from harness publicists around North America

Thursday’s (Nov. 18) Racing Roundup features stories from Dover Downs, Harrah’s Chester, Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park and Cal Expo.

Life Up Front springs upset in Dover feature

Dover, DE — Life Up Front came from the rear to pull a 22-1 upset in the $15,000 Male pace on Thursday, Nov. 18 at Dover Downs.

Fotowon photo

Life Up Front scored a lifetime best 1:52 victory in Thursday’s feature race at Dover Downs.

While Go West Lucky Cam (Corey Callahan) cut out the early fractions and led until mid-stretch, a convoy of seven challengers were stacking up for the final charge. Life Up Front, coming from far back at the three-quarters, was widest of all and zipped past them all to score a lifetime best 1:52 victory.

Owned with his dad, Art Stafford, trainer-driver Art Stafford Jr. drove the 4-year-old son of Life Sign-Liamatters to his first local win and fourth of the year. Chilly NZ (Daryl Bier) won the photo for second in front of Polaris N (Ron Pierce).

— Marv Bachrad

Harrah’s Chester
Distaff pacers headlined Thursday’s (November 18) racing action at Harrah’s Chester, with Lightning Treasure ($9.80) and Im Betting On You ($17.20) both scoring minor upsets in co-featured $28,000 Winners Over Paces for fillies and mares. The ninth race was the afternoon’s first headliner, with Indiana invader Go On BB (Yannick Gingras) sent off the 6-5 favorite. She established the early lead before yielding to Lightning Treasure with a circuit remaining, and Lightning Treasure went on to prevail in 1:51.2, holding off a late charge from Go On BB after turning away the first-over Red High Heels (Tim Tetrick). Jonathan Roberts drove the 5-year-old daughter of Western Ideal for owner Lightning Stable and trainer Anthony Mannino. The twelfth race went to Im Betting On You, who followed the cover of even-money public choice Flirtiscape (George Napolitano) up the backstretch before kicking three-wide just outside the eighth pole. The 5-year-old Bettor’s Delight mare kicked away by 1-3/4 lengths as the pacesetters folded, prevailing in 1:51.3 in rein to Eric Goodell. Rick Bilach trains Im Betting On You for owner Alain Durivage.

Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park
Because of a Friday night concert, there was a live program moved forward to Thursday evening, November 18 at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park. The feature event was the $12,000 purse mares handicap with Nillabomb ordered to start outside in the field of nine. The daughter of Admirals Galley-Be A Little Lady competes for the ownership of Trifecta 246 Stable of Linden, Mi. The stable members are Gwen and Gerald Knapp along with Kim Beach. In this test, Nillabomb raced valiantly first-over for the final five-eighths of the mile and her long grind fell just short by a nose in the photo finish to her stablemate Witch Trials in 1:55. Nillabomb won the event last week, and it was the second straight week that the pair of top mares from the Eric Beach barn swept the top two positions in this weekly class at the current meet in South Florida.

Cal Expo
Five conditioned trotters and two in for a claiming tag were featured at Cal Expo for a purse of $4,800 on Thursday night, in which Easter Call won for the tenth time on the year. Leaving from post five to let others settle, Easter Call and owner/trainer Ralph Silvestri III found themselves with first turn cover until being left uncovered at the quarter-mile pole timed in :29.2. Getting stretched by Jess Or No (Luke Plano), the 9-year-old didn’t clear to the front until well past the three-eighths marker into a used :58 first half. Getting whip taps past the 9-16ths station and his earplugs kicked out to the five-eighths pole, the gelding responded and opened up 2-1/2 lengths midway through the final turn, then was up by 2-3/4 lengths at the three-quarter marker, timed in 1:27. In full gear to the head of the lane and under urging into the stretch, Easter Call held pretty firm while under a drive to report home a winner ($11.00) by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:57.4. Putoneonnetformom (Rocky Stidham) finished in second and Jess Or No finished just a nose farther back in third.