Meadows trotters in world record dead heat

Washington, PA — In Friday’s $25,000 Preferred Handicap Trot at The Meadows, Diamond Hunter got the jump down the backside, but Rembrandt Spur gobbled up his lead in the lane. At the wire, the two were inseparable in 1:55.1, fastest trotting dead heat ever on a five-eighths-mile track. Impeccable Image and NY Speed Limit established the previous mark of 1:55.3 in 1998 at Dover Downs.

When Eric Ledford sent Diamond Hunter first over from third, he had little trouble clearing Speed Bomb on the lead. But he also provided live cover for trainer/driver Dick Stillings and Rembrandt Spur, whose 2009 mile of 1:53.3 at The Meadows equaled the mark of Shermans Mountain as the fastest ever by a 3-year-old gelding trotter on a five-eighths-mile track.

Rembrandt Spur made up 1-1/2 lengths in the stretch to set up the dead heat while Rose Run Keepsake closed well for third.

Jeff Cox trains Diamond Hunter, a 5-year-old gelded son of Fortunefivehundred-Erikas First Lady, for Sherree Cox and Richard McNutt. Roy Davis owns Rembrandt Spur, a son of Pegasus Spur-Marty E.

Brett Miller drove four winners on the 13-race card, while Dave Palone and trainer Ron Burke enjoyed three-baggers.

— Evan Pattak

Saver finally finds the Saratoga winner’s circle

Saratoga Springs, NY — Saver had been flirting with a win and on Friday night he finally got it. The Dennis Whittemore owned and trained 7-year-old secured his first Open win by parlaying his pocket trip to victory in the $15,500 feature for trotters at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway.

Dave Oxford photo

Saver was a 1:58.4 winner at Saratoga.

After hitting the board in four straight Opens to start the season at the Spa, Saver finally grabbed that elusive win. Riding the leader’s coattails throughout, Saver pounced on Book Mark (Ray Schnittker), last week’s Open winner, who wound up second. Cyber Hall (Chris Lems) ended up third.

The win for Saver, though his first at the Spa this season, was the second on the campaign, as driver Jimmy Whittemore has made all the right moves with the trotter who stopped the timer in 1:58.4 on a chilly April night in Saratoga.

Live racing continues on Saturday at Saratoga with a doubleheader. The afternoon program starts at 12:45 p.m. while the nightcap kicks off at 7:05 p.m.

— Mike Sardella

I’m Just Special rebounds in Pompano Open

Pompano Beach, FL — Just a week after a stretch collapse saw her finish sixth as the 4-5 favorite, 5-year-old mare I’m Just Special rebounded in the biggest possible way in the $15,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace on the April 9 program at the Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith

I’m Just Special returned to form in a big way to win the $15,000 Mares Open Handicap in 1:52.

The graduate of the Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series program unleashed handy :26.4 speed bursts in the first and third quarters of her 1:52 triumph.

Kevin Wallis had the daughter of Camluck-Lady’s Special Girl out in front at the quarter in :26.4 and rated to the half in :56.1. The third quarter was an all out duel nose-to-nose with Major Trap, in rein to David Ingraham, to the third marker in 1:23. In the stretch, I’m Just Special refused to yield and held safe by a length over the pocket-sitting Flip For Love with Dan Clements in tow. Major Trap, who saw her three race win streak come to an end, stoutly held third after racing first over for the final five-eighths of the mile.

I’m Just Special is trained by Tom Artandi for New York owners and breeders Susan and Ted Colby. She’s won half of her ten starts this year and this win propelled her lifetime bankroll well over the $500,000 mark. Artandi has won with 9 of 15 starters in the 2009-2010 meet in South Florida and Kevin Wallis now counts 8,992 career driving wins.

In the $10,000 Mares Open-2 Pace, M A Jackie was a 1:53.4 front end winner in rein to Bruce Ranger. Trainer Peter Blood shares ownership on the 6-year-old Eicarls Diehard-Jacqleen Lobell mare with Gary Piontkowski, Stephen O’Toole and Rick Berks. Lucy Lucy returned from a month’s layoff to finish second with Wally Hennessey in the bike and Cam Town Carrie finished third for driver Dan Clements.

— Frank Salive

Southwind Prairie and Redneck Reindeer share Buffalo spotlight

Hamburg, NY — Southwind Prairie scored in 2:00.2 for her first win of the 2010 campaign for owner Karl Schoeffel in the $9,000 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace at Buffalo Raceway on Friday night.

Capably driven by Jack Flanigen, Southwind Prairie ($11.00), a 6-year-old Bettor’s Delight offspring out of the Artsplace mare Prettytrickynikki, was shuffled back to fifth and stuck on the rail in the field of eight, as the early pacesetter Dwight’s Charlene (Jim McNeight) cut fractions of :30.2, 1:00.2 and 1:30.1.

As the field hit the top of the stretch, Southwind Prairie snuck to the inside passing lane and with a :29.4 last quarter just nipped the favorite in the race, Pembroke Primo (Kevin Cummings), by a head. Newberry Winner (Jamie Dunlap) came in third.

“She just exploded in the passing lane,” said Flanigen.

Trained by Steve Schoeffel, the $4,500 share of the purse put Southwind Prairie’s season’s bankroll at $7,770 and $217,813 lifetime.

In Friday’s $9,000 Open Trot, Redneck Reindeer ($13.60) went wire-to-wire in 2:01.3 to register his fifth win of the year for owner Betty Tauber.

It was a jump up in class for the Giant Hit offspring, who was cleverly driven by reinsman Ken Holliday. Australian Stock (Kevin Cummings) finished second, while Jack Sparrow (Jim McNeight) came in the show spot.

Trained by Sherri Holliday, the $4,500 share of the purse put Redneck Reindeer’s season’s bankroll at $25,111 and $233,712 lifetime.

— Sam Pendolino

Kakaley wins three at Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Matt Kakaley collected three wins at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on Friday and pushed his season total to 13 at the five-eighths-mile oval.

In the $30,000 claiming pace for horses, colts and geldings, Kakaley drove No. 1 Pocket Driver N to his first victory of the 2010 season, stopping the timer in 1:53.4 on a cold windy night with snow flurries in the air.

Redstone Ruckus (George Napolitano, Jr.) left quickly from the nine hole to take the lead with Pocket Driver N sitting second. However, Kakaley didn’t want to sit and quickly went after Redstone Ruckus to become the new leader before the half and the two horses went 1-2 the rest of the race with Beretta All (Matt Romano) finishing third.

Steve Salerno trains Pocket Driver, a winner for the first time in 12 starts in 2010.

Meanwhile, the $20,000 claiming trot was won by No. 8 Brighten Up, coming from behind as an 8-1 longshot to also win by several lengths over Kennans Kelli (Pat Berry) with Blissful Lil finishing third. Time of the trot was 1:56.1 with Mike Micallef in the sulky.

This was the second win in six starts for Brighten Up, claimed April 2 by trainer Jim Raymer.

— John Zimich