by harness racing publicists across North America

Saturday’s (May 27) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Buffalo Raceway, Saratoga Raceway, Running Aces, Tioga Downs, Vernon Downs and Kawartha Downs.

Shady City Wins Second Straight Open At Buffalo Raceway

Hamburg, NY — Shady City put no shade on who was the best in Buffalo Raceway’s $10,000 Open Pace on Saturday night (May 27). Getting parked the entire mile, Shady City (Larry Stalbaum) took his second straight featured event with a impressive 1-1/2 length victory over Sir Ziggy Z Tam in a seasonal best 1:53.3 over the fast track.

Steve Roth photo

Shady City paced his swiftest mile of 2017 (1:53.3) in his victory at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday evening.

Gallant Seelster, set the fractions of :28.0, :56.1 and 1:25.2 while Shady City found the long journey to be just a nuisance in the end. Turning for home, Gallant Major had enough for the night. That allowed Stalbaum and Shady City to show who the best were.

After taking the lead, they were easily able to stave off the threats from Sir Ziggy Z Tam (Ray Fisher Jr.) and Brees Creek (Drew Monti) who finished in second and third place respectively.

Owned by Stalbaum and trained by Kim Asher, it was the fifth win in 18 tries for the 7-year-old gelded Shady City (Metropolitan-Maid In Shade). Finishing in the money 14 times in 2017, Shady City has increased his bankroll to $41,536 and $272,113 lifetime.

Stalbaum finished the evening with four victories, Jim Morrill Jr. had a triple and Kevin Cummings and Monti two wins each. Asher had three training victories.

Racing will continue on Wednesday night at Buffalo Raceway with an 11-race card set for 5 p.m.

For more information including the latest news, race replays, results and upcoming promotions, go to www.buffaloraceway.com.

— by Brian Mazurek

Saratoga Raceway

Saratoga, NY — Givenupdreaming (If I Can Dream) paced the fastest mile of the year to date on Saturday (May 27) night at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Heidi Rohr trainee was one of five participants in the $13,000 Open Pace and with first half fractions of :27 and :55.3 to set the table, Givenupdreaming moved first-over and powered up to take over the lead after three-quarters in 1:23. The 6-year-old standout cruised away in the stretch before stopping the timer in 1:50.3, the fastest clocking for any race in the 2017 campaign at the Spa. Somewhere Fancy (Billy Dobson) followed the winner’s cover and wound up as the runner-up in the feature while Panocchio (Gerry Mattison) came on for third. It was the sixth victory of the season for Givenupdreaming and the first win in the local Open for the Rohr trainee who was piloted to the Saturday score by Stephane Bouchard. Live racing this holiday weekend with matinees scheduled for both Sunday and Monday afternoons both beginning at 12:15 p.m.

Running Aces

Columbus, MN — The $8,000 Minnesota sired 3-year-old pacing fillies event went to post as the co-feature on the harness racing card at Running Aces on Saturday (May 27) with eight fillies going to battle. It proved to be a sparkling performance by Whatitdobabyboo ($2.80) who reminded local fans of her tremendous late speed by sweeping the field from last to first once again, taking a new life mark (1:57.4) in the process. Driver Rick Magee guided her away from the gate to the trailing position early and sat through the early fractions of :29.0 and :59.4 before tipping to the outside fourth-over just past the half-mile pole. From there, he tipped his filly three-wide around the final turn past the 1:27.4 check-in and was easily able to gun down the breakaway leader Free Radical (Nick Roland) and score the win by 2-3/4 engths in her first start of the season. David Flinn trains the daughter of Voracious Hanover for the Van Oterloo stables. Tonight’s tally was her eighth lifetime score in 10 career tries and padded her bankroll to $43,560. In the $8,000 Minnesota sired 3-year-old geldings pace it was Wonder Bull who pulled off a mild upset ($11.40) in the seven-horse contest with a sharp closing effort to get up at the wire by a neck in an eye opening 1:54.3, shattering his previous mark by nearly nine seconds. Steves Hot Rod was sharp in defeat as the runner up with Joe Casagranda in the bike. Wonder Bull is owned by Rick and Lesa Peters and trained and driven by Nick Roland. The son of Artisitc Wonder now sports four lifetime wins and $25,203 in earnings. Also on the Saturday card was a very nice $6,000 conditioned pace for horses and geldings and Lil Orphan Elmer ($5.80) was the star of the show in that affair. Sent off as the 9-5 wagering choice, Lil Orphan Elmer was floated off the gate in fifth position early in a fast early pace of :27.3, driver Steve Wiseman got him moving in a nice second-over spot just past the half and had him in a perfect striking position around the final turn. He then let him loose in the stretch, where he gamely battled between horses to take the top prize in 1:54.2, Lil Orphan Elmer is owned by Scott Ehrlich and George Mc Chrystal and trained by Kathie Plested-Wiseman. It was the third win of the season and 17th lifetime tally for the career winner of $61,978. Drivers Luke Plano and Nick Roland both picked up driving doubles on the nine-race card. Running Aces is back in action on Sunday (May 28) with a first race post of 6 p.m. CDT.

