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Saturday’s (Aug. 3) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Yonkers Raceway, Running Aces, Vernon Downs, Batavia Downs and Saratoga Casino and Raceway.

Sapphire City takes Open Handicap at Yonkers

Yonkers, NY — Sapphire City (Jason Bartlett) was carried where he needed to be Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $46,000 Open Handicap Pace.

Assigned post position No. 2 and a week after breaking leaving, Sapphire City had no choice but to get away second. This after pylon participant Holdingallthecards (Dan Dube) made his early intentions known–well, early.

After a :27.1 opening quarter-mile and spongy :29.3 next intervals (:56.3 half), millionaire Clear Vision (George Brennan)–away fifth as the 13-10 favorite–tried to bull-rush the leader. American Rage (Jim Pantaleano) was gapping from second-over.

However, Holdingallthecards wasn’t quite done, holding the fort in and out of a 1:23.3 three-quarters.

Early stretch saw Clear Vision about to win the battle, but lose the war. He did dispose of Holdingallthecards, but Sapphire City ducked inside and prevailed. The margin was a length in 1:51.2. Third went to Fat Man’s Alley (Brent Holland)–who shares the 1:50.2 all-age track record with the winner–while Mr. Hasani N (birthday boy Eric Goodell) and Holdingallthecards rounding out the payees.

For second choice Sapphire City, a 5-year-old Metropolitan gelding trained by Paul Blumenfeld for co-owners Centaur Stables and Jordan Sklut, he returned $6.50 for his fifth win in 21 seasonal starts (career earnings now over a half-million dollars). The exacta paid $15.20, with the triple returning $68.50.

Saturday night’s baker’s-dozen buffet handled $1,018,604, the Raceway’s second seven-figure program of the season.

— Frank Drucker

Running Aces
Driver Tim Maier was the star of the show at Running Aces on Saturday night with victories in half of the eight races. Despite all his success, he suffered a major disappointment when he fell from his inflatable bouncing pony in the track’s promotional Humbletonian race and finished last. Maier’s four wins came with a pair of pacers from his own stable and a pair of trotters trained by David Wackford. The four-bagger started in the first race when the 59-year-old teamster guided Tempus Flight to a 1:59 maiden trot victory with Tempus Fugit. The 4-year-old Andover Hall gelding had been second on eight occasions in his 16-race career, but had never won one until now for Wackford and his wife Sandi. Three races later Maier and the Wackfords returned to the winner’s circle with Scorpius, a 5-year-old mare notching her fifth trotting victory in 49 career starts with a 1:59.2 effort. Despite making a brief break on the backstretch, Maier urged his Love Live Laugh to a maiden pacing triumph in 1:59. It was the first pari-mutuel start ever for the 3-year-old Hi Ho Silverheels filly owned by Tim’s wife Denise and son Jason. After four consecutive runner-up finishes, Little Anna Mae got Maier his fourth victory winning an event for female $3500 claimers in 1:56.4. The 4-year-old Little Steven mare increased her lifetime bankroll to over $50,000 for owners Denise Maier and Eileen Brodbar.

Vernon Downs
The pacer Oh My Joepa was in mid-season form as he rallied for a 1:52.1 score in Saturday night’s $7,000 featured seventh race at Vernon Downs. With Luke Plano doing the driving for trainer Michael Deters, Oh My Joepa advanced from fifth in the early going, using the outside rally route to reach second entering the final quarter. The gritty 5-year-old gelding then accelerated in the final furlong to gain a 1-3/4 tally over the closest of his eight rivals. Saturday’s success was the fourth this season (second locally) and ninth all-time for the bay son of Rocknroll Hanover-Nittany Lion, who raised his career winnings to nearly $44,000 for owner Paul Parenteau. The Plano driving duo (Luke and father Rick) won five of Saturday’s 12 races, with leading reinsman Rick Plano posting four first-place finishes for the fifth time in 45 programs.

Batavia Downs
Western Alumni is finding out that the pocket is paradise at Batavia Downs. For the second consecutive week, Western Alumni got the perfect trip and exploded to an easy 1-1/2 length win in the $8,500 Open Pace at Batavia Downs Saturday night. Western Alumni ($9.00) covered the mile in 1:55.1 over the fast track. Union Man Hanover (Shawn McDonough) played give-and-go with Western Alumni at the start and carried the lead through the three-quarter marker. But it was Western Alumni from there. After sitting a perfect second until the final turn, winning driver Jack Rice pulled Western Alumni from the pocket and easily drove past the tiring Union Man and left the remainder of the field in his wake. Naked News (Jim McNeight) skimmed the pylons for second while Le Reina Road (David McNeight III) took third but posed no threat to the winner down the stretch. Western Alumni is owned by Tammy Lonkey and trained by Jerry Nugent Jr. It was the seventh win in 26 starts this season for the 5-year-old gelding and moved Western Alumni’s seasonal earnings to $46,972. The Saturday program was highlighted by Ron Beback, Jr. and Greg Merton who both had driving grand slams to lead all drivers. Downs top conditioner John Mungillo had a training hat trick.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Bettor’s Reward (Bettor’s Delight) rewarded many of the bettors on Saturday night at Saratoga Casino and Raceway as the 7-5 co-favorite recorded his first ever victory in the local Open. Stephane Bouchard piloted Bettor’s Reward for trainer Janice Connor and after sitting third throughout lap one, moved the 5-year-old to the outside past the half. The speedy pacer surged past the race favorite and opened up a convincing lead turning for home before stopping the timer in 1:52.4. Kelly’s Noah (Kim Crawford) finished second while invader Dallenbach Hanover (Jordan Derue) earned the show spot in the $19,260 Open Pace. With the victory, Bettor’s Reward moved his career earnings to just a bit shy of the $300,000 mark.