from harness publicists across North America

Monday’s (July 5) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs.

Sheer Brilliance placed first in Tioga Open

Nichols, NY — Sheer Brilliance and Corey Braden took home the lion’s share of the $15,000 Open Handicap Pace on Monday afternoon at Tioga Downs, even though they were not the first pair across the wire. Phil Fluet and That’s Justice crossed the wire a neck in front of Sheer Brilliance, but were disqualified for a lapped on break at the wire.

Fred Brown photo

Sheer Brilliance was placed first in Monday’s Open Handicap Pace at Tioga.

Braden sent Sheer Brilliance to the front from post position six and cut through fractions of :26.2, :54.3 and 1:22.2 as Winbak Dimensions (Matt Kakaley) applied first over pressure around the final turn.

Sheer Brilliance rebuffed the challenge of Winbak Dimensions, but That’s Justice was closing fastest of all. However, That’s Justice could not avoid a miscue steps before the wire.

The mile of 1:50.3 will go down as a seasonal best for Sheer Brilliance. Jeff Long trains the 5-year-old son of Blissfull Hall-High Roller Ash and also co-owns with Paula Long. That’s Justice was placed second, while Winbak Dimensions hung on for third to round out the $150.75 fifty cent trifecta. The 6-5 betting favorite, Pacinello, made a break at the start and was never a factor.

Corey Braden, Jimmy Marohn Jr. and Matt Kakaley each posted driving doubles on the afternoon’s 11-race card.

Tioga Downs continues live racing on Friday, July 9, with a post time of 6:50 p.m. featuring divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for 2-year-old filly pacers.

— Dustin Ross

Vernon Downs
Daley Deposit Only’s super season continued after the gritty gelding produced a 1:50.4 career-best victory in Monday afternoon’s $10,000 featured sixth race at Vernon Downs. While You Bet Your Glass was cutting blazing fractions (:26.4, :54.4 and 1:22.2), Daley Deposit Only drafted along in the garden spot. With trainer Dan Daley doing the driving, the 5-year-old bay son of Artiscape-Sassy Cessiann pulled the pocket in the final furlong and dug deep in a :28 second final quarter to defeat the game-going leader by a neck in the weekend’s Miracle Mile-1 pacing handicap. He paid $9.30 to win. After clipping two-fifths of a second off his previous best speed-mark (earned this past winter at Pompano Park), Daley Deposit Only secured his third local tally, ninth this season and 21st overall. Ann-Mari Daley (Dan’s wife) owns the career winner of $215,854 along with Jared Daley, Richard Lombardo and Robert Pergament. Daley Deposit Only’s half-brother, Daley’s Interest (Modern Art-Sassy Cessiann), captured Monday’s $6,000 seventh race to give driver Daley his second double at the meet. The sophomore gelding is registered to Ann-Mari Daley, Jared Daley and Lombardo. With Chuck Connor, Jr. teaming for trainer Jody Weidman and his ownership partner George Mathar, the productive pacer Up Front Rudy became the meet’s first seven-time winning equine following a 1:52.3 victory in the afternoon’s $8,000 fifth race.