from harness publicists across North America

The Friday (Oct. 27) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Yonkers Raceway, Woodbine Racetrack, Saratoga Casino Hotel, Batavia Downs and Vernon Downs.

Lispatty wins Friday night 50G Distaff Derby at Yonkers

Yonkers, NY — Favored Lispatty (George Brennan, $5.70) was first to the lead and first to the wire Friday night (Oct. 27), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $50,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.

Gabriela Trmal photo

Lispatty was a 1:52.4 winner in the Friday feature at Yonkers.

In play from ‘inside’ post position No. 5 (after winning the five-through-eight draw), Lispatty stung Newborn Sassy (Tyler Buter), releasing that rival after a :26.3 opening quarter-mile.

Newborn Sassy then found a :55.3 intermission before Mach It A Par (Jason Bartlett) tried it first-up from fourth in and out of the 1:23.4 three-quarters.

Newborn Sassy put away that stubborn miss, but she was vulnerable. Lispatty ducked inside, then defeated a second-over Betabcool N (Eric Goodell) by a length in 1:52.4. Newborn Sassy, Mach It A Par and 44-1 rank outsider Certified Ideal (Brent Holland) settled for the remainder.

For Lispatty, a 4-year-old daughter of McArdle owned by Gilberto Garcia-Owen and trained by Gilberto Garcia-Herrera, it was her sixth win in 24 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $35.60, with the triple returning $213.

— Frank Drucker

Woodbine
Witch Dali was able to get the better of stablemate Ms Mac N Cheese to capture Friday’s C$30,000 Mares Preferred Pace at Woodbine Racetrack. The Richard Moreau trained pacing mares finished first and second, with Witch Dali edging by in deep stretch to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:52. It was just the second win of the season for the 6-year-old pacing mare, who was making her 18th start of 2017. Driven for the first time by Bob McClure, Witch Dali was blasted to the lead in a field of seven and posted a :26.4 opening panel. Ms Mac N Cheese made a second quarter move to the lead from third, but didn’t clear until reaching the half in :56.1. The leaders did not change positions on the far turn, which set up a stretch duel between the Moreau trainees. Witch Dali powered by on the outside for the victory, which also snapped a three-race win streak for Ms Mac N Cheese. Owned by Brad Grant, Witch Dali has now banked C$74,820 this season to bring her career earnings to C$423,168. Friday’s victory was her 21st career score. A $2 win ticket on Witch Dali returned $6.80. Live harness racing continues Saturday evening at Woodbine Racetrack with the C$34,000 Preferred Pace headlining a 10-race card. Post time is 7:30 p.m.

Saratoga
Truth And Liberty (Total Truth) won the Fillies and Mares Open two weeks ago as the Bob Lounsbury trainee grinded out a first over victory. After making a break as the favorite in last week’s installment of the $19,500 feature for fillies and mares, Truth And Liberty once again wound up first over in the Open on Friday night at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The favored Tiptina (Phil Fluet) set quick but reasonable fractions on the engine and after reaching the half in :56.2 was met with the challenge of Truth And Liberty. That twosome battled for close to a half-mile before Truth And Liberty put away Tiptina in the stretch and drew clear to win in 1:53.3. Pocket sitter Brown Brinny (Dan Cappello Jr.) closed to be second while Tiptina had to settle for the show spot. Truth And Liberty paid $8.40 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $27.40 and $111.50, respectively. Jimmy Devaux piloted the 5-year-old mare to the Friday score on a night in which the red hot reinsman piled up three wins. Live racing continues on Saturday night at Saratoga with a first post time set for 6:45 p.m.

Batavia
The third time was the charm for Tioga Downs regular Dragin The Wagon who captured his first win at Batavia Downs in the $10,500 Open Handicap Trot on Friday night after two previous attempts. Leaving from post three, Dragin The Wagon (Billy Davis Jr.) circled habitual leader Kahoku (Kevin Cummings) off the gate and then parked him past the quarter in :27.2. After that one finally settled in second, the rest of the race was decided. Dragin The Wagon led by open lengths the rest of the way, setting fractions of :56.3 and 1:26 before kicking away to a three length win in 1:56.1 as the rest of the field argued for minor spoils. The fifth win of the year for Dragin The Wagon ($3.30) pushed his 2017 earnings to $56,588 for owners Cary, David and Michael Cantelon. Jeff Byron trains the winner. Jim Morrill Jr. scored a driving triple on Friday while Kevin Cummings, Larry Stalbaum, Billy Davis Jr. and Ray Fisher Jr. each had a double. Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday evening at 6 p.m.

Vernon Downs
Jimmy Whittemore won the $6,000 co-trotting features at Vernon Downs on Friday night. Whittemore won the first feature with Pier Ho Exotic (Conway Hall). Aruba Vacation (Dan Daley) would carve out all the early fractions, :27.4, :57.4, and 1:26.4. Pier Ho Exotic ($3.40), who is owned and trained by Dennis Whittemore, would ride in the pocket until the stretch, blowing by to win in 1:55.1. Hanrahan (Jeff Long) fired late to finish second with Aruba Vacation holding on for third. Pier Ho Exotic got his fourth win on the season and won for the 13th time in his career. McKenzie’s Star (Whittemore) would win the second feature. Manssive (John MacDonald) charged out to the front and put up all the early fractions, :27.4 :57.1, and 1:26.4. McKenzie’s Star (Donato Hanover), who is owned by Allie Howard with Reuben Graber and trained by Joe Skowyra, went first over and zoomed on by after the three-quarter mark. The 7-year-old mare won in 1:55.2. Stick With Me Kid (Chris Lems) came up to finish second with American JJ (Michael Miller) getting third place. McKenzie’s Star ($21.60) got her fifth win of the year and her 28th career victory. Vernon Downs returns to live action with a 10-race card on Saturday (Oct. 28) starting at 6:45 p.m.