from harness publicists across North America

Sunday’s (May 24) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Saratoga Casino and Raceway and Tioga Downs.

Slugfest captures Sunday feature at Saratoga

Saratoga Springs, NY — Slugfest (Conway Hall) made his return to the winner’s circle at Saratoga on Sunday afternoon.

Melissa Simser photo

Slugfest won the Open Trot in a time of 1:56.4.

The track’s top trotter, Slugfest is following up his award winning 2014 campaign with another big season. The Maureen Salino-trained trotter had been first or second in six straight Opens heading into Sunday afternoon’s tilt, but was coming off a sound defeat as the 1-5 favorite in last week’s $18,000 feature.

Slugfest was up to the task on the beautiful Sunday afternoon at the Spa as the 5-year-old went coast-to-coast in 1:56.4 to record his fifth Open win of the ’15 season. Bentley Karan (Stephane Bouchard) closed for second while Increditable (Bruce Aldrich Jr.) came on for third.

Jay Randall piloted the even money favorite Slugfest to the Sunday score.

It was one of two training wins on Sunday for Salino whose Ideal Delight (Billy Dobson) prevailed in 1:57.2.

Live racing resumes on Thursday at Saratoga with a 4 p.m. first post.

— Saratoga Casino and Raceway

Tioga Downs
Making his local debut after chasing top pacers in Delaware, Mary Ann Larrimore’s Believe This Bob ($4.10) had no trouble keeping clear of his seven rivals in Sunday evening’s $14,000 Open Pace at Tioga Downs, holding sway for a 1:50.3 triumph. The 7-year-old Beach Romeo gelding split fellow leavers Road Untraveled (Brandon Simpson) and Glass Prince (Rick Dane) to assume the pacesetting duties, clicking off a :26.2 first quarter and maintaining the lead through a :55 half-mile. Believe This Bob in fact controlled the terms throughout, edging clear from the pocket-sitting Road Untraveled on the far turn. Upon encouragement from Aaron Byron through the stretch, Believe This Bob dug in to maintain a clear two length margin over a late-rallying Glass Prince. Glass Prince, who was locked in on the backstretch by Prairie Jaguar (Jim Marohn Jr.), had room to edge off the pegs at head-stretch, narrowly defeating Road Untraveled for second. Prairie Jaguar faded to fourth off his uncovered bid. Joe Skowyra trains Believe This Bob, now a 27-time winner. Byron kicked off a driving grand slam in the featured event, reeling off two more wins immediately with Oakmont ($4.30, 1:51.3) and NBA Pick ($8.10, 1:55.2) before capturing the finale with Philana Chalice ($40.00, 1:55.2). Corey Braden and Jim Marohn Jr. both recorded driving doubles on the night, while Edgar “Sparky” Clarke notched a training double on the 10-race card. Monday (May 25) afternoon’s all-stakes card kicks off at 1:30 p.m., with first-round Graduate action for 4-year-olds and New York Sire Stakes events for 3-year-old pacing fillies comprising the entirety of the 13-race card.