Tioga Downs

Tioga, NY — Leading driver Mike Simons piloted Amateur Hour to a gutsy win in Gail’s Diner Pace final ($23,400) at Tioga Downs Saturday night (May 27). The 3 year-old filly by Rock N Roll Heaven took over the lead from entry mate Under The Bus (Fern Paquet Jr.) at the three-quarter mark. At the top of the stretch Amateur Hour would be attacked by Playing Favorites (Mike Merton) and Dr J’s Kiss (Tom Jackson). Just when it looked like Playing Favorites was going to go by Amateur Hour battled back to hang on for the victory. Trained by Linda Toscano for owners Fred Wallace, Camelot Stables and Kenneth Jacobs, Amateur Hour ($3.70) scored the mile in 1:51.4. Paying Favorites took second and Dr J’s Kiss finished third. Tioga Downs hosts the New York Sire Stakes for 3-year-old filly trotters at a special post time of 6:50 Sunday night (May 28).

Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — JK Panache (Chris Lems) won the Open Pace ($9,500) Saturday night (May 27) at Vernon Downs. The 8-year-old Art Major gelding took over at the quarter mark and never looked back. Owned by Phillip Hale and trainer David Dewhurst, JK Panache ($2.90) held off a late charge by Sassy Hanover (Claude Huckabone Jr.) to win in 1:51.2. Modern Gesture (Jimmy Wittemore) would finish third. Vernon Downs returns to live action on Monday (May 29) when they host the New York Sire Stakes for 3-year-old trotting colts at 1:05 p.m. For more information go to www.vernondowns.com.

Kawartha Downs

Fraserville, ON — Gord Brown has won the most races ever at Kawartha Downs and Saturday (May 27), the opening card for the 2017 season, he shared his knowledge with fans at his hometown track in his new role as race analyst where he also proved very talented. Brown and announcer Evan Loucks’ launched their new pre -ace show, Tonight At KD, where they both shared their top picks in each race. In the first race Brown’s top picks came in first and second. The winner was a 3-year-old Somebeachsomewhere filly from the Mark Steacy barn, Party Bach, who was notching her first lifetime win in her third start. Steacy’s son Clarke was at the controls. In race four Brown had a stone cold triactor as he picked the top three finishers: Ken Kan Win, Mad For Plaid and Warken On Air. He had his third winner of the night in the fifth as he selected winner Bet Till Dawn which was followed with another top choice in race six with Four For Orr. Another winner selected by Brown, Royal Engagement, captured the eighth race on the night. That horse was driven by Murray Brethour and trained by Tommy Riley, both of whom recorded two winners which seemed to be a theme as Nick Boyd also made two trips to the winner’s circle (including the fastest mile of the night with Galagher Seelster in 1:55.3); as did Reg Gassien and Brett MacDonald. As Brown’s retirement was announced after Kawartha Downs’ 2016 season had concluded, his career in the bike was celebrated during this evening’s opening night festivities and his new career was obviously very successfully launched. Racing continues at the Fraserville five-eighths mile track every Saturday night through Sept. 30 except Sept. 16.