from harness publicists across North America

Sunday’s (July 5) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Harrah’s Philadelphia, Vernon Downs, Saratoga Casino and Raceway, Running Aces, Buffalo Raceway and Dresden Raceway.

Somewhere In L A wins Sunday feature at Harrah’s Philadelphia

Chester, PA —A field of eight upper-conditioned level pacers took the stage for the featured event on Sunday afternoon from Harrah’s Philadelphia, going for a purse of $22,000.

The heavy favorite in the wagering was Jimmy Takter trainee Somewhere In L A. The 4-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere is coming off a stellar 2014 campaign which saw him earn more than $500,000 in 24 starts.

He started quickly from the pole position, leading at the quarter in a rated :27.3. Scott DiDomenico trainee Bettors Glass drafted with pocket position, while Ron Burke representative Rediscovery (Yannick Gingras) attacked first-over at the half in :56.

Somewhere In L A maintained the advantage at the three-quarters in 1:23.3 before increasing the margin to two lengths at the head of the lane. Bettors Glass (Tim Tetrick) was able to make headway in the stretch, missing Somewhere In L A by just a head at the finish in a final time of 1:50.4. Bestjetyet (George Napolitano Jr.) rallied for third.

It was the first win of the year for Somewhere In L A, who paid $3.00 to win. Somewhere In L A is owned by J&T Silva Stables, Deo Volente Farms and T L P Stables.

— Mike Bozich

Vernon Downs
Fresh off her decisive triumph in the $248,275 Empire Breeders Classic, 3-year-old trotting filly Barn Doll ($3.50) rose to the occasion of her first effort against older company, rallying to the lead late in Sunday afternoon’s $10,000 Open Trot at Vernon Downs. Jimmy Whittemore settled the daughter of Conway Hall well off the pace in the early stages, as Mikey Hanover (Claude Huckabone III) rolled through early sectionals of :27.3, :55.4, and 1:23. After pushing Mikey Hanover through a :27.1 third quarter, Barn Doll worked closer on the outside, taking charge in mid-stretch and drawing clear of Mikey Hanover by 1-1/4 lengths for a 1:53.1 score. Lucid Thoughts (John MacDonald) was elevated to second off a tracking trip as runner-up Mikey Hanover slipped inside the pegs for a moment while exiting the far turn, relegated to third as a result. Trainer Steven Pratt co-owns Barn Doll with Nancy Pratt and the Purple Haze Stables, LLC. The win was one of four on the card for Whittemore, who captured the sub-featured $8,000 Mares Open Trot as well with Barn Girl, edging clear of Painite for a 1:56.3 victory. Steven and Nancy Pratt also co-own Barn Girl, sharing ownership with the Out In The Country Stable, while Howard Okusko manages the 3-year-old Cash Hall filly’s conditioning. Live racing returns to Vernon Downs with a special Monday (July 6) evening card, with first post at 6:45 p.m. (EDT).

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Fox Valley Veto (Pizzazzed) cruised to a wire-to-wire victory in Sunday’s trotting feature at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. The Heidi Rohr-trained trotter won the local Open Trot back in April but since then didn’t score a win until last Sunday after dropping down in class. In Sunday’s $14,000 Winners Over Trot, Fox Valley Veto took advantage of his inside post and went coast to coast in 1:55.3 with Jimmy Devaux in the sulky. The race’s co-favorite at odds of 2-1, the 4-year-old trotter recorded his fifth win of the season by holding off late charges from rivals Pop I (Harry Landy) and Gaelic And Garlic (Mark Beckwith) who finished second and third, respectively. Live racing resumes on Thursday with a first post time set for 4 p.m.

Running Aces
Silence Son and Keep The Dream won their respective $8,000 Opens at Running Aces on Sunday night, while the 50-cent Pick-6 — offering a $5,000 guaranteed pool — went unsolved due to a pair of longshot winners. When racing resumes at Running Aces on Tuesday (July 7) night, track officials expect that the Pick-6 pool will grow to well over $10,000. Silence Son (Nick Roland) took full advantage of a two-hole trip behind favored Franky Provolone (Steve Wiseman), passing the frontrunner in deep stretch to win the Open Trot by three-quarters of a length. After comfortable fractions for the track’s top trotters of :28.2, :58.3 and 1:28.1, the winner put a finishing :28.3 on his triumphant 1:57 win. Californian George Reider both owns and trains the 6-year-old son of Majestic Son who now has $88,509 in career earnings. Jailer (Rick Bertrand) got the show dough in the featured race for squaregaiters. Keep The Dream gave Roland, the leading driver at the meet, a sweep of the pair of features by copping her $8,000 event for the best pacing mares in Minnesota in 1:54.4. The 5-year-old Mach Three mare was placed fourth through the first two fractions of :28.1 and :58, then moved first-up through the 1:26.1 third panel to pull within a length of pacesetting Part Time Lady. With a strong :28.2 closing panel, Keep The Dream passed the leader and held off fellow closers De Valeria (Tim Maier) and Rev Me Up (Mark P’Pool) to garner her third local victory, but first in open company. The winner boosted her lifetime bounty to $125,166 for owner Dr. James Findlay. Sunday’s handle of $220,098 was the best of the young 2015 summer meet at Running Aces. Bigger and better numbers are expected on Tuesday when a solid 11-race card — including the 50-cent Pick-6 with an estimated $10,000-plus pool — begins at 7 p.m. (CDT).

Buffalo Raceway
David McNeight III capped off the holiday weekend in fine fashion at Buffalo Raceway as he scored three straight victories and had a pair of training wins to highlight the action on Sunday afternoon. McNeight drove and trained In Goods Hands ($6.50) and Straitstraitstrait ($3.00) to wins and was also behind Milliondollardad ($4.40) to complete the triple. McNeight was coming off three victories in the sulky on Saturday evening. Ron Beback Jr. and Kevin Cummings also posted three-baggers on the 13-race program. Beback guided Carman Coyote ($24.80), Goddess’s Justin ($3.70) and That Horse JD ($14.00) while Cummings went to the winner’s circle with Way To Go Fabieo ($3.30), Sir Altb Z Tam ($3.00) and Peaceful Prince ($3.60). Racing will resume on Wednesday night at Buffalo Raceway at 5 p.m. The 12-race card will feature the New York Sire Stakes for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers along with Excelsior Series ‘A’ and ‘B’ events.

Dresden Raceway
For the second Sunday in a row Nick Steward scored five winners at Dresden Raceway. Steward got right to work with a win in the first dash while driving Southwind Alice for owner Al Neal in 2:01.1. Dave Dowling trains the 4-year-old Muscle Hill mare. The 25-year-old teamster scored his second win in the third race, going wire-to-wire with Gracies Harmony in 2:01.1. The 8-year-old Hard Rock N Roll mare is owned and trained by Al Steeves. Steward used front end speed with his third winner of the day as well in the fourth race behind Blackbird Singing. The 9-year-old Artistic horse who is owned by Terry Hunter and trained by Patrick Shepherd paced the mile in 1:56.1. Steward was at the controls for Rockets Art in the fifth race for his fourth win in 1:57.2. The 7-year-old Modern Art mare went wire-to-wire for owner/trainer Rob Fellows. Steward closed the card of racing with a win in the 10th race while driving Hall Oak for owner/trainer William Durbridge. The 10-year-old Blissfull Hall gelding paced in 2:00.2. Brad Moore and Donnie Rankin Jr. each scored two wins on the day. More than 800 people were in attendance at the track and bet $19,803.