from harness publicists across North America

Saturday’s (May 23) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Scarborough Downs, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Saratoga Casino and Raceway, Tioga Downs and Buffalo Raceway.

Only The Lonely in near track record mile at Scarborough

Scarborough, ME — Making his first state of Maine start on Saturday, Only The Lonely with driver Eddie Davis Jr., just missed equaling one of the oldest track records on the Scarborough Downs books when they stopped the timer in 1:54.1.

Michael Newman photo

Only The Lonely and driver Eddie Davis Jr. recorded the fastest mile of the 2015 Scarborough Downs season on Saturday.

The effort came within whiskers of matching Prince Ebony’s standard for older stallions set during the 1990 edition of The Presidents Pace, Scarborough’s then marquee invitational, with driver Ron Pierce getting the entry home in 1:54.

The mile was the fastest recorded yet in 2015 at the Downs.

Only The Lonely is the latest addition to the roster of Scarborough’s 2014 Trainer of the Year, Bo Sowers, and is owned by David MacDonald of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The 5-year-old son of Western Ideal was driven to an early lead through a contentious :28 opening panel and maintained that front-seat advantage throughout, coasting to a 6-1/4 length margin at the wire, pretty much under wraps.

We’ve got a feeling that Prince Ebony’s ancient standard which has stood the test of time for nearly 25 years, may be in jeopardy soon with this new fleet stallion setting up shop at the Downs.

Live harness racing is featured weekly at Scarborough Downs with the Friday and Saturday cards going to post at 4 p.m., while the popular Sunday matinee gets underway at 1:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.ScarboroughDowns.com or our Facebook page.

— Michael Sweeney

The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono
The Napolitano brothers accounted for the sulky success in the $22,000 twin features Saturday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, with Anthony taking the trot with Swishnflick in 1:54 and George winning the pace with Scott Rocks in 1:50.1. The Kadabra mare Swishnflick was sent right to the top in the trotting headliner, putting down fractions of :28.1, :57.4 and 1:26 for “Ant’ny Nap.” There turned out to be only one stretch challenger for Swishnflick — the pocketsitter My Love Bi, driven by brother George — and the latter pair were closing outside the leader with every stride, but Swishnflick held together gamely to the wire to get the nose nod for win for trainer Gus Scarpias and owner Kenneth Westerside. Pocket rocket tactics proved more profitable for “George Nap” and Scott Rocks in the pacing feature. The pair quarter-moved after a :26.4 opener; as soon as they made the top, Great Artist completed a huge move (:26.1 individual second quarter) to go by before the half in :54 and keeping the lead through a 1:22.3 three-quarter clocking. The right-hand line tug at headstretch worked better for “GNap” in this event, as he rallied Scott Rocks, an altered son of Rocknroll Hanover, to catch Great Artist by a neck for trainer Chris Oakes and owners Susan Oakes and Chuck Pompey.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Defending Saratoga Horse of the Year Panocchio (No Pan Intended) scored his first local Open win of the season on Saturday night at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. The Jimmy Mattison-trained 5-year-old was the Spa’s standout last year and wound up earning the awards for top pacer and Horse of the Year. Following a fourth place finish in his return to Saratoga last week, Panocchio showed early speed when bet down to be the $18,000 Open’s 3-5 public choice on Saturday night. Driver Gerry Mattison got a soft second quarter for the star pacer en route to a first half in :57.3. From there, Panocchio would not be denied, holding off challenges from Talking Blues (Jim Devaux) and Upfront Countryboy (Bruce Aldrich Jr.) in the stretch to secure his third win of the ’15 campaign after prevailing in Pompano’s Open twice this spring. Panocchio moved his career earnings over the $200,000 mark with the Saturday score which came in 1:54.3. Talking Blues completed the $13.80 exacta while the triple with Upfront Countryboy third came back $51.00. Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon at the Spa with a matinee beginning at 12:45 p.m.

Tioga Downs
Relegated to last in the early stages, the Harmon Racing Stable’s Detroit Rapper ($23.40) circled four-wide to pass all six of his rivals in Saturday evening’s featured $14,000 Open Trot at Tioga Downs. The 4-year-old Jailhouse Jesse gelding took no part in the pace-setting proceedings, situated well off alternating leaders Sweet Justice (Aaron Byron) and B L Class Act (John Cummings Jr.) through a :56.4 half-mile. As 2-5 favorite Zooming (Brandon Simpson) applied steady pressure on B L Class act into the far turn, Jim Meittinis angled Detroit Rapper three-wide to follow the live cover of My Muscleman (Mike Simons), fanning four-wide at the head of the stretch and showing immediate response. The Patti Harmon trainee kicked forward at once, gobbling up ground and drawing clear by a length in 1:55.1 to defeat B L Class Act and Zooming. Aruba Vacation (Tyler Freese), who was shuffled to last on the backstretch, rallied five-wide in the stretch to save fourth. Dan Clements and John Cummings Jr. both earned driving doubles on the eight-race card. Live racing returns to Tioga Downs on Sunday (May 24) evening, with the first of 10 races slated for 6:15 p.m.

Buffalo Raceway
Western Alumni got a perfect pocket-sitting trip from driver Jim McNeight and notched a surprising $46.40 victory in 1:54.2 over a fast track in the $10,500 Open Pace at Buffalo Raceway Saturday night. With the field shortened to five due to the scratch of Jokerman, Western Alumni tried to take the top from outside. The heavily-favored and rail-riding Cobble Beach, however, was ready and willing to hand out some parking tickets. Western Alumni was throttled down and managed to find a seat in the garden spot just before the quarter-pole as Cobble Beach (Kevin Cummings) was in charge of the fractions with times of :28.1, :57 and 1:26. With a final panel to go, Western Alumni tipped from the outside and managed to wear down second place finisher Cobble Beach by a length in 1:54.2. Rockstar Temper (Drew Monti) took the show spot. Owned by North Creek Racing LLC and trained by Jerry Nugent Jr., Western Alumni (Western Hanover-Countryview Miss) now has three victories in 2015. It moved the 7-year-old gelding’s earnings to $24,226 this year and $233,714 lifetime. In the $9,500 Open II pace, Lucky Nadotremblay ($4.10) found the front end to his liking as he went gate-to-wire in 1:54.3. Scoring from the rail, Lucky Nadotremblay (Jack Flanigen) had no issues getting the lead and posted times of :28.3, :58 and 1:26.3. There were a line of pacers ready for the stretch drive but Lucky Nadotremblay had an extra gear and held back the remaining field of four at bay. Unicorn Hanover (Shawn McDonough) managed to get up for the place spot with Peenie (Shawn Gray) in third. Co-owned by Paul and Ronald Louis Viele, Lucky Nadotremblay (Blissfull Hall-Periella Hanover) has four wins on the campaign and $31,194 in the bank. The 5-year-old horse also has made $93,583 in his career. Racing resumes on Wednesday night at Buffalo Raceway with a 13-race card scheduled for 5 p.m. The New York Sire Stakes makes its first appearance of the season on Wednesday with the 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers set to square off in three divisions worth $39,000 each. There will also be several Excelsior Series events on tap as well in both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ classifications.