triple returning $63.

— Frank Drucker

Tioga Downs
For You Almostfree and Aaron Byron captured Saturday night’s $16,000 Open Trot at Tioga Downs for the 5-year-old stallion’s sixth victory of the year. Leaving from post three in a field of seven, Byron moved For You Almostfree to the front and took control from Cold Certified at the quarter in :28.4. From there Byron controlled the half-mile mark in :57.4 as Jimmy Marohn, Jr. sent Waiting On A Woman with a strong first over brush and was neck and neck with the leader by three-quarters in 1:26.1. Around the final turn, Byron had repelled the challenge from Marohn, but Cold Certified (Jim Meittinis) got to the outside and was coming three wide off the final turn. In the stretch Byron asked For You Almostfree for more and he responded, hanging on to win by a length in 1:55.3. Cold Cetified got up for second, while Waiting On A Woman hung tough for third. The son of Glidemaster–Pizza Dolce scored for the ownership group of JET Dream Stables, Robert Pucila, Jonathan Klee Racing and Mitchell Cohen. Tioga Downs’ leading driver Jimmy Marohn, Jr. increased his lead with a driving triple on the night’s 10-race card, while Aaron Byron and Corey Braden each recorded doubles.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Fancy Footwork recorded his first Open Pace victory on Saturday night at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. The Brad Irvine-trained pacer was the runner-up in last week’s Open but this week got the job done in the $18,000 feature. Reinsman Joe Bongiorno sat patiently in the third spot through fast fractions, but after three-quarters in 1:23.2 found open road for Fancy Footwork in the passing lane. The seventh win of the season for the 5-year-old gelding came in 1:52. Earlier this year, Fancy Footwork (Western Hanover) matched the then track record when he scored in 1:51. Bet On Roulette (Wally Hennessey) surged out of the pocket to be the Open’s runner-up on Saturday night while front running favorite May Day (Jim Devaux) had to settle for third. Fancy Footwork returned $14.80 to win and led an exacta that paid $115.50 and a trifecta that came back $207. Irvine and Bongiorno also teamed up for the winner of the $14,000 Open Two as A Place In History (I Scoot Hanover) pulled off the upset at odds of 20-1.