from Harness Publicists across North America

Thursday’s (April 22) Racing Roundup features results stories from Monticello Raceway and The Meadows.

Parker wins six at Monticello

Monticello, NY — Billy “Zeke” Parker, Jr. began the Monticello Raceway afternoon card of April 22 needing only 26 more driving victories to reach the coveted milestone of 10,000 career wins and he really put on a show by winning six races on the card.

Monticello photo

Billy Parker, Jr. won six times on Thursday.

Parker, 56, started the day by winning both ends of the early double. He won the first race trot with Jennifer Lappe’s Wicked Winner in 2:02.3 and then won the next race trot with Bulletproof Enterprises’ Don’t Call Us in a time of 2:03.2.

His next triumph came in race four when he guided Gene Taylor’s trotter The Prosecutor to a gate-to-wire, 2:03 victory. He then won the sixth race with Brenda Messenger and Scott Woogen’s trotter Pleasant Spur in a 2:03.2 clocking and copped the seventh race behind Brian O’Neill’s Mr Thinker in a 1:58.3 clocking. He then won the ninth with Evan Katz’s Mister Dale N in a time of 1:59.2 for win number six.

Always a man of few words Parker didn’t expound much on his afternoon victories. Though most any other driver would be elated to have a six-bagger Parker just seemed to take it in stride, which may not be such a big deal for a guy who won nine times on a ten-race card back on October 20, 1996.

When asked how come you’re so hot today he just smiled and said, “Well, I didn’t win any (races) yesterday.”

When Parker reaches the 10,000 win plateau he’ll be joining just eight others who have driven 10,000 or more winners in their careers.

— John Manzi

13-1 Pearly Princess shines in Meadows series, equals season’s fastest

Washington, PA — Showing no ill effects from a layoff of nearly seven months, 13-1 Pearly Princess stormed home in 1:57.2 — equaling the fastest mile this year by a sophomore filly on a 5/8-mile track — in Thursday’s Hidden Viggorish Trot at The Meadows. Flawless Lindy captured the series’ other $15,000, second-leg division.

At 2, Pearly Princess won a single race, a Pennsylvania Stallion Series division, before ending her season in late September with two performances marred by breaks. In the Hidden Viggorish, however, she left alertly for Tony Hall, found a seat third and powered through the stretch to hand the 1-5 favorite, Agenda Tom Ridge, a 7-length spanking. TSM Meadow Miss finished 2-1/2 lengths behind Agenda Tom Ridge for show.

Joe Offut trains Pearly Princess, a daughter of SJ’s Caviar-Rosemont Princess who lowered her lifetime mark 2.3 seconds, for owner/breeder Christian Stoltzfus.

A 15-race maiden entering Thursday’s leg, Flawless Lindy was parked the first quarter before clearing to the lead for trainer/driver Rod Bolon. She faced no serious challenges thereafter, though, winning comfortably in 2:00.3. Play Broadway was 2-1/2 lengths back in second, with Caviar And Kisses third.

James Snyder owns Flawless Lindy, a daughter of Cantab Hall-Classically Designed. The Hidden Viggorish final, with an estimated purse of $25,000, is set for next Thursday.

— Evan Pattak