Revenue Agent on a roll at Hoosier Park

Anderson, IN— Revenue Agent extended his win streak to five after a gate-to-wire effort in the $24,000 Open Trot at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday.

Linscott Photography

Revenue Agent scored in 1:54.3.

Sparks were flying early as Joe Putnam sent the public’s second choice, ABC Mercedes, out of the gate alertly, but quickly yielded the lead to Revenue Agent and Peter Wrenn through the opening panel of :27.1. ABC Mercedes was well placed in the pocket seat second as Run And Tell Pap followed in third. The field remained in single file through the next two marks in :57.1 and 1:26.3.

JJ Hall and Scott Mogan posed a threat on the outside first over as the field turned for home. ABC Mercedes charged out of the pocket but to no avail as Revenue Agent stormed home to win convincingly in 1:54.3 over ABC Mercedes. Allthatnabagofchip staged a big rally late in the lane to get up for the third place finish. Revenue Agent paid $4.00 to win as the betting favorite.

“This horse is really good right now,” Wrenn noted of his mount. “He raced really tough tonight and to come out here and do what he’s done these past few weeks says a lot about him. He raced huge again tonight.”

Revenue Agent has now won six of 11 outings this season while earning more than $90,000 for owners Michael Creps and R. Kevin Greenfield. The homebred son of Revenue S has bankrolled more than $150,000 in three seasons of racing for his connections.

— Emily Gaskin

Yonkers Raceway
Sapphire City (Brent Holland) duplicated last week’s down-the-road effort Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $44,000 Open Handicap Pace. Leaving from post position No. 2 — again — Sapphire City stepped around Hypnotist (Cat Manzi), then pocketed Jerry’s Brown Gold (Patrick Lachance). There was no room at the inn early for 3-10 choice Real Nice (Jason Bartlett), who found himself parked at the :27 opening quarter-mile. Real Nice eventually found a seat fourth, only to be on the move again before a rated :56.4 intermission. Sapphire City continued to lead in and out of the 1:23.4 three-quarters, refusing to relent to the people’s preference. Real Nice eventually backed away, with Sapphire City opening a 1-1/2 length lead turning for home. He finished it off from there, whipping a deep-in-the-passing lane Hypnotist by a half-length in 1:52, matching last week’s time. Third went to Jerry’s Brown Gold, with Fitz’s Z Tam (Larry Stalbaum) and Real Nice settling for the small change. Sapphire City, a 4-year-old Metropolitan gelding trained by Paul Blumenfeld for co-owners Centaur Stable and Jordan Sklut, returned $9.20 (second choice) for his eighth win in 19 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $155.50, with the triple returning $588.

Tioga Downs
Don’t Know Chip and Corey Braden captured Tioga Downs’ $16,500 Open Trot on Saturday night. The duo got away fourth as Aruba Vacation (Fern Paquet, Jr.) hustled the field to the quarter in :27.3. As the field raced passed the half-mile mark in :58.1, Braden moved Don’t Know Chip first up to contend head to head with Aruba Vacation. They were by three-quarters in 1:26.1. Around the final turn, Braden asked for more from Don’t Know Chip and he responded, opening up to win in 1:55.3. Spring Goal (Luke Plano) came on late to finish second, while All About Justice (Mike Simons) was third.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Kelly’s Noah made his first seasonal trek to the winner’s circle on Saturday night at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. The James Harvey owned and trained standout is the back-to-back winner of the track’s Pacer of the Year award and made his 2012 debut last week. After a fourth place finish in his return, Kelly’s Noah (Dream Away) appeared well positioned for Saturday’s $18,500 Open Pace. Kim Crawford moved the odds-on favorite to the early lead and they would withstand fractions of :26.4, :55.4 and 1:23.3 to last on the lead in 1:52.4. It was the 32nd victory in 77 lifetime starts for the 6-year-old who should be fresh for the second half of the season at the Spa. Longshot Malicious (Billy Dobson) closed quickly in the lane to be second while Majo Just Do It (Mark Beckwith) earned the show spot. For Kim Crawford, the victory marked the second straight night that the reinsman recorded a feature win as he piloted Gelato Man to an Open Trot score for trainer Angus MacDonald on Friday night.

Scioto Downs
Patience paid off for driver Ray Paver as he steered C’mon Blaze to victory in Saturday’s featured pace at Scioto Downs. The 5-year-old son of Cambest hit the wire an easy winner in 1:52.4. It was just the third win in 18 tries this year for C’mon Blaze, but his second consecutive win at Scioto. He had won earlier in the year in 1:51.4 at The Meadows. He is owned by Jerry Sommers and John Rhoads, Jr. C’mon Blaze paid $8.20 to win. In Theory rallied for second while Chip Of Art held for third.

Vernon Downs
Relative newcomer Yankees In Six came within three-fifths of a second of the track record for 4-year-old pacing geldings with his career-best 1:51.1 triumph in Saturday night’s $8,000 featured sixth race at Vernon Downs. Brian Connor sat in for trainer Edgar Clarke as Yankees In Six ($14.20), making just his second appearance over Vernon’s oval, started out in sixth place at the quarter, rallied to fifth at the half, then took command in the far turn before holding off the late-charging Oozie’s Bad Boy by a neck at the finish of the Winners Over Pace. Following a third-place finish here last week, Yankees In Six secured his fourth current victory and his 10th lifetime tally. Robert J. Orr and Gary J. Jonas own the black son of Panspacificflight-Law And Order, who raised his career earnings to nearly $170,000.