from Harness Publicists across North America

Monday’s (Dec. 28) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs and Pompano Park.

Longshot Waipawa Lad N takes $32,500 Delaware Special

Dover, DE — Three New Zealand breds were double-figure winners in Dover Downs’ top three events on Monday. For the second straight night a 10-1 shot captured the Dover feature, as Waipawa Lad N got up in 1:53.2 to win the $32,500 Delaware Special Handicap. Malosi N, at 6-1, took the $26,000 Open Handicap while 7-1 Cyclone Cully N was a winner of the $23,000 Winners Over. Meet leading driver Ron Pierce had four wins, while Ross Wolfenden won three.

Fotowon photo

Waipawa Lad N came down the passing lane to edge Romantic Thriller by a neck.

In the big race, Brad Hanners waited patiently driving Waipawa Lad N while Romantic Thriller and Mike Cole, the leader from the start, and Music Again with Ross Wolfenden battled down the lane. Hanners then rolled Waipawa Lad N down the passing lane to edge into the lead at the wire in 1:53.2 to pick up the pacer’s fourth win of the year. The Live Or Die-Joyrock gelding, owned by WJ McDougall Racing Inc., now has earned $$76,233 in 2009. Romantic Thriller held on for second in front of the fast finishing Proper Respect, handled by Corey Callahan.

Malosi N and driver Tim Curtin took advantage of a switch in post positions to score a 1:53.2 conquest in the $26,000 Open Handicap. The Christian Cullen-Abbeyshrule gelding grabbed the racetrack at the start and was never headed in his sixth win of the season for Neil Chesen and Kathleen Beegle. Veteran Western Ace, reined by Montrell Teague, was second best. Three Of Spades with Jon Roberts was the third-place finisher.

Melissa Cabot’s Cyclone Cully N was Ron Pierce’s fourth winner on the program, racking up the Christian Cullen-Andra’s Night gelding’s fourth consecutive win in 1:53.4. Stepping out of the claiming ranks, the New Zealand bred, a 7-1 shot, won the $23,000 Winners Over Pace after starting from the outside post. Pierce left fast to get the early lead, then sat behind Estero Bay and Tony Morgan until the stretch when Cyclone Cully N thundered down the passing lane to chalk up his seventh win of the year. Estero Bay held second in front of Kelly’s Spur and Vince Copeland.

— Marv Bachrad

Longshots score at Pompano

Pompano Beach, FL — A trio of longshot winners dotted the Monday evening program at The Isle Pompano Park.

Delivering the first 35-1 knockout punch was 56-year-old hobby horseman Robert Arnold. He calmly went first-over with the 7-year-old mare Elisabeth Ann Can to haul down favored Call The Trotters.

Driver Ricky Macomber, Jr. reined in two winners on the Monday evening card, including the overlooked 27-1 offering Hanks Kid in a conditioned pace. The 2-year-old Bettor’s Delight-Hank’s Girl gelding is trained by William Popfinger for owner Henry Spierer.

The last major upsetter on the Monday evening card was Southern Knight in a conditioned $7,500 claiming test. Fern Paquet, Jr. delivered the 3-year-old Tough Sir-Pure Perfection gelding just in time from an outside start in the field of nine to hold off Fox Valley Arika with Ricky Macomber, Jr. Southern Night, owned and trained by Mike Deters, was off at 10-1 but in the end returned $17.80 when there was a non-starter refund for Ace Le Ru, driver by Tom Harmer.

— Frank Salive