from harness publicists around North America

Thursday’s Racing Roundup features stories from Dover Downs and Cal-Expo Raceway.

Missed Tide prevails at Dover

Dover, DE — Missed Tide was a nose in front at the wire for a 1:55.1 triumph in a three-horse photo in the $16,000 3&4-year-old feature pace at Dover Downs on Thursday, Feb. 25.

Tony Morgan urged Missed Tide along the passing lane and in the Misfit-Mannart High Tide gelding’s last step stuck his nose on the wire first. In a stretch-long battle, DVCFlyingfrenchman (Eric Goodell) and Dragon My Wagon (Frank Milby) were locked in conflict throughout the lane until Missed Tide came on to edge the pair at the finish line.

— Marv Bachrad

Good things come in small packages at Cal-Expo

What Scooter Babe lacks in size, she makes up in late speed that saw her close fastest of all.

A mixture of conditioned and claiming distaffers were co-featured at Cal-Expo on Thursday night, on which Scooter Babe got a textbook, second-over trip to win.

Coming away in fourth position through first-half fractions of :29.1 and :58.4, Wiseman eventually got second-over cover at the five-eighths mile pole.

Now getting a live tow and only 2-3/4 lengths back while fourth at the three-quarter mile marker, timed in 1:27.4, Wiseman was getting what he wanted.

“I thought I had a good shot of being right there because I was getting the trip that I needed to win.”

Moving four-wide with just under 3/16ths of a mile to go, Wiseman urged his mare, but the message didn’t get through right away.

“I got after her, but she didn’t kick in right away until they started swarming around her — then she kicked in and dug in late. It, however, wasn’t until the last 10 steps that I figured I had it.”

Closing in determined fashion, the 6-year-old got up at the wire to win ($11.20) by a neck. Owned by Larry Barker and Janet Plested, Scooter Babe covered the mile in 1:55.2, a season’s best. Wicked Beach (James Kennedy) was a solid first-over second, and Polished Perfection (Bruce Clarke) was just a head farther back, in third.

“She’s a nice little mare that’s not very big, but she has a very big heart and raced well,” Wiseman concluded.

Live racing continues at Cal-Expo on Friday and Saturday at 5:30 p.m., pacific each night. On Friday, the carryover in the Early Pick-4, on races two through five, is $4,312.60. The total estimated pool is $17,500.

— Scott Ehrlich