from Harness Publicists across North America

Wednesday’s (July 22) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and Ocean Downs.

Nip N Attack wins distaff feature at Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Nip N Attack turned back the table on Riley Rose in this week’s featured $28,750 Open Handicap Pace for fillies and mares at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on Wednesday night. Beaten by Riley Rose in the previous week’s race by a neck, it was Jim Morrill, Jr. and Nip N Attack winning this week by a neck in 1:51.1.

Leaving from the four hole, Sean Bier quickly seized the lead with Riley Rose and took the six-horse field to the opening split in :27.2 with Flirtiscape (Mike Simons) second, Ireneonthemove third and Nip N Attack fourth. Morrill pulled after the opening quarter and went after Riley Rose to become the new leader at the half with Riley Rose second. The half-mile time was clicked off in :55.4.

Nip N Attack and Riley Rose were still one-two at the three-quarter pole with the timer reading 1:23.3. It was a sprint home from there with Riley Rose coming off the Pocono Pike (passing lane) to lose by a neck at the wire with Flirtiscape getting third.

Chris Oakes trains Nip N Attack, who won for the 10th time in 2009 in 23 starts with more than $180,000 in earnings. The winning 5-year-old mare is nearing the $300,000 lifetime mark in earnings.

— John Zimich

Dawn Trader Memorial contested at Ocean Downs

Berlin, MD — Wednesday evening after the fifth race at Ocean Downs the winner’s circle was packed with fans, trainers, and drivers. These people gathered after the Dawn Trader Memorial Race in support of the late Dawn Trader. The race was won in 1:59 by 2-year-old gelding Up To ($2.80). Up To’s trainer Carolyn Robinson was a friend of Dawn Trader.

“Over the past couple of years we grew close as friends,” Carolyn recalled. “She was always friendly while she trained and groomed horses with me. She was the type of person everyone wants around them.”

This was the first memorial race held in Dawn Trader’s honor.

Attempting to win his fifth race during this summer’s meet on Wednesday was veteran racehorse Mr Thinker. The 9-year-old horse previously won three races in the Bud Light Pace, including the $7,800 final. Last week the horse owned by Christopher Sharpe won a $7,500 claiming class race.

Mr Thinker’s ($3.20) success continued as he started on the rail and led the race from wire-to-wire. Driven by Frank Milby, the horse finished the pace in 1:57.

His trainer Charlene Polk says they have plans to race him here at Ocean Downs every week for the rest of this summer’s meet.

— Ozi Menakaya