from harness publicists across North America

Saturday’s (Dec. 3) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from The Isle Pompano Park, Saratoga Casino and Raceway and Cal Expo.

Sfumato overwhelms Florida’s top class

Pompano Beach, FL — After a pair of traffic troubled trips and last week’s bold first over try, everything finally fell into place for Sfumato to capture the top weekly event in South Florida. The pacer earned a life’s mark in his fourth appearance at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park.

Skip Smith photo

Sfumato was wrapped up at the wire in a 1:51 life’s mark performance in the $12,000 Open Handicap Pace.

With driver Ed Hensley returning to duty after being injured in the Mares Open Pace accident of last Monday, Sfumato left the gate with Dragon’s Blood in rein to Mike Micallef to the quarter in :27.

As the field straightened out to proceed to the half, Hensley had the Real Artist-Silky Satin 6-year-old gelding on the move to the lead to put up middle panels of :54.4 and 1:23.3, leading up to an under wraps final clocking of 1:51. Dragon’s Blood and Hay Goodlooking with Rick Plano in tow could not get close to Sfumato as they followed next under the wire.

Chris Marino trains Sfumato for Melissa Guido Stables. The pacer is having his best career year with more than $119,000 on his card in 2011, contributing to his life’s bankroll of more than $246,000.

Saturday evening’s Pick-4 returned $5,075, and the minimum $5,000 pool for that wager is guaranteed every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as part of the United States Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering Program.

— Frank Salive

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Life Up Front won his first local Open on Saturday night at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. After finishing third in his local debut two weeks ago, Life Up Front (Life Sign) dropped down in company last week to record a convincing win in 1:53.2. Dan Cappello, Jr. was again at the lines for trainer Agostino Abbatiello on Saturday night as the 5-year-old came first over at the half on the race’s favored frontrunner El Ringer (Jay Randall). Life Up Front fought gamely on the outside before wearing down El Ringer late as those two drew away in the stretch before Life Up Front stopped the timer in 1:54.4 for his tenth win on the 2011 campaign. El Ringer finished second while Restless Yankee (Chris Lems) earned the show spot in the $16,000 pacing feature. Life Up Front is owned by the Durazzano Stable.

Cal Expo
She was locked and loaded in her last. On this night, her pilot James Kennedy made sure that wasn’t going to happen again. Winners Over pacers, racing for a purse of $4,500, were featured at Cal Expo on Saturday night in which Haggin Oaks presented one of her owners with a winning birthday gift. Home free with a little more than a sixteenth of a mile to go, Kennedy put the whip away as the victory ($5.80) was a done deal. Owned by Shari Burns, Ferris Funk and the birthday boy Gerald Cimini, the well rated Haggin Oaks stopped the timer at 1:55. Myra’s Hi Ho (Jim Lackey) had to settle for second as his three race win streak came to an end and Ivegotwhatuneed (Lemoyne Svendsen) finished another 1-1/4 lengths farther back in third.