by harness publicists across North America

Friday’s edition of Racing Roundup features a results story from Yonkers Raceway, The Meadows, Hollywood Dayton Raceway, Batavia Downs and Saratoga Casino and Raceway.

Skippin By wins Friday night feature distaff feature at Yonkers

Yonkers, NY — Skippin By (Matt Kakaley, $7.20) ducked in and went by Friday (Dec. 11) night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $20,000 high-conditioned filly and mare pacing feature.

Mike Lizzi photo

Skiippin’ By took Yonkers Raceway featured distaff pace Friday night in 1:52.4

Skippin’ By, a gapping third from post position two, saw 17-10 favorite, pole-sitter Jonsie Jones (Tyler Buter) two-move to lead around Regil Elektra (Brian Sears). The former foot printed early intervals of :27.3 and :57 before Al Raza N (Eric Carlson) took out of fourth, just in front of Apricot Sour (Dan Dube).

Al Raza N engaged Jonsie Jones at the 1:24.4 three-quarters before dismissing her early in the lane. The leader was done, but Regil Elektra then angled outsider of her. That left the pylons for a resurgent Skippin’ By, who had closed ranks before edging past.

The margin over Regil Elektra was a half-length in 1:52.4. Al Raza N, All About Kisses (Mark MacDonald) and For the Ladies N (Jordan Stratton) rounded out the payees.

For second choice Skippin’ By, a 4-year-old Shadow Play miss co-owned (as Burke Racing) by (trainer) Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi, Wall Brothers Stable and Bruce Soulsby, it was her sixth win in 27 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $32.80, the triple returned $83 and the superfecta paid $652.

Note since no one took down Friday night’s Pick-5 wager, Saturday’s gimmick begins with a carryover of $3,722.22 (50 cent base wager, races seven through 11). Also note that with Sunday’s matinee concluding the racing season, that Pick-5 shall be paid to those ticket(s) with the highest number of correct winners (no carryover into 2016).

Yonkers’ 2015 racing season wraps up with programs Saturday evening (first post 7:10 p.m.) and Sunday late morning (first post 11:15 a.m).

— Frank Drucker

The Meadows
Tamarind waited patiently for the Lightning Lane, then poured through to capture Fridays (Dec. 11) $20,000 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Trot at The Meadows. Tamarind was away second for Aaron Merriman, stalking the leader Lady’s Dude, until mid-stretch. The 7-year-old son of Angus Hall-Spicegirl Kosmos surged inside and downed the rallying Rompaway Galaxy by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:53.2. Lady’s Dude saved show. Bill Bercury owns and trains Tamarind, who now boasts $734,424 in career earnings. Jim Pantaleano piloted four winners on the 15-race card.

Hollywood Dayton Raceway
In her sixth start after a couple months rest, Buckeye Thea captured the $12,000 Fillies & Mares Open pace at Hollywood Dayton Raceway on Friday night (December 11), pushing her 2016 summary line to 9-6-6 in 39 starts, good for $93,445 in earnings. Following an unsuccessful first-over bid a week ago, driver Josh Sutton opted for a more conservative approach in this outing. Content to get away sixth, he moved into second-over position at the half, then swung three-wide just past the three-quarters before throwing a :27.3 final panel to win by over a length in 1:52.3. Pacesetter Rockin Good (Jared Finn), who didn’t clear to the front until past the :26.2 opening quarter, held for second money while Western Empress (Trace Tetrick) closed for the show dough. Steve Carter trains Buckeye Thea for owner Rich Paltani. A race earlier, My Hare Lady (Jason Brewer) won a $7500 condition and optional $15,000 claiming event in 1:54, pushing the 6-year-old Jereme’s Jet mare’s lifetime bankroll past the $100,000 plateau. Claimed by Chris Choros for $8,000 a month ago, the winner carried a $15,000 base tag this time out. She topped Platinum Spirit (Dan Noble) and Ohmybelle (Chris Page) for trainer Jeff Brewer, who has a comfortable lead in the trainers dash standings with 14 programs remaining in the meet.

Batavia Downs
After not having much success after jumping up from the claiming ranks, the 8-1 Bellagio Hanover (Jim McNeight) had a reversal of fortunes in winning the $10,000 Open trotting feature at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Dec. 11). Leaving from post one, Bellagio Hanover briefly yielded the front to Leave Your Mark (Truman Gale) but retook the lead before hitting the quarter in a comfortable :29.2. But shortly after that station, Write That Down (Shawn McDonough) pulled first-up and drew next to the leader; a position he would maintain for nearly a half-mile. The pair dueled past the half in :59 and three-quarters in 1:28 flat before Bellagio Hanover finally put away the challenge of Write That Down around the last turn. From there he trotted clear of the field and won handily by a long length in 1:58.2. It was the seventh win of the year for the lightly regarded Bellagio Hanover ($19.00), six of which were for owners Jack and Maria Rice who claimed the horse at Tioga Downs on July 11 for $5,000. Maria Rice trains the winner. In the co-feature $7,700 Open II trot, Red Clay (Shawn McDonough) notched his eighth win of the Batavia Downs meet, making him the winningest trotter of the 2015 session. Red Clay was sitting fourth when he pulled past the stands for the first time, took the lead and trotted his back half in :58.4 to win by six open lengths in 1:59.4. Red Clay ($3.10) is owned by Patricia and Carmen Cappotelli and is trained by Carmen Cappotelli. Shawn McDonough had a driving triple on the card while Jim McNeight and Jack Flanigen both chimed in with doubles. Trainer Maria Rice conditioned two winners as well. The meet comes to a close at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Dec. 12) with a 12-race card on tap. There is a $396 carry over pool for the Pick-5 wager and it carries a mandatory payout. Post time for the first race is 6:15 p.m.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
So Nice (Ponder) set the track record for aged pacing mares at Saratoga Casino and Raceway on Friday night. In the years final Fillies and Mares Open, the Amber Buter-trained pacer powered to the lead approaching the half-mile pole before drawing away to a dazzling win in 1:52. The time bests the previous mark of 1:52.1 shared by three different mares as the fastest for an aged mare in the 74 year history of Saratoga. So Nice powered away from her rivals to win by eight lengths in the $18,000 Fillies and Mares Open with Mark Beckwith in the sulky. Longshot Jokes Jet (Phil Fluet) had a strong showing in her debut in the local feature finishing second while the favored Super Soph (Frank Coppola Jr) had to settle for third. So Nice returned $5.70 to win and led an exacta with Jokes Jet that came back $85. The triple with the favorite third paid $289 in the final feature for distaffers for the ’15 season. Live racing continues on Saturday for the seasons closing night with first post time set for 6:45 p.m.