from harness publicists across North America

Sunday’s (March 9) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Saratoga Casino and Raceway and Miami Valley Raceway.

Morrill and Efimetz streak reaches ten at Saratoga

Saratoga Springs, NY — The Jim Morrill, Jr.- Kevin Efimetz combination continued their unheard of streak of winning on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga Casino and Raceway.

Dave Oxford photo

Little Santamonica was a 1:56 winner in the Fillies and Mares Open.

Coming into the matinee card on a six-race win streak as a combo, Morrill and Efimetz again dominated the day. They teamed up five times on the afternoon and recorded four wins and a second.

Before Stage It Right was defeated in the $17,000 Fillies and Mares Open, the potent driver-trainer combo had won ten consecutive starts together.

Stage It Right was good enough to win but came up second best as rival Little Santamonica (Little Steven) made the early lead and never looked back in scoring in 1:56. Jimmy Devaux piloted the winner of the feature for the second consecutive day as he also scored the victory behind Whogoesfirst in the Saturday night Open.

Since the start of the 2014 racing season last week, Morrill and Efimetz have teamed up 19 times and recorded an incredible 14 wins and five seconds.

Live racing resumes on Thursday night at Saratoga with a first post time set for 6:45 p.m.

— Mike Sardella

Miami Valley Raceway
Doc’s Hope came from well off the pace early to capture Sunday night’s $10,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace at Miami Valley Raceway, holding off Rev Me Up (Tyler Smith) by a head in 1:54.2 for driver Jeff Nisonger and trainer Marie St. Charles. The winner was fifth at the half, fourth on the outside at the three-quarters and worked up to second, three-quarters of a length off the eventual runner-up, at the head of the stretch. Blind Spot Hanover (Tony Hall) rallied to finish third. Three first round elimination heats were contested earlier on the program in the Miami Valley Madness in March tournament. Sunday’s edition featured $4,000 claiming mares and the father-son tandem of Jeff and Jason Brewer stole the show by winning all three divisions. In the first split Brooklets Sugarland scored a 1:55.3 tally over Panopsis (Chris Page) and Stable Eyes (Jim Pantaleano). The winner, however, will be competing in second round action for new owner Ida Hardman who claimed her from the race. The Brewers will still be well represented in the second “Sweet 16” round by their other pair of victorious mares, Boiler Heidi Ho, who topped Red Carpet Tonight (Hall) and Shanghai Gadgette (Josh Sutton) in 1:57.2; and Rock N Rolling, who sped to a 1:55 win over Taylors Artist (Pat Berry) and Joya Fra (Smith).