Racing Roundup: Miss Sandy Beach wins Future Stars division at Hoosier
April 4, 2009,from Harness Publicists across North America
Saturday’s (April 4) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Hoosier Park, Pompano Park, Cal-Expo, Saratoga and Buffalo.
Anderson, IN — Miss Sandy Beach and driver Jay Cross broke their maiden in convincing fashion Saturday, April 4 to win the second round of the Future Stars series at Hoosier Park Racing and Casino. The 3-year-old filly earned her first win in a time of 1:55.3 in the third of three divisions of the event.
In other divisional action of the Future Stars Series, McFlirty and Brad Hanners were gate to wire winners in the first division, stopping the clock in 1:54.3. Susie’s Lil Rip used opposite strategy to win her division in 1:55.3, coming from off the pace to win with Jason Dillander in the bike.
Miss Sandy Beach, McFlirty, and Susie’s Lil Rip will return for the third round of the Future Stars Series Saturday, April 11. The top 10 fillies and mares with the highest total earnings from the series will return for the $15,000-est. final set for Saturday, April 18.
— Tammy Knox
Cape Karuna takes Open Pace at Pompano
Pompano Beach, FL — Cape Karuna ($8.60) returned to his winning ways Saturday at the Isle Pompano Park with a head triumph in the $16,000 Open Handicap Pace in 1:52.1.
It was the fourth win in the past five starts for Cape Kruna. The six-year-old gelded son of Cape Crusader is trained by Peter Blood and co-owned by Rick Berks, Peter Blood and Roger Slobody.
— Steve Wolf
Cheyenne Knight shines his armor at Cal-Expo
Sacramento, CA — Open 1 Handicap pacers, racing for a purse of $6,500, were featured at Cal-Expo on Saturday night (April 4), on which Cheyenne Knight was the pocket-rocket.
Drawing away to the wire while just under very light urging, Cheyenne Knight would win ($10.20) by three-lengths. Owned by Jack Toth, Steve Hagen, Michael Duncan and Terry Yuck, the 4-year-old would win in 1:52.4, thus equaling a lifetime best. Split Ticket finished in second, and Cam’s Accord (Jim Lackey) finished a length farther back, in third.
“I thought the horse was huge because I felt that 1:52.4 on that track was huge,” concluded Clarke.
— Scott Ehrlich
Cross wins five at Saratoga
Saratoga, NY — Driver Brian Cross stole the show during the double header at Saratoga on Saturday.
Cross, who moved into second in the driver standings after enjoying his best week of the young season at the Spa, tallied five winners on Saturday with four of the wins coming on the evening card. Cross drove two of his winners for trainer Dave Spagnola, who like Cross had a big week
this week. Spagnola recorded three wins on Saturday evening. The Cross grand slam on the nighttime portion of the Saturday double dip was comprised of wins by Cowboy Gold, Eastover Court, Allamerican Apache and Mr One Eyed Jack.
Rare Jewel won the Saturday night feature registering a blistering 1:52.4 victory for Dan Cappello Jr. The time matched the mark set by Four Starz Bling for the fastest mile of the year thus far at Saratoga. The afternoon open saw Princess Michi (Mike Micallef) go wire to wire to hold off the group of the top mares at the track to register the victory in the $17,000 open.
— Mike Sardella
The Fonz wins at Buffalo
Hamburg, NY — The Fonz, a Scooter Scott gelding out of the Armbro Cadet mare Lady Of Fame, won the $8,000 Open II Handicap Pace in 1:58.2 for owner Melinda Kash at Buffalo Raceway Saturday night. (April 4)
Driven Ken Holliday, The Fonz ($5.80) made every pole a winning won setting all the fractions in the race, :29.4, :59.2, and 1:29.1. A :29.1 last quarter-mile put The Fonz one-half length ahead of TSM Goldenridge (Matt Kakaley) at the wire. Robin Of Locksley came in third.
“I really didn’t have to do much,” said Holliday. “We had the rail and he (The Fonz) pretty much did all the work.”
It was the fifth win of the year in twelve attempts for The Fonz, and the $4,000 share of the winning purse put his 2009 bankroll at $25,330 and $92,258 lifetime.
— Sam Pendolino