Racing Roundup: Saturday, May 2, 2009
May 2, 2009,from Harness Publicists across North America
Saturday’s (May 2) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Tioga Downs, Vernon Downs, Saratoga Raceway, Buffalo Raceway, Cal-Expo and Northfield Park.
Tioga Downs kicks off 2009 season on Saturday
Nichols, NY — Tioga Downs kicked off its opening night race card and second annual Derby Fest on May 2 in front of a packed house of more than 16,000. The day started with the Kentucky Derby Fest II which included the Buffalo Bill cheerleaders, mint juleps, and a Derby Day hat contest, along with many more events and three areas of live entertainment.
“We are extremely happy with the turnout for today’s Derby Fest and opening night of live racing. The support of the local communities in the Southern Tier has been great since we have opened and we would like to thank everyone for their support,” said Jason M. Settlemoir, VP of Racing and Simulcast.
In the featured $14,000 Open Handicap Trot it was Kyle DiBenedetto and Lively Moment, who despite being parked out the entire mile, held on at the wire to win in 1:58.3.
The 6-year-old daughter of Master Lavec–Sheza Warrior established a new lifetime mark with the 20th victory of her career. Robert Lounsbury trains Lively Moment for the King of The Castle Stable. Self Professed finished second, but made a break at the wire and was disqualified back to fourth place. Inheriting the place spot due to the miscue was Witch And Famous and Corey Braden, while Stars And Sites with Bruce Clarke were moved up to third.
Jim Morrill, Jr. and Mike Simons each posted driving doubles on the night’s ten race card.
— Dustin Ross
Four One One is a winner in Vernon feature
Vernon, NY — The handsome gray gelding Four One One transformed a pocket trip into a 1:53.1 triumph in Saturday night’s $9,000 featured Open-1 Pace at Vernon Downs.
Fotowon photo
Four One One was a 1:53.1 winner in the Vernon feature.
With Joe Nassimos doing the driving for trainer Wayne Hughes, Four One One drafted along behind the pacesetting Proud American until the stretch drive and then rallied to win the eighth event by a little more than two lengths. He paid $10.80 for having finished first in the fastest pacing mile after six programs. The favorite Smoky Bonz came on for second, while Proud American, who had won the previous two Open events, faded to third.
A runner-up to Proud American in his previous two outings, Four One One earned his initial victory after three season’s starts and increased his lifetime winnings to $278,767. It marked the 15th career tally for the 7-year-old son of Sealed N Delivered-Jammin Jenna, who is owned by Robert Siemski.
The Saratoga ship-in Daylon Chance was awarded a 1:54.1 triumph in Saturday’s $6,000 sixth session, the Open-2 Pace, after Goodbye So Long, the original first-place finisher, was disqualified and placed to sixth after having been found guilty of interfering with two contenders, including Daylon Chance, in the stretch drive. Jordan Derue drove the official winner for trainer Colin Johnson and Gestion R. Zane, Inc.
Current leading dash-winners Jimmy Whittemore and Howard Okusko, Jr., along with top provisional pilot Leon Bailey, each recorded driving doubles during Saturday’s 12-race card, while trainer Anthony Gugliotta, Jr. was also credited with a pair of first-place finishes.
— Jim Moran
Rare Jewel captures Saratoga Open
Saratoga Springs, NY — It had been almost exactly one month between starts for Rare Jewel when he set hoof on the Spa oval to compete in the Saturday night Open Pace. Four weeks ago, Rare Jewel went wire-to-wire in the feature and recorded a win in 1:52.4, matching the mark set by Four Starz Bling for the fastest time of the year at Saratoga.
Dave Oxford photo
Rare Jewel rallied late to win the Saratoga Open in 1:53.3.
On Saturday, the classy veteran was bet down to favorite status once again despite the layoff and despite having some extremely stiff competition to contend with. Peenie (Denis St. Pierre) was in from the Meadowlands and made his 2009 local debut for leading trainer Colin Johnson and would likely serve as the major danger for the favorite. Four Starz Bling entered the Saturday Open as a winner of three Opens this year with three more second place finishes to his credit.
Rare Jewel took advantage of the early pace and sat back in the first lap before charging hard late. The veteran got up in the nick of time to win a photo with Peenie and record the win in 1:53.3 in the feature. Four Starz Bling finished third.
The win completed back to back feature victories for driver Dan Cappello, Jr. who on Friday night took the Open Trot with Pablo
Angus.
