from harness publicists across North America

Saturday’s (May 21) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Buffalo Raceway, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Tioga Downs and Saratoga.

Knocking Around cruises to win at Buffalo

Hamburg, NY — Knocking Around has been knocking on the door the past three weeks in the $10,000 Open Pace at Buffalo Raceway. On Saturday night (May 21), Knocking Around finally busted right through that door to the winner’s circle.

Steve Roth photo

Knocking Around cruised to victory at Buffalo Raceway.

After a brief three-way battle to the lead, Knocking Around took command at the quarter pole and never looked back in posting a 4-1/4 length win over Fridaynightflight in 1:54.4 over the fast track.

Since arriving from Yonkers in late April, Knocking Around has had a pair of second place finishes and a fourth. The losses were by a combined total of just two lengths.

Starting from the rail, Knocking Around had to battle with Mr Perserverance and Western Alumni to gain control. Setting respectable splits of :27.3, :57.4 and 1:27.1, Knocking Around was in total command at the top of the lane and driver David McNeight III had nothing to do but sit back and enjoy the ride. The main race was for minor spoils with Fridaynightflight (Kevin Cummings) taking second while China Dream (Drew Monti) finished third.

Owned by Courtney McNeight and trained by David McNeight Jr., it was the fifth victory in 14 starts for Knocking Around (Western Terror-So Completely). The win moved his seasonal bankroll to $37,420 and $202,453 lifetime.

Shawn McDonough had four wins in the sulky and Kevin Cummings added two.

— Brian Mazurek

The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono
The American Ideal gelding Bigtown Hero, still having the 1:48.1 fastest clocking in 2016 North American harness racing (though it had been tied six minutes earlier by Artistic Major at The Meadowlands), was extended to hold off potential Pocono Pike pocket rocket Bettor’s Edge in the $20,000 feature Saturday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, but Bigtown Hero, the even-money favorite, proved the bettors’ hero as he held off his inside foe to win by a head in 1:49.2. Driver Simon Allard sent the victorious veteran, who took his record of 1:47.3 here at Pocono two years ago, to the lead past a :26.1 quarter cut by $1.8 million-winner Bettor’s Edge, and took the field through middle splits of :54.1 and 1:21.4. Bigtown Hero looked strong, and driver Allard looked confident, into the stretch, but Bettor’s Edge showed his class as he dug in late to try to rally past the favorite, with his gallant effort coming up just a bit shy. Simon’s brother Rene, the meet’s leading driver, conditions the winner of more than $440,000 for Allard Racing Inc. and Yves Sarrazin. A race after the feature, George Napolitano Jr. guided his fourth of five winners on the Pocono card, and his eighth of nine on the day, with a front-stepping victory with Utah Beach, putting a new 1:52.4 mark on the horse. George posted four wins on the special Preakness afternoon card at Harrah’s Philadelphia, leaving after the tenth race to make the trek to Pocono — which proved to be a good decision, as “GNap” swept the Pocono early double. Napolitano’s scorecard for the day stood at 24-9-5-6, good for a UDR of .574 on the day.

Tioga Downs
With odds-on favorite Prairie Fortune breaking in the stretch after sustaining first-over pressure for a joint lead, McKenzie’s Star ($9.80) was able to circle the field en route to a 1:58.1 victory over sloppy going in Saturday evening’s featured $8,500 top-level trot at Tioga Downs. Fern Paquet Jr. retreated to the tail of the field with the 6-year-old Donato Hanover mare, waiting until pacesetter Warrawee Preferred (Jim Taggart Jr.) faced pressure from Prairie Fortune (Jim Meittinis) on approach to the final turn before vacating the pegs. McKenzie’s Star made gradual gains after fractions of :28.4, :58.3 and 1:27.1, working closer on the turn before a three-wide bid by Dream Rocker (Aaron Byron) carried her four-deep in the stretch. McKenzie’s Star circled the field, drawing off to defeat Dream Rocker by a length, while the worn-down Warrawee Preferred was a farther half-length back in third. Trainer Allie Berube co-owns McKenzie’s Star with Jerry Clark. Paquet led all drivers with three wins on the nine-race card, while John Cummings Jr. tallied two triumphs.

Saratoga
Artful Way (Artistic Fella) scored in the Open Pace for the second time in the last three weeks on Saturday night at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Jackie Rousse-trained pacer faded on the front end in last Saturday’s installment of the $15,000 Open as the favorite after being used hard throughout. This week, driver Frank Coppola Jr. elected to sit the pocket with Artful Way who tracked JK Panache (Wally Hennessey) throughout the 1-1/16th mile feature. Artful Way popped the pocket turning for home and cruised past the race’s front-running favorite before stopping the timer in a dazzling 1:58.2 for the elongated distance after covering the mile in 1:51.2. JK Panache was the runner-up for the second consecutive week in the feature while Caution Signs (Bruce Aldrich Jr.) earned the show spot. Artful Way paid $11.00 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $40.20 and $349.50, respectively. The win was one of two on the card for conditioner Jackie Rousse and one of three on the night for veteran reinsman Frank Coppola Jr.