from harness publicists across North America

Thursday’s (May 5) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Monticello Raceway, Vernon Downs and Cal Expo.

Parker wins five at Monticello

Monticello, NY — Winning races is nothing new to Billy Parker, Jr. but lately he’s been on a tear at Monticello Raceway. The 14-time Mighty M driving champ added five more wins to his career totals on Thursday afternoon and he’s driving like a man possessed.

Geri Schwarz photo

Highmaker was one of five winning drives for Zeke Parker.

“I feel real good and I have been getting some better mounts than I was getting earlier this year and that sure helps,” Parker acknowledged.

And it’s no wonder Parker is feeling good; he won 15 races over the Mighty M’s four-day week.

Zeke, as he likes to be known, began his afternoon copping the early double. He won the first with Shark Income in 2:02.1 and then won the second with Lively Moment, a trotter, in 2:03.2. After a few second place finishes Parker then won three in a row. He copped the eighth with Whogoesfirst in a time of 2:01.1 and then reined two more trotters home first — Highmaker in 2:05.1 in the ninth and Beach Vacation in 2:04 in the tenth.

When asked why wins are seemingly coming easily again, Parker just shrugged his shoulders and muttered, “I don’t know. I’m not doing anything different. But what I am doing now seems to be right. Who knows though, maybe next week I won’t win a race!”

— John Manzi

Vernon Downs
The super steady pacer Canaco Star became the 12th two-time winner after seven Vernon Downs programs following her 1:54.2 performance in Thursday night’s $6,000 featured ninth event. Leaving from post three against five select female rivals during the track’s initial Thursday program of 2011, the favored Canaco Star ($3.70) went right to the front and cut fractions of :28 :56.3 and 1:25.2 en route to a 2-1/2 length victory over Won Night Stand. Thursday’s strong showing improved the 5-year-old mare’s current performance chart to 9-2-2 after 13 trips to the track. Leading driver Jimmy Whittemore drove for trainer Lonny Hale and owners Dr. Michael Kessler and the Speed To Burn Racing Stable. The bay daughter of Yankee Cam-Dime A Minute increased her career winnings to $78,315. Whittemore, the track’s two-time defending driving champ, also finished first with the pacer Jo Pa’s Wish (1:56.4) and trotter My Irish Molly (2:00).

Cal Expo
A field of eight were featured at Cal Expo on Thursday night for a purse of $3,400, in which Star Time Kid won for the 27th time in his career. Coming away in fifth position into a :28.3 opening quarter, the 6-year-old closed a two length second quarter gap at the 7-16ths pole as a well-meant Nittany Linebacker was concluding a 3-16ths move to the top in a rapid and used :27.4 second quarter. Moving into second-over position just past the half, the cover for the gelding didn’t really advance once the field hit the middle of the final turn; this at the same time Nittany Linebacker was trying to get away at the three-quarter station, timed in 1:25. Closing well to collar a hard trying Nittany Linebacker inside the final sixteenth of a mile, Star Time Kid and trainer/driver Rick Plano won ($4.00) by one length. Bred in part by owner Sheldon Perry in partnership with Maryann Plano, the son of Little Steven stopped the timer at 1:53.3. Nittany Linebacker had to settle for second and Doit By The Clock rallied nicely to finish another 1-3/4 lengths farther back in third.