— Mike Sardella
Scotts Rolls Royce in Open Handicap Pace at Buffalo
Hamburg, NY — A jump up in class didn’t seem to hurt Scotts Rolls Royce on Saturday night at Buffalo Raceway. The 7-year-old Western Ideal gelding, out of the Cam Fella mare Kelly’s Hollin Hanover, won the $9,000 Open Handicap Pace for owner Deborah L. Meeks in a season’s best 1:56.3.
Paul White photo
Scotts Rolls Royce took advantage of a perfect trip to win the Buffalo Open in 1:56.3.
Assigned the rail by race secretary Robin Burns, Scotts Rolls Royce ($20.00) received a perfect garden spot trip while eventual second place finisher Robin Of Locksley (Ray Fisher, Jr.) cut all the fractions in the race, :29, :58.2 and 1:28. A :28.2 last quarter-mile by Scotts Rolls Royce put him three-quarters of a length ahead at the finish line. Last week’s Open winner Triple Bars (Ken Holliday) came in third.
“He got out of there really good,” said winning driver Tom Agosti. “That was the key to the race for him, and we had perfect cover the whole way.”
Trained by Todd Luther, it was the eighth win of the year for Scotts Rolls Royce, who had been racing in claiming races, and the $4,500 share of the purse put his 2009 bankroll at $29,150 and $118,913 lifetime.
— Sam Pendolino
Split Ticket earns a solid score at Cal-Expo
Sacramento, CA — Open 1 handicap pacers, racing for a $6,800 purse, were featured at Cal-Expo on Saturday night, in which Split Ticket closed well for the win.
Before starting from post eight in the field of the same number over a sloppy track, driver James Kennedy had to deal with his charge being off two weeks and a poor post — or did he?
“I wasn’t concerned about the two weeks off because they keep this horse in pretty good shape,” said Kennedy. “But I was concerned about the outside post because I didn’t think if I left that I would be able to get a seat or be able to clear the lead. That meant I was going to have to duck and have a long way to go.”
Leaving off the gate, but joined by five others, Kennedy softly took back to last to the first turn while others bickered for the lead into a :29.1 opening quarter. Moving forward while uncovered at the 5-16ths pole, Kennedy would tap the brakes at the three-eighths pole for good reason.
“I was just coming slowly at that point looking for cover.”
Not getting that cover until after the half-mile marker, timed in :58.4, Kennedy wasn’t concerned while now third-over.
“I knew someone was going to finally come out and when he got cover, he felt good despite the fact he spent a good portion of the second quarter without it.”
Finding himself racing sixth while 3-3/4 lengths back at the three-quarter station, timed in 1:27.4, Kennedy’s hopes were what you’d expect.
“I was just hoping that I had enough gas left in the tank to get home.”
Moving four-wide into the stretch, the gelding would shift into another gear with just under an eighth of a mile to go.
“Once he kicked in he went forward very well for me, but I still wasn’t sure at that point that I was going to get there — but I kept asking and he kept responding and we were able to get by.”
Owned by Richard Morita, David Yamada, David Ohara and Kaiton Wong, the Ken Kakagawa trained 5-year-old would close in fine fashion to win ($6.40) by one length in 1:56.1. The pocket sitting Deep Red (Rocky Stidham) finished in second and the pacesetting Cam’s Accord (Jim Lackey) was just a nose back in third.
“It took a lot of thought from me, and with the help from him it was an outstanding race,” finished Kennedy.
— Scott Ehrlich
Northfield Open Pace to Category Six
Northfield, OH — Category Six, in line to North America’s leading driver Aaron Merriman, won the $6,000 Open Pace at Northfield Park on Saturday in 1:54.3.
Merriman put the 6-year-old Western Hanover gelding behind local 2008 Horse of the Year Lite Me Up and swung outside around the final turn to get the win. B T Attack used the inside passing lane to go by the leader, who was racing on 40 days rest.
Kurt Sugg and Lite Me Up rebuffed an early bid from Category Six, a Clair Umholtz-trainee, and took the field through fractions of :27.3, :57.1 and 1:25.4 before tiring.
The win by Category Six, who is owned by Umholtz Racing, Ngaire Umholtz and Kennedy Sports Corp., was his second straight and third on the year as he pushed his career earnings to $113,351, with $17,480 of it coming this year. The win was the fourth on the night for Merriman.
— Keith Gisser