Racing Roundup: Monday, February 9, 2009
February 10, 2009,from Harness Publicists across North America
Monday’s (February 9) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs, Pompano Park and The Meadows. Haverford Hanover captures Dover Open Dover, DE — Haverford Hanover held off a late charge from Sharky Osborne to win the $32,000 Open Pace on Monday at Dover Downs. Tim Tetrick led all drivers with five winners.
Fotowon photo Haverford Hanover held off Sharky Osborne on the outside and Hot N Sporty on the rail to win the Open Handicap Pace. Ron Pierce moved Haverford Hanover out of third in front of the grandstand and quickly took the lead. The son of The Panderosa-Hattie then shook off a determined bid from Hot N Sporty and Tony Morgan on the backstretch and then held off a fast finishing Sharky Osborne with Eric Goodell to win the featured race in 1:51.1. Mark Kesmodel conditions Haverford Hanover for owners Joe and Laurie Davino. The win was the second in three starts with Pierce in the bike. Sharky Osborne and Hot N Sporty were second and third, respectively.
Cool Cal rang up a similar 1:51.1 clocking in the $25,000 Winners Over Pace with Tetrick at the controls. Three Point Acres owns the altered son of Cole Muffler, who is trained by Chuck Crissman. Cool Cal had dropped down from last week’s Open class. Art’s Son, driven by Ross Wolfenden, was second. JK Lullabye (Pierce) was the show horse.
In the $22,000 male pace, Ruling VC N overpowered eight foes on the way to his first North American victory as Brandon Givens guided the Washington VC-Ruling Delight gelding into the lead after the quarter. The 8-year-old opened up heading to the three-quarters to build an insurmountable lead on the way to a 1:52 conquest. Lightningjacksback was a fast closing second. Prince Of Luck came on for Brian Sears for third place.
— Marv Bachrad
Battleshoe Victor is an easy winner in Pompano trot
Pompano Beach, FL — Battleshoe Victor ($3.20) and driver Anthony Napolitano had little trouble handling a field of seven rivals in winning the $16,000 Open Handicap Trot on Monday at the Isle Pompano Park.
The fifth race feature saw Keystone Empire (Richard Simard) shoot to the early lead but before the opening quarter in :28.4, Napolitano had Battleshoe Victor on the lead for good.
Leading the field to the half-mile marker in :58.2, Battleshoe Victor was then challenged on the outside by Farmer Jones and driver Kevin Wallis through the backstretch and to the three-quarter pole in 1:27.1.
Then as the field reached the top of the stretch and started towards the finish line, Keystone Empire came after Battleshoe Victor but to no avail as the winner pulled away to score by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:56.1. Keystone Empire was second with Farmer Jones third.
Owned by Michael Polansky and trained by Tom Harmer, it was the second straight win and third victory in six starts this year for Battleshoe Victor, a 7-year-old gelding by Valley Victor.
— Steve Wolf
Irresistible Mel wins Meadows series opener
Meadow Lands, PA — Irresistible Mel, who hadn’t won in five 2009 starts, converted a determined first-over bid to victory in the opening leg of the Big TARP, a late-closing series for 3- and 4-year-old colt and gelding trotters, on Monday at The Meadows. KT Me Me and Foggy Lane K captured other $12,000 series divisions.
Irresistible Mel earned a check in each of those previous races, but the initial win proved elusive for the 4-year-old gelded son of S J’s Photo-Irresistible Lady. In the Big TARP, he waited patiently until Aaron Merriman cut him loose near the three-quarter pole. Irresistible Mel brushed by the leader, SJ’s Caliente, and went on to defeat that rival by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:58.2. Alternat Thursdays was third. John Melsheimer trains Irresistible Mel for Mel Rose Stable.
The Meadows this week kicks off four late-closing series — all bearing financial or stock market-related names. Included are the Opening Bell, the Closing Bell and the Early Call. TARP, of course, is the acronym for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the formal name for the federal government’s financial institution rescue plan.
— Evan Pattak