Racing Roundup: JK Lullabye, Eoos win Dover features
December 26, 2009,from Harness Publicists across North America
Saturday’s (Dec. 27) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs, Pompano Park and Cal-Expo.
JK Lullabye, Eoos win Saturday features at Dover
Dover, DE — JK Lullaby and Eoos won stretch battles on a rainy, then foggy, Saturday, Dec. 26 double feature at Dover Downs.
JK Lullabye had the lead with Denim Hanover (Corey Callahan) testing him on the outside for the length of the homestretch before Mike Cole urged JK Lullabye up by a half-length at the wire to score a 1:53.4 triumph In a $13,000 Male pace. It was the fourth win of the season for the Bettor’s Delight-JK Lady Like gelding owned and conditioned by Todd Wise. The 5-year-old has now banked $144,343 this year and won $294,630 lifetime. Stuart Brown N (Ross Wolfenden) collected third money.
Eros emerged from a wall of finishers in deep stretch to chalk up a 1:55 victory, his second in three races, to win a $25,000 Claiming Allowance. Ross Wolfenden drove the Eric Ell-conditioned Rambaran-Nvincible gelding for owners Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar and Steve Iaquinta. Debs Mack (John Wager) was second with favorite Perfect Swing (Jon Roberts) third.
— Marv Bachrad
Mr. Tasty upsets in Pompano’s top trot
Pompano Beach, FL — He’d shown signs of brilliance while working his way up the class ladder in November and on the Boxing Day card it all came together again for Mr Tasty to capture the $13,000 Open Handicap Trot at The Isle Pompano Park.
Lap Time Photo
Mr Tasty swung out three-wide and caught McCoy in late stretch for a 12-1 upset.
After getting away last in the field of eight, Mr Tasty with Andy Santeramo in the bike picked up a second over trip on the cover of Tom Cango, driven in his Florida debut by Matt Kakaley. Heading into the final turn, Mr Tasty swung out three-wide and eventually caught McCoy in late stretch for a 12-1 upset. Andover America with Bruce Ranger found room on the pylons to rush up for third while Battleshoe Victor from the assigned outside post had to settle for fourth.
“I saw when the gate swung away he wasn’t going to be able to step out of there with them” driver Andy Santeramo said of Mr Tasty. “I was a bit lucky to pick up a great second-over trip. (Trainer) Stephane Bardier has done a great job with this horse and I’ve known he had a lot of ability since he trotted in 1:54.4 here last month.”
Richard Moreau has retained sole ownership of Mr Tasty, now a 24 time career winner of over $335,000.
In the $13,000 Open Pace, Vapor In The Wind mustered two big moves to score a narrow decision in 1:52.2. Ricky Macomber Jr. wheeled the 5-year-old Cole Muffler-Pantastic gelding to the front in 27.2 and then rode the pocket behind Sugar’s Pride with Bruce Ranger to the top of the stretch after middle stations of 55.3 and 1:23.2. Vapor In The Wind was up just in time for the pocket trip score with Im In Luck in rein to Matt Kakaley rounding out the top three.
“He’s back to where he was last year” trained Dick Macomber said of Vapor In The Wind in a live trackside TV interview after the race. “Since last May we had to shut him down to have him treated for a heart fibrillation disorder. He’s back to the top class performer that he was last year” Macomber added.
Vapor In The Wind has now won all three starts since shipping in to Florida. He’s won seven of sixteen starts this year for Tanah Merah Farms of Springfield, Illinois and the top class win at Pompano on the Boxing Day card pushed his career earnings to just over $151,000.
— Frank Salive
Red Star Engineer Catches Fire At Right Time At Cal-Expo
Sacramento, CA — Conditioned-claiming pacers were featured at Cal-Expo on Saturday night (December 26), on which Red Star Engineer saved his best work for the stretch.
Coming away in fourth position from post-two in the field of nine for driver James Kennedy, the pair remained in the cleanup spot through first-half fractions of :28.4 & :57.3.
With the field just passing the five-eighths mile pole, Kennedy elected to stay inside and not pull first-over, or did he?
“Actually I did try to pull, but after remembering seeing :57.3 on the track timer past the half, I went back to the inside – – plus Rick (Plano) was now going a pretty good clip on the front with The Godfather,” stated Kennedy.
Still fourth and 4-3/4 lengths back at the three quarter-mile pole, timed in 1:25.4, Kennedy didn’t have a good “feeling.”
I kind of thought I was done because I didn’t feel any horse in my hands.”
Now under a drive and staying along the pylons, Red Star Engineer started to gain to the seven-eighths mile marker.
“When I started urging him – – he started to respond and I now I thought he had a good shot. I kept urging and eventually we cleared and it was home-free from there.”
Flying with a sixteenth of a mile to go and taking over the lead, Kennedy only had to urge his pacer once in the last sixteenth of a mile as his gelding drew clear to win ($17.00) by 1-3/4 lengths. Owned by Larry & Carol Parlin, the Liberio Pacheco trained 4-year-old stopped the timer at 1:54.3, a lifetime mark. Aeronaut (Luke Plano) finished in second, and The Godfather finished another three-quarters of one-length farther back, in third.
“It was a great finish after what I felt at the three-quarters,” finished Kennedy, who had a driving triple on the card.
— Scott Ehrlich