The Saturday (July 6) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Vernon Downs, Tioga Downs, Buffalo Raceway and Saratoga Casino Hotel.

Sgt Papa Daddy wins Vernon Downs feature

Vernon, NY — Sgt Papa Daddy (John MacDonald) took the $7,000 featured pace at Vernon Downs on Saturday (July 6).

Sgt Papa Daddy collects his seventh win of the season at Vernon Downs on Saturday evening. Fotowon photo.

Sgt Papa Daddy ($4.50) went to the front and led to a first quarter of :27.2. Cindy’s Party Boy (Howard Parker) came first-over from third to take over just before the top of the back stretch. He continued to lead to the half in :55 and still controlled the pace to three-quarters in 1:22.3.

Sgt Papa Daddy, who is owned by the J P Stables and trained by MacDonald, sat patiently in the pocket. As they reached the stretch he came out of the pocket and dueled with Cindy’s Party Boy. Sgt Papa Daddy was too strong in deep stretch and won in a career best time of 1:50.3. Cindy’s Party Boy settled for second. Legal Power (Chris Long) was third best.

Sgt Papa Daddy is a 5-year-old gelding by Rockin Image. It was his seventh win this season. He now has 27 career victories.

Driver Jimmy Whittemore and trainer Jessica Okusko teamed up for two wins on the night. Their wins came with Mancrush ($2.60) and Covered Bridge ($2.60).

Howard Parker drove two winners on the night. His wins came with O’Brockoli ($10.60) and Golden Brit $2.70). Golden Brit, who is owned and trained by Mary Nelson, won his fourth straight race at Vernon Downs.

Vernon Downs returns to live racing on Thursday (July 11) with a nine-race card starting at 6:10 p.m. It will be $1 day as racing programs, 10 ounce sodas, 10 ounce draft beers, hot dogs, and popcorn all will be available for that price.

For more information go to www.vernondowns.com.

— by John Horne

Tioga Downs

Prairie Fortune (Jim Meittinis) charged late to capture the $12,000 Open Handicap Trot at Tioga Downs on Saturday. Groovey Kid (Wally Hennessey) led to the first quarter in :28.1. Rose Run Rudi (Aaron Byron) then took charge to lead to the half in :56.3 and three-quarters in 1:25.3. Prairie Fortune ($3.60), who is owned by trainer Mike Deters and Laurie Poulin, was fourth after three-quarters. He went flying around the final turn and cruised to an easy win in 1:55.3. Celebrity Eventsy (Haralabos Giannoulis) finished a distant second. BJ Lorado (Jim Taggart Jr.) was third. Prairie Fortune is a 7-year-old gelding by Arapa Victory. He won for the fifth time this season and has reached the winner’s circle 52 times in his career. Gold Star Mysti (Corey Braden) was an upset winner in the $11,000 Fillies & Mares Open. Truth And Liberty (Mike Simons) put up all the early fractions (:27.3, :55.4, 1:24.2). Gold Star Mysti ($32.20), who is owned by the Gold Star Farm and trained by John Hallett, was in sixth after three-quarters. Gigi From Fiji (Wally Hennesey) took over the lead at the top of the stretch but Gold Star Mysti wrestled the lead away in deep stretch to hit the finish line first in 1:53.2. Gigi From Fiji settled for second money. Truth And Liberty held for third. Gold Star Mysti is a 6-year-old mare by Mysticism. It was her fifth win in 2019 and she now owns 23 career victories. Tioga Downs returns to live racing on Sunday (July 7) with a 12-race card starting at 1:00 p.m. For more information go to www.tiogadowns.com.

