Radar Contact, Blacktuxwhitesocks win Yonkers features

Yonkers, NY — Locally-debuting Radar Contact (George Brennan) benefited from a wicked speed duel Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s co-featured $36,000 Filly and Mare Open Pace.

Tom Berg photo

Radar Contact was a 1:52.1 winner for George Brennan.

Leaving from post position No. 2 (in one notch after a defection due to sickness), the 3-4 choice watched as pole-sitting Quicksilvercandy A (Larry Stalbaum) had no intentions of letting Run On Luck (Mark MacDonald) go. That led to quickie quarters of :27, :54.1 and 1:22.3.

That also led to neither lady being around at the finish. Radar Contact, sitting a loose third, was able to get the jump on the other closers. She defeated Hello Great Mate (Brent Holland) by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:52.1. Fox Valley Sage (Cat Manzi) was third, with Bet On Luck (Jim Pantaleano) and Quicksilvercandy A grabbing the remainder. Run On Luck was last among the half-dozen.

Radar Contact, a 4-year-old daughter of Don’tgetinmyway trained by Noel Daley for co-owners Charles Stillings and Dean Ehrgott, returned $3.50 for her third win in six seasonal starts. The exacta paid $60.50, with the triple returning $194.50.

Friday night’s co-featured $36,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by a first-up Blacktuxwhitesocks (Jordan Stratton), getting the nod over pocket-sitting 3-5 fave Looking Hanover (MacDonald) in 1:55.3.

After Coach Fox (Stalbaum) led through early intervals of :28.4 and :58.3, Blacktuxwhitesocks — leaving from post No. 5 after an inside scratch — was moving from fifth. He challenged the lead going toward the 1:27.1 three-quarters. Coach Fox was about to wear out his welcome in and out of the final turn, ganged up on both sides.

Blacktuxwhitesocks won the battle, whipping Looking Hanover by a short nose in 1:55.3. Orange Bigi (Manzi), Neighsay Hanover (Jeff Gregory) and Coach Fox came away with the small change.

Blacktuxwhitesocks, a 5-year-old statebred Credit Winner gelding co-owned (as American Viking Racing Stable) by (trainer) Trond Smedshammer and Purple Haze Stables, returned $10.80 (third choice) for his third win in nine ’12 tries. The exacta paid $24.60, the triple returned $124 and the superfecta paid $319.50.

— Frank Drucker

Hoosier Park
Forever Showin Off and Charlie Conrad swept by their rivals late in the stretch to pull off the 15-1 upset in the $24,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday. Forever Showin Off prevailed for the second time of the season in the Open ranks at her home track as trainer-driver Charlie Conrad placed the 8-year-old mare in the pocket early before tracking down the bettor’s second choice late in the mile. Forever Showin Off began her journey from post four in the ten-horse lineup. Josh Sutton sent last week’s race winner, Hoponit, to command through early fractions of :26.3 and :56.4. Gran Grabiel made a bid to the front just past the half as the rest of the field began to follow suit. Forever Showin Off remained along the rail in third with the heavy favorite, Moonlite Delite, first over through a three-quarter clocking in 1:25.3. As the field turned for home, Conrad was able to move Forever Showin Off into the outer flow and tipped three wide to coast home a winner in 1:53.4. Carmen O and Terry Cullipher found racing room late in the stretch to get up for the second place finish as the betting favorite, Go On BB, and driver Ricky Macomber, Jr. rounded out the trifecta. Forever Showin Off returned $32.80 to her backers. With 27 career wins, Forever Showin Off has now earned more than $265,000 for owners and breeders Roselea Conrad and Fred Schroeder. The daughter of Allamerican Ingot improved her seasonal mark with the victory while her lifetime best remains at 1:51.4, a record she set last year at Indiana Downs.

