from harness publicists across North America

The Saturday (June 30) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from The Meadows, Buffalo Raceway, Vernon Downs, Saratoga Casino Hotel and Tioga Downs.

Phoenix Warrior N takes Meadows feature off layoff

Washington, PA — Showing no ill effects from a month’s layoff, Phoenix Warrior N outkicked the game Reggiano and captured Saturday’s $20,000 Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows.

Chris Gooden photo

Phoenix Warrior N outkicked the game Reggiano and captured Saturday’s $20,000 Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows.

Trainer Scott Betts treated Phoenix Warrior N for a variety of minor ailments during his time off. The improvement showed, as the 8-year-old Jereme’s Jet-Never Walk Alone gelding peeled off cover into the final turn for Jim Pantaleano and nailed Reggiano by a half-length in 1:50.2. Early leader Dapper Dude finished third.

Timothy Betts, Nicholas Catalano and Stephen Moss campaign Phoenix Warrior N, who lifted his career bankroll to $289,913.

Aaron Merriman piloted four winners on the 13-race card.

Monday’s program at The Meadows features an $80,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series stake for freshman filly trotters. First post is 1:05 p.m.

— Evan Pattak

Buffalo Raceway

It was a select field of five in Buffalo Raceway’s $11,500 Open Pace on a steamy Saturday night (June 30) so strategy wasn’t at a premium. But Focus Power and driver Drew Monti made the right move early and cruised to an easy 1-3/4 length victory over China Dream in 1:54.4 over the fast track. Starting from the two post, Focus Power ($4.60) wasted little time in gaining the lead off the gate and posted rather pedestrian fractions of :29.4 and :59.1 in saying ‘come and get me’. The tempo picked up the second half as Focus Power had to contend with a first-over China Dream (Billy Davis Jr.) with a panel to go. But there were no anxious moments in the stretch as Focus Power pulled away thanks to a :27.4 last quarter and China Dream retreated. R M Hawk (Kevin Cummings) took third place. Owned by James Caradori and trained by Darrin Monti, it was the third victory in 10 tries this season for the 6-year-old gelded Focus Power (Shadow Play-Luv’s For Ever). The win pushed his 2018 earnings to $28,116 and $189,083 lifetime. Drew Monti finished the night with four victories in the sulky with Shawn Gray adding three.Trainer James Clouser Jr. picked up three wins and Darrin Monti a pair. Racing will continue on Wednesday night at 5 p.m. with a 10-race program scheduled. Buffalo Raceway will be dark this Friday (July 6) but will have a Saturday evening program at 6 p.m. and a matinee on Sunday beginning at 12:30 p.m. with the 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers battling in the New York Sire Stakes. For more information including the latest news, upcoming promotions, simulcast schedule, race replays, results and entries, go to www.buffaloraceway.com.

Vernon Downs

Sea Harrier (Claude Huckabone III) won the Vernon Downs co-featured pace ($6,000) on Saturday night (June 30). Golden Gun (Claude Huckabone Jr.) set the pace for the first three-quarters of the mile (:27.0, :55.2, 1:23.4). Sea Harrier($10.80) was fifth after three-quarters but turned it on in the stretch and blew right by to win in 1:52.0. Serious Major (Jimmy Whittemore) was second best. Golden Gun held on for third. Sea Harrier is an 8-year-old gelding by Jereme’s Jet. Owned by Go Where Is Stable and trained by Huckabone III, he won for the third time this season. It was career win number 25. The other co-featured pace ($6,000) went to Redhot Romeo (Claude Huckabone III). Poisonous (Jimmy Whittemore) and Maradona (John MacDonald) battled back and forth all the way to the top of the stretch. Poisonous led them to a first quarter in :26.2. Mardona controlled the next half mile (:54.4, 1:23.1). Poisonous re-took the lead at the top of the stretch. Redhot Romeo was last after three-quarters. Owned by Go Where The Money Is Stable and once again trained by Huckabone III, he passed them all by flying down the stretch to win in a lifetime best of 1:51.3. Prince Pinang (Artie Dick) finished second with Card Knock Life (Truman Gale) getting third place. Redhot Romeo is a 4-year-old gelding by Shadow Play. It was his seventh win this season and career victory number eight. Huckabone III also won with Johnny Fly Swatter ($9.70). Jimmy Whittemore leads all driver with 41 wins this season. Defending champion John MacDonald is second with 37 wins. Vernon Downs returns to live racing on Wednesday (July 4) with a nine-race card starting at 6:10 p.m. Fireworks follows live racing. For more information go to www.vernondowns.com.

Saratoga Casino Hotel

Deetzy (Jereme’s Jet) achieved a feat that not many horses in the Saturday feature have been able to in the last few years at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Jim Nickerson trainee beat two-time Pacer of the Year and defending Horse of the Year Artful Way and did so after Artful Way cut the mile in the $14,500 Open Pace. Deetzy left alertly and yielded to the race’s odds-on favorite to get the pocket ride. Artful Way made a pretty easy lead in the Saturday feature and went to the half in a comfortable, for him, :56.3. Deetzy, all the while, patrolled the pocket before swinging out at the head of the stretch. He then made something that has rarely, if ever, been done look easy. Deetzy stopped the timer in 1:52.2 to pull off the mild upset at odds of 9-1 and in the process, defeated Artful Way who almost never loses when he’s on the front end. Ideal Rocky (Billy Dobson) closed sharply to be second in the Open while Artful Way (Frank Coppola Jr.) had to settle for third. Jimmy Devaux piloted Deetzy to his third victory of the year in the local Open and fifth win on the season overall. In the upset, Deetzy paid $20.20 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $143 and $509, respectively. Live racing has been canceled for Sunday July 1st due to extreme heat and heat index forecasts. Racing will resume on Tuesday evening with our Independence Day spectacular with a 5 p.m. first post and fireworks at the conclusion of the race card. There will be food trucks, live music, contests and giveaways as well as a $7,777 guarantee in the Pick-Five pool. Tuesday is a night you will want to be a part of at Saratoga Casino Hotel.

Tioga Downs

BJ Lorado (Tyler Freese) took the Tioga Downs featured trot ($9,000) on Saturday (June 30).
BJ Lorado ($18.40) flew out of the gate and never looked back putting up all the fractions (:27.4, :57.1, 1:25.1, 1:55.1).
Picture This (Charlie Norris) followed in the pocket trip the whole way and tried to sneak by on the inside in deep stretch but BJ Lorado was just too strong on this day and won by a length. Picture This settled for second best with Tropical Trice (Mike Merton) finishing third.
BJ Lorado is a 4-year-old gelding by Bo W. Owned by Michael and Diane Norcross and trained by Marc Major, he won his fifth race of the year. It was career win number nine.
Jim Meittinis, Jim Taggart Jr., and Bruce Clarke all had driving doubles on the night.
Meittinis won with Prairie Diamonds ($34.40) and Court’s N Session ($8.70). Taggart Jr. picked up his wins with Yessirimgone ($2.60) and Outsidecourt ($3.50). Clarke went to the winner’s circle with Defiantsnowfashion ($4.80) and Morosita Bi ($5.30).
Tioga Downs returns to live action on Sunday (July 1) with a 13 race card starting at 1 p.m.
For more information go to www.tiogadowns.com