from harness publicists across North America

Thursday’s (August 18) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Saratoga Gaming and Casino, The Meadows and Vernon Downs.

Princessofdarkness sets track mark at Saratoga

Saratoga Springs, NY — Pacing mare Princessofdarkness bolstered her resume in tremendous fashion on Thursday night at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. The Jim Mattison trained 4-year-old had dabbled in the local Open heading into the evening but made her presence felt in the ladies feature for the first time on Thursday.

Dave Oxford photo

Princessofdarkness scored in 1:53, a track record for an older pacing mare.

Princessofdarkness was dismissed at 18-1 as she faced perhaps her toughest test since coming to town in late spring. Aided by a speed duel between the race’s top three favorites, Princessofdarkness pulled first over at the half and did so with authority. Gerry Mattison was in the sulky as the daughter of The Panderosa stepped on the gas to open up a lead of a half dozen lengths before cruising in the stretch and stopping the timer in 1:53.

The win time served as a lifetime best for Princessofdarkness and broke the track record for an older pacing mare. The previous Saratoga mark of 1:53.1 was set by Sentbytheangels in 2009 and was matched three weeks ago by Golden Ace, a rival of Princessofdarkness in Thursday’s $18,000 Open.

Terror Rising (Jim Devaux), the winner of the Fillies and Mares Open in each of the past two weeks, came on to finish second while HF’s Super Star (Brian Cross) closed for third. All three mares were big longshots in the feature for distaff pacers, making up a triple that returned a hearty $9,998.

— Mike Sardella

The Meadows
Disdaining the opportunity for a pocket trip, Lorrie Please roared to the front and captured Thursday’s $22,500 Filly & Mare Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows in a sparkling 1:51.4, a career best. Lorrie Please made the front from post five for Brett Miller before yielding to Jans Luck, a line-up that might have afforded Lorrie Please a two-hole journey. But Miller retook, and Lorrie Please showed how right he was to do so when she blazed the back half in :55.3 to down the first-over Idol by 1-1/2 lengths. Jans Luck saved show. Paul Corey trains Lorrie Please, a 4-year-old daughter of Western Ideal-National Gallery, for Allen Kaplan, Ira Kaplan and David Sheib. Dave Palone drove five winners on the 13-race card.

Vernon Downs
The favorite Harlem Rockturne won her Vernon Downs debut after a career-best 1:53.3 performance in Thursday night’s $7,000 featured sixth race. Competing in a driving rain against six select female pacers, Harlem Rockturne ($5.10) led through splits of :27.1, :56.3 and 1:24.4 en route to a 2-3/4 length triumph over Blueridge Betty. Thursday’s strong showing came on the heels of a 1:56 victory at Tioga Downs on August 13. It was the fifth season’s score and sixth lifetime tally for the 4-year-old daughter of Rocknroll Hanover-Capericorn, who bumped her career bankroll to $59,375. Jimmy Whittemore did the teaming for his dad, owner and trainer Dennis Whittemore. Whittemore, Vernon’s dash-winning leader for the third straight season, earned a double during Thursday’s 10-race program; as did his father (Dennis) and driver Brian Connor. Thursday’s third event saw the Winbak Farm’s well-bred youngster Winbak Shake post a personal best 1:55.3 victory, with trainer John Stark, Jr. driving. The fast-closing effort made the homebred son of Dream Away-Shake Rattle Run the fastest 2-year-old pacing gelding after 52 racing programs here in 2011.