from harness publicists across North America

Saturday’s (Oct. 15) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Yonkers Raceway, The Meadows, Saratoga Casino and Raceway, Batavia Downs Casino and Cal Expo.

Stonebridge Tonic wins Open Handicap Pace at Yonkers

Yonkers, NY — Stonebridge Tonic (Daniel Dube) — a horse who doesn’t need a course — maintained the form spree Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $42,000 Open Handicap Pace.

Tom Berg photo

Stonebridge Tonic won the Saturday feature at Yonkers.

Assigned post position No. 6, Stonebridge Tonic worked around Power Of A Moment (Brent Holland) before a :26.3 opening quarter-mile. He then rated a :29 half (:55.3) before reformed claimer — and tepid 2-1 choice — Jacked Up (George Brennan) stopped by for a visit.

Stonebridge Tonic found a 1:23.3 three-quarters, taking a couple of lengths into the lane. From there, he hit the mile in 1:51.3, needing only to hold off the rival on his back. He did, beating Power Of A Moment by 1-1/4 lengths while getting the mile and one-sixteenth in 1:58.4. It was the seventh consecutive win over five different surfaces in four different states for Stonebridge Tonic. Trade Editor (Ron Pierce) sat the cones for third, with Jacked Up and Southern Allie (Yannick Gingras) grabbed the leftovers.

Stonebridge Tonic, a 4-year-old son of Camluck trained by Mark Ford for co-owners Leonard Gamble and Gregg McNair, returned $6.60 (second choice) for his ninth win in 19 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $33.20, with the triple returning $144.

— Frank Drucker

The Meadows
Sir Caviar, who has dominated The Meadows’ elite trotting ranks throughout the year, made it look easy again Saturday with a decisive front-end victory in the $22,500 Preferred Handicap. Despite leaving from post seven, Sir Caviar made the front quickly for Brian Zendt and was never seriously challenged en route to victory in 1:54.3. Diamond Hunter shot the Lightning Lane for second, 2-3/4 lengths back, with Springboard a rallying third. Leslie Zendt trains the 5-year-old SJ’s Caviar-Sierra Flower K gelding, who has won 22 of 36 starts over the past two seasons, and owns with Bill Zendt. Greg Grismore, Dan Noble, Brian Zendt and Don Irvine, Jr. each drove three winners on the 13-race card.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
It was a big night for local regular Busta Move on Saturday at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. The Cheryl McGivern trained pacer went over the $100,000 mark in lifetime earnings while winning the local Open Pace for the first time. Jay Randall sat behind Busta Move (Space Shuttle) as they moved first over at the half-mile pole. After fast fractions in lap one, the table had been set for the race’s closers and Busta Move pounced on the leader to take over at the three-quarter pole. The 5-year-old drew clear in the stretch before stopping the timer in 1:55.1 to win the $18,000 Saturday feature for the first time in his career while recording his tenth victory in 66 lifetime starts. Busta Move returned $13.20 to win. Longshot Reminic (Brian Cross) was second while Wealth Manager (Kim Crawford) earned the show spot.

Batavia Downs Casino
In the $9,000 Open Pace, John Cummings, Jr. led New York Prime to his seventh win of the season and milestone 50th career win, on Saturday night at Batavia Downs Casino. Two Twentytwo (Dan Yetman), Redford Hall (Kevin Cummings), and New York Prime all burst out of the gate, but Two Twentytwo found the front, taking advantage of his rail post draw. Soon after, New York Prime continued on with power to take the lead by the quarter in a swift :27.3 over a very sloppy racetrack. This passage gave him control of the field all the way to the end, but not without a fight. Favorite Redford Hall made an attempt to push past New York Prime on the front stretch, but couldn’t find the muscle. The field continued to the half in :57.3 and the three-quarters in 1:26.4. He took one more shot along with Incredible Ben (Jack Flanigen), who came three wide before the last turn, but both competitors failed to overtake the leader. New York Prime coasted to the stripe of light in a final time of 1:56.2. Redford Hall, despite being parked out the entire trip, pulled out second while Spender Hanover (David McNeight III) came up along the rail for third. New York Prime paid $6.10 to win. Alex Giuliani trains the gutsy 8-year-old Bettor’s Delight gelding who raised his career earnings to $249,253. He’s owned by David Ball and Jerry Reinhart.

Cal Expo
A field of nine pacers were featured at Cal Expo on Saturday night in the $3,400 Robert Staats Memorial, in which Shamderock, the youngest horse in the race, had little trouble winning. Bred and owned by D & E Racing, Shamderock (Luke Plano), while not urged much, scored ($2.80) by two lengths in 1:55.4, thus notching his 16th victory in just 31 starts. Myra’s Hiho (Jim Lackey) was a nice second and Arch Nemeses (James Kennedy) finished three-quarters of a length farther back in third. On the 15-race program, driver Scott Cisco had five winners.