Racing Roundup: Stratton wins five at Tioga Downs
May 3, 2009,from Harness Publicists across North America
Sunday’s (May 3) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Tioga Downs, Saratoga Raceway and Scarborough Downs.
Stratton wins five at Tioga Downs
Nichols, NY — Jordan Stratton headed west to Tioga Downs on Sunday afternoon and picked up five wins in 12 drives on the afternoon’s 13-race card.
Fred Brown Photography
Jordan Stratton piloted Whatanartist (#5) to a win on Sunday at Tioga Downs.
Stratton, who entering the day was tenth in the North American standings for wins, increased his win total to 169 in 2009. He confirmed he will be a regular on Sunday afternoons at Tioga Downs.
Whatanartist was Stratton’s fourth win on the afternoon card, but it was the 20th win of the 9-year-old gelding’s career. Sam Schillaci trains Whatanartist for Trotters R Us of Sagamore Hills, Ohio. Despite missing all of 2008, Whatanartist has returned to win three of his 13 seasonal starts in 2009 and has increased his career earnings to more than $820,000.
In the featured $14,000 Open Pace it was Arson Ant and Troy Boring who found racing room late in the stretch to take the victory in 1:53.1. The 4-year-old son of The Firepan–Miss Amanda Sue is owned and trained by Peter Arrigennia. The mile of 1:53.1 established a new lifetime mark by more than two seconds. Southbound Trucker with Greg Merton and Keystone Rideaua driven by Jordan Stratton rounded out the $255 fifty cent trifecta.
— Dustin Ross
St. Pierre has hat trick on Sunday at Saratoga
Saratoga Springs, NY — Reinsman Denis St. Pierre had his biggest week of the young season to date at Saratoga and it concluded with a driving hat trick on Sunday.
Dave Oxford photo
Denis St. Pierre won three times on Sunday, including a 1:55.1 score behind Im Betting On You.
St. Pierre came into the week seventh in the driver standings and ended it in sixth following a Saturday night driving double and a Sunday that saw the veteran driver tally three wins.
Im Betting On You was the big win for the week for St. Pierre as the pacing mare was strong in victory on Sunday afternoon, recording a 1:55.1 win in the $10,500 tenth race. St. Pierre also piloted wins with Rainin Fire and Shezasilverlady who each prevailed in their local debuts on Sunday afternoon.
Chausettes Blanche recorded her second consecutive win in the Sunday feature as she went wire-to-wire once again for driver Jay Randall and John Podres. Chausettes Blanche matched her lifetime mark by stopping the timer in 1:54.1 on Sunday to record her fourth Open win thus far at the Spa in 2009.
— Mike Sardella
Pantomimist shines in starring role at Scarborough Downs
Scarborough, ME — Marcel Marceau could not have delivered any better a performance than Heath Campbell turned in on Sunday as the veteran teamster hit every mark to guide Pantomimist to the Scarborough Downs winner’s circle as the distaff star made her premier appearance of the 2009 season.
Derek Davis photo
Pantomimist is the victor by a whisker over Keystone Natalie in Sunday’s $6,000 Open at Scarborough Downs.
Campbell engineered an Academy Award caliber performance which took full advantage of his patented patient style to track down the early pacesetters in the $6,000 Open-level event. The victorious duo actually pounced from dead last at the top of the stretch to eke out the razor thin margin over Keystone Natalie (Rob Dinning) as the Scarborough photo finish equipment was put to an extremely stern test.
Owned by George Liakopoulos and trained from the perennially powerfully Richard Bartlett stable, Pantomimist recorded the 17th win of her career on Sunday while pacing the mile in 1:58.2. Keystone Natalie was second while Gracie Gracie (John Beckwith) rallied to secure the show, but there was certainly no argument as to who stole the show on Sunday as Pantomimist becomes the latest star to shine at Scarborough Downs this year.
— Michael Sweeney