by harness racing publicists across North America

The Sunday (June 19) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Buffalo Raceway, Saratoga, Running Aces and Dresden Raceway.

Kevin Cummings notches four wins at Buffalo Raceway

Hamburg, NY — Kevin Cummings is the two-time defending driver champion at Buffalo Raceway but he entered Sunday afternoon’s (June 19) action sitting in a unfamiliar fifth place in the rankings. It didn’t have anything to due with his driving ability. It was because he was sidelined for several months with a broken arm in an off-track mishap.

But it appears Cummings is regaining his old form as he posted four victories on the card to move into a fourth place tie with Drew Monti in the standings with 65 wins. Jim Morrill Jr. leads the way with 100 trips to the winner’s circle.

On the 11-race program, Cummings scored aboard Helena’s Hope ($2.50), KJ’s Flash Jordan ($2.20), Fire Up The Mach ($5.70) and Mach Stockn Barrel ($2.40)

Shawn McDonough and David McNeight III each had driving doubles on the day.

Racing will resume on Wednesday night (June 22) with a 10-race card scheduled for 5 p.m.

New York Sire Stakes action will highlight the program with the 3-year-old filly pacers taking center stage. There will also be events in the Excelsior A & B Series along with an extremely competitive field in the $10,000 Open Pace for the fillies and mares.

For more information including the latest news, race replays, results and upcoming promotions, go to www.buffaloraceway.comy

— by Brian Mazurek

Saratoga

El Diablo Hall (Windsong Espoir) prevailed in his first try in the Open Trot on Sunday (June 19) afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Melissa Beckwith trainee left hard early before yielding to the race’s favorite Stirling Cadet (Frank Coppola Jr). Stirling Cadet enjoyed soft fractions in the middle half but didn’t have enough to hold off the late surge up the inside by El Diablo Hall who tracked him down in the final strides to win by a nose. It was the fifth win in the last six starts for the 4-year-old trotter who debuted in the $15,000 feature on a beautiful Sunday (June 19) afternoon at the Spa. Mark Beckwith piloted El Diablo Hall, who paid $7.80 to win, to his seventh victory of the season which came in a career best 1:55.2. Stirling Cadet came up second best while On The Podium (Bruce Aldrich Jr) earned the show spot. The exacta returned $13.20 while the triple came back $54. Live racing resumes on Thursday (June 24) afternoon at Saratoga beginning at 4:00 p.m.

Running Aces

The 4-year-old pacing stallion Linkjack Hanover was back to his old tricks on Sunday night at Running Aces, as he set a new track record of 1:54 for his age/sex/ gait. As a 3-year-old in 2015, he set a track record of 1:54.1, later lowering his own mark to 1:54 and then 1:53.2. The son of Allamerican Hanover is owned and trained by Jeff Ryan and has been driven by Rick Magee through most of his 31 career starts and this was his 12th lifetime win and pushed his career bankroll to $36,226. The $7,500 Minnesota-sired 3-year-old filly trot went to Bombshell Betty (by SOS Lunar Eclipse) with Jim Marino aboard in a 2:00.3 new life’s mark for trainer Justin Anfinson and owners Jesse DeLong and Tabatha Canarr. She paid $5.40. The $7,500 Minnesota-sired 3-year-old geldings trot went to The Winnin Dolllar (by SOS Lunar Eclipse), who is now a perfect three-for-three in 2016. Driver Nick Roland left alertly from post six in the six-horse field and yielded early to let Margin’s Echo (Rick Magee) set all of the fractions, Roland sat patiently with his gelding and waited for room at the head of the stretch and powered by the front-runner late to win by a full length in 2:00.3, paying $4.60 to his backers. The $11,000 Summit Preferred Trot went to Banker Volo (Nick Roland) for his third consecutive win here, trotting in 1:57.1 and paying just $2.40 as the overwhelming favorite, I’ll Tell You What (Brian Detgen) was second and Flashy Lady (Tim Maier) checked in third. The $11,000 Summit Preferred Pace was a thrilling event, with Jazzmanian Devil (Lemoyne Svendsen) looking for his third straight win in the top pace and Moonie sent Jazzmanian Devil right out of the gate from the outside post six to the front and set fractions of :27.3, :57.2 and 1:25 and was sharp in the lane as well, holding off a late charge from pocket-sitter Ideal Art (Steve Wiseman) to win by a half-length in 1:52.4, his 10th win in 20 starts this year. He paid just $2.80 at the windows. The next card of live harness racing at Running Aces Casino & Racetrack will go to post on Tuesday night (June 21) at 7 p.m. (CDT).

Dresden Raceway

Tyler Borth and Andy Moore were tied for the dash lead going into racing action today (June 19) at Dresden Raceway. Not anymore. Tyler Borth proved that the 33 degree temperatures weren’t the hottest thing at Ontario’s Little Saratoga as he was at the controls for five winners on the afternoon at Dresden Raceway. The Ingersoll tailsitter scored his first win with Magnum Seelster in the third race for owner/trainer Doug Currie of Brigden. The 11-year-old Intrepid Seelster gelding battled Howdy Partner and Brad Forward down the lane for a win in 1:59.2. Boondock was the next win for Borth in the fourth race in 2:02.1. Borth is the conditioner and co-owner of the 4-year-old Majestic Son gelding with Martin Hossack. The 24-year-old driver rolled with Dex The Land in the fifth race to make it three wins in a row for owners Jim Napper and Peter Verstraete of Bothwell and trainer Cathy Gaudreau. The 3-year-old Badlands Hanover filly went wire to wire in 2:01.2. Windsong Kango was Borth’s fourth trip to the winner’s circle in the seventh race as he came from off the pace with the 5-year-old Windsong Cruiser filly in 2:01 flat. Windsong Kango is owned and trained by Diana McIntosh of Strathroy. Borth wrapped up the Father’s Day card of racing by winning his fifth with the 9-year-old mare Kelly Rae in 1:59.2. Kelly Rae is owned by John and Sandra Lester of Lambton Shores and trained by co-owner John C. Lester. Borth now leads the driver’s standings with 11 wins while Moore is second with seven. Alex Lilley and Brad Forward are tied for third with four wins each. Donnie Rankin Jr. won two races on the day for a driving double. The on-track live handle at Dresden Raceway was $17,955.