— by John Horne

Buffalo Raceway

It’s been quite a week for Buffalo Raceway’s leading driver Billy Davis Jr.  First, he went over the $20 million mark in career purse earnings and then on Saturday night (July 6) he celebrated his 33rd birthday with six victories including the two main events. “I’ve had a pretty good go of it lately,” Davis Jr. said of the big week that has included 10 victories in the past three cards at Buffalo Raceway. “It was a pretty good birthday.” Davis Jr. captured the $13,000 Class AA-Open Pace aboard Lucan Hanover ($5.90) as they posted a length triumph over Western Passage and he also collected the win aboard China Dream in the $11,000 Class AA Pace. After a pair of heart-breaking second place finishes by a neck in his previous two tries, Lucan Hanover completed the task this time with a gate-to-wire score in seasonal best 1:53.2. Posting fractions of :28.2, :57.1 and 1:25.1, a :28.1 last frame by Lucan Hanover kept Western Passage (Denny Bucceri) at bay at the wire. Black Is Back (David McNeight III) took the third place position. “It felt like the old Lucan Hanover,” Davis Jr. said. “Last week he was coming off a two-week break and I figured he might be short. Tonight he coasted along pretty good.” Co-owned by the Vogel & Wags Nags Stable, Jack Rice and the Pine Hill Racing Stable LLC, it was the fifth win in 21 starts for Lucan Hanover (Western Ideal-Lauren Order). The 9-year-old gelding has now produced $39,649 in winnings this season and pushed his career bank to $1,199,665. China Dream has been earning his keep with plenty of second and third place finishes but he finally got the winner’s share of the purse after registering a 2-1/4 length nod over Western Conquest (Ray Fisher Jr.) in the $11,000 Class AA pace. China Dream ($21.60) toured the mile in a season’s best 1:54.4. Rose Run Ranger (Ron Beback Jr.) took the show position as Lots Of Lovin was disqualified from third to fifth due to interference. Since the beginning of May, China Dream has had a second and four third place finishes. He broke the dry spell thanks to a hard-charging :27.2 final quarter mile which secured his fourth victory of the campaign. Co-owned by trainer Maria Rice and Jack Rice, it was the fourth win in 20 outings for the 8-year-old gelded China Dream (If I Can Dream-China Art). The win upped his bankroll to $37,030 on the year and $320,217 lifetime. In the $10,000 Class A pace, Lucky Nadotremblay (Shawn McDonough) tied his lifetime best with a 1:53.4 and turned back Race Me Rocky (Billy Davis Jr.) by 1-1/2 lengths. He win was worth $9.30 to his backers. Shawn McDonough had a pair of driving and training victories while Maria Rice conditioned a pair of winners. The final two weeks of the 2019 campaign will begin on Wednesday night with a 12-race card set for 5 p.m. The New York Sire Stakes will highlight the program as the 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers will clash in a pair of $52,000 divisions. There will also be action in the Excelsior A and B Series. For more information including the latest news, race replays, results, entries, upcoming promotions and simulcast schedule, go to www.buffaloraceway.com. 

— by Brian Mazurek

Saratoga Casino Hotel

Hudson Phil’s (Shanghai Phil) third consecutive Open Pace victory was recorded in a bit of an unconventional fashion on Saturday evening (July 6) at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Jackie Greene-trained pacer remained the public’s top choice in the wagering despite being assigned post eight for his try in the $15,000 feature. Driver Jay Randall powered Hudson Phil out to the early lead once again but after pacing a half in :56.1, the 4-year-old Open star was overpowered in the backstretch by rival Starznheaven (Shawn Gray) who took over the lead past three-quarters in 1:23.2. Starznheaven failed to clear though despite pacing his third quarter in :27 seconds and Hudson Phil rallied back on the rail to re-claim the lead turning for home. All the while, Yonkers invader Stars Align N (Steve Genois) was waiting for the passing lane where he wound up surging in the stretch to prevail in 1:52. The inquiry sign was immediately posted though and Stars Align N wound up being disqualified for causing interference in the first turn of the race and was subsequently placed last. That meant Hudson Phil was the winner for the sixth time in the local Open Pace this year for Greene and Randall. Starznheaven wound up being placed second while Military Master A (Mark Beckwith) ended up third following the DQ. Hudson Phil was the 3-2 betting favorite in the race and led a $17.20 exacta and $148.50 triple. The victory was the 10th this year in the Open Pace for trainer Jackie Greene who has three wins with Artful Way and one from Some Attitude to add to the six Saturday scores from Hudson Phil in the 2019 campaign. Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with a first post set for noon.

— by Mike Sardella