by harness racing publicists across North America
Saturday’s (April 28) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from The Meadows, Buffalo Raceway, Saratoga Casino Hotel and Vernon Downs.
Racing Roundup: Palone wins six at The Meadows
Washington, PA — Southwind Amazon roared through the lane to nip Dapper Dude for the second straight week — and give Dave Palone one of his six wins on the card — in Saturday’s $20,000 Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows.

Chris Gooden photo
Southwind Amazon provided Dave Palone with one of his six winners on the Saturday card at The Meadows.
Last week, Southwind Amazon pocketed Dapper Dude and held him off late. On Saturday, he was third behind the millionaire Dapper Dude turning for home, with Arthur Pendragon challenging outside.
Rather than take his chances with the Lightning Lane, Palone opted to angle off the cones and show Southwind Amazon racetrack. The 8-year-old Camluck-Artoonist gelding responded by edging Dapper Dude by a nose, with Arthur Pendragon third.
Paul Holzman trains Southwind Amazon, who won for the ninth time in 12 starts this year and vaulted over $600,000 in career earnings, for Ameer Najor.
Aaron Merriman fashioned a triple on the 12-race program while three of Palone’s victories were for trainer Kevin Johnson.
— by Evan Pattak
Buffalo Raceway
Despite a sloppy, wet race track, Focus Power didn’t lose sight of the winner’s circle as the 6-year-old gelding slogged his way to the victory in Buffalo Raceway’s $9,600 featured pace on Saturday night (April 28). Catching the front end spray of the pace setting Linkjack Hanover for over a half-mile, driver Drew Monti and Focus Power had enough and pulled out midway down the backstretch the final time. Getting relief from the mud, Focus Power ($6.70) found it clear sailing in the stretch and held off a late charge from Upfront Countryboy (Shawn Gray) to notch the 1-1/2 length decision in 1:56.3. Linkjack Hanover (JD Perrin) settled for the show position. Owned by James Caradori and trained by Darrin Monti, it was the first win in three tries in 2018 for Focus Power (Shadow Play-Luv’s For Ever). The victory pushed his seasonal earnings to $7,968 and $165,935 lifetime. In the sub-featured $9,000 trot, Empire Empire N ($4.90) destroyed the field by rolling to an easy 7-1/4 length score in 1:59.3 over Noble Legend. Sitting a unhurried sixth as the starting gate moved away, Empire Earl N began his forward march to the top just before the half mile marker. By the time he reached the top of the stretch, Empire Earl N (Ray Fisher Jr.) extended his advantage to six lengths and never looked back. Noble Legend (Billy Davis Jr.) finished in second while Edom Up Blue Boy (Rock Vinci) was third. Owned by Kimberly Asher and trained by Riley Asher-Stalbaum, Empire Earl N (Earl-Santa Nita) is a 10-year-old gelding that has now posted three wins in nine attempts. The victory improved his seasonal bankroll to $18,935 and $180,825 lifetime. Davis Jr. finished the evening with a four-bagger while Fisher Jr. and Monti tripled. Trainer Maria Rice conditioned three winners while Asher-Stalbaum had a pair. Racing will resume on Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. with an 11-race program slated. For more information including the latest news, race replays, results, entries and upcoming promotions, go to www.buffaloraceway.com.
Saratoga Casino Hotel
Sassy Hanover (Cam’s Card Shark) won his first ever local Open Pace on Saturday night at Saratoga Casino Hotel. With a few of the more successful Open Pacers this season not competing on Saturday, the stage was set for a “newbie” to score in the feature and it was Claude Huckabone Jr’s Sassy Hanover who did just that. Dismissed at odds of 8-1, Sassy Hanover made it to the front in a :27.2 first quarter over the sloppy going and never relinquished that lead. Fellow Open first-timer Martial Bliss (Jay Randall) finished second while invader Winds Of Change (Bruce Aldrich Jr.) earned the show spot. Sassy Hanover, who stopped the timer in 1:53.4, paid $19.20 in his upset win and led an exacta and triple that came back $73 and $1,269, respectively. The 7-year-old pacer was piloted to the feature win by Billy Dobson. Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon at the Spa with a matinee beginning at 12:15 p.m.
Vernon Downs
Jimmy Whittemore won five races including the featured pace ($8,000), with Calvin B at Vernon Downs on Saturday night (April 28). In the feature Believe This Bob (Aaron Byron) controlled the pace for most of the race (:27.3, :55.1 , 1:23.3). Calvin B ($4.40), who is owned by Delores Smiel and trained by Jim Nickerson, was in fifth after three-quarters. Ben N Crosby (John MacDonald) pulled out of the pocket and grabbed the lead at the top of the stretch. Whittemore then guided Calvin B between both rivals, charging right on by to win in 1:53.0. Ben N Crosby hung on for second while Drunken Desire A (Justin Huckebone) came up late to finish third. Calvin B, an 8-year-old gelding by Better’s Delight, added his second win of the season and won for the 30th time in his career. Duckies Dynasty wins the second leg of the Farina Pacing Series. Whittemore guided Duckies Dynasty ($7.60) to a win in the Anthony Farina Pacing Series ($4,000). Back to Motown (Mike Merton) finished second with Silver Arrow (John MacDonald), settling for third. Duckies Dynasty is owned by Share A Horse Inc and trainer Harry Landy. The 3-year-old gelding by Riverboat King, won for the fifth time this season in nine starts. Whittemore also won with Major Leaguer ($3.10), Love Live Laugh ($14.80), and Bluffton ($7.00). Vernon Downs returns to live racing on Friday (May 4) at 6:10 p.m. For more information go to www.vernondowns.com.