from harness publicists across North America

Sunday’s (April 24) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Miami Valley Raceway and Saratoga Casino and Raceway.

Penn, Fantasy League capture Miami Valley trotting features

Lebanon, OH –– Penn pinned his sixth win in eight 2016 tries on the best trotters at Miami Valley Raceway on Sunday afternoon (April 24), winning the $20,000 Open Trot to increase his seasonal earnings to $63,700.

Holton photo

Penn captured his 6th Open Trot this season at Miami Valley on Sunday.

Trainer Bobby Brower has been starting Penn every other week for the past two months in an effort to keep the 6-year-old Master Glide gelding fresh and the plan has worked to near perfection.

Driver Josh Sutton hustled Penn off the gate, as has been his custom, reaching the quarter on top in :27. Lady’s Dude (Chris Page), who set the all-age Miami Valley track record with a 1:52.1 score in last week’s feature trot, also left alertly and dropped into the two-hole early. Penn got a breather the second quarter but once the :56.2 half was reached Southwind Pepino (Sandy Beatty) came calling on the outside. Southwind Pepino was still lapped on to Penn as they sped past the 1:24.3 three-quarter pole and kept up all the way to the wire in 1:53.1. Boffin (Tyler Smith) found a seam late to edge past Lady’s Dude for third.

Barkley Counts of Tennessee owns Penn, who has won 34 times in just 71 career starts.

The $15,000 championship leg of the R. J. Brown Memorial trotting series for non-winners of two races or $15,000 lifetime at the time of nomination, was also contested on Sunday. Heavily-favored Fantasy League (Kyle Ater) completed a three week sweep with a 1:55.1 score, a tick better than his own divisional track record taken a week ago.

Owner-trainer Mike Sowers’ prize possession topped Chip Or Don (Tyler Smith) by open lengths with Simplyamonster AS (Chris Page) garnering the show dough.

— Miami Valley Raceway

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Cash Me Out (Cash Hall) got the money for the second consecutive Sunday (April 24) afternoon in the feature at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. The Kyle Spagnola trainee wound up first-over in the $15,000 Open Trot and the 5-year-old high-stepper cleared the lead around the final turn before holding off the charge from local trotting star Slugfest (Jay Randall). After recording wins at Yonkers and the Meadowlands in 2016, Cash Me Out has now gone back to back at the Spa with Jimmy Devaux in the sulky. With the second place finish, Slugfest has now finished first or second in five of his last six tries in the local feature. Flyhawk Thriller (Stephane Bouchard) earned the show spot. Cash Me Out was the 3-2 betting favorite. Cash Me Out stopped the timer in 2:02.1 in the 1 1/16 mile feature. Live racing resumes on Thursday afternoon at Saratoga with first post time set for 4:00 p.m.