The Meadows
Tremor Hanover retook the lead past the quarter and never was threatened thereafter as she captured Friday’s $22,500 Filly & Mare Not Listed Preferred/Preferred Handicap Pace — her second straight victory — at The Meadows. Tremor Hanover dropped into a conditioned event to get her most recent win, but she was much the best facing the track’s distaff elite, overtaking early leader Cams Van Go and drawing off late to down that rival by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:51.2. Metro Ville rallied for show. Brian Zendt piloted the 6-year-old daughter of Allamerican Native-Terrie Letsgo, who now boasts career earnings of $250,050, for trainer Aaron Johnston and owners Charles Moses and Shawn Johnston. Greg Grismore, Dave Palone and Mike Wilder each drove three winners on the 15-race card.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
It was an upset in Friday’s feature at Saratoga Casino and Raceway as Armbro Barrister (Malabar Man) came on to take the $18,500 Open Trot. Jay Randall drove the 11-year-old veteran for trainer Ray Schnittker and moved him out to the early lead before giving way to sit the pocket. Blazin Benny (Jim Devaux) cut the mile and was met with the challenge of odds-on favorite Lorenzo Dream (Billy Dobson) at the half-mile pole. While those two duked it out, Armbro Barrister sat patiently, awaiting racing room in the passing lane. The veteran surged up the inside in the stretch to prevail for the second time this season in seven tries. By stopping the timer in 1:56.2, Armbro Barrister set a track record for 11-year-old trotters. With the win, the classy Schnittker trainee moved his career earnings to just a few dollars shy of the million dollar mark. Lorenzo Dream finished second while Blazin Benny held on for third.

Buffalo Raceway
Baileys Magic and Escrow Blue Chip shared top honors Friday night, both winning an $8,200 featured trot race, while leaving from the pylons. Baileys Magic, a 5-year-old Kadabra gelding, out of the Berndt Hanover mare Lexus Bailey, won in 1:59, for owner Super Mile LLC, while Escrow Blue Chip, a 5-year-old Classic Photo mare, trotted home first in 2:00.1 for Jamie Marra Racing LLC. Baileys Magic ($3.10), the prohibitive favorite in the race and driven by Dan Noble, cut all the fraction in the race en route to his ninth win of the year. Baileys Magic is trained by John Mungillo. Escrow Blue Chip ($7.30), driven by John Cummings, Jr., who had five wins on the night, took over the lead just past the quarter-mile mark and never looked back, registering her second win of the season. Escrow Blue Chip is trained by trotting specialist Paul Messina.

Scioto Downs
Kenna Lynn beat the best pacing mares at Scioto Downs on Friday night with a 1:55 victory in the Fillies and Mares Open. She was driven by Chris Page, leading driver of the 2012 season. Niabunny and driver Ray Paver shot to the front soon after the start and was on top as they posted fractions of :27.2, :57.3 and 1:26.1. Page had Kenna Lynn in the back of the pack and then followed favored CR Hope when Kyle Ater moved her during the third quarter. Entering the stretch, Kenna Lynn was still fourth but she took dead aim on the pacesetter. At the wire, Kenna Lynn thrust her neck in front with a final quarter in :28 seconds. Second in the mile was CR Hope with Niabunny third. It was first win in two starts this season for the Virgil Morgan-trained pacing lass and owners William and Tamara Elzroth. The daughter of Western Hanover paid $13.40. In the co-featured Open Trot II, ML Cupcake scored her first win in eight starts this season in 1:57.3 with Chip Noble in the sulky. The Master Lavec filly defeated Lima Lucky and Not To Be Denied. Can’t Lose and driver Ty Rhoden left fastest along with Not To Denied. Noble had ML Cupcake in the caboose of the six-horse field until the half-mile marker, then began to move her. She went three-wide at the three-quarter pole to take command. She drew off easily in the stretch to win by 4-1/2 lengths. The winner is trained by Scott Mogan for owners Doug Millard and William Johnson II. She paid $3.20 to win.