from harness racing publicists across North America

The Saturday (Oct. 14) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from The Meadows, Hollywood Dayton Raceway, Batavia Downs, Vernon Downs, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and Saratoga Casino Hotel.

Racing Roundup: Stride Of Pride repeats in Meadows featured pace

Washington, PA —Stride Of Pride, who won his last start in 1:49.4, showed it was no fluke when he scorched the field again in Saturday’s $20,000 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows.

Chris Gooden photo

Stride Of Pride collects his second consecutive victory at The Meadows on Saturday afternoon.

Stride Of Pride zipped to the front from post three for Dave Palone and never faced a serious challenge, rolling home in a wrapped-up 1:50.3 as the 1-1 favorite. The pocket-sitting Dapper Dude was second, 1-3/4 lengths back, with Hawk’s Red Chief third.

Ron Burke trains the 4-year-old Manhardt-Apple B gelding for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and RTC Stables.

Jim Pantaleano, Burke and Palone each fashioned a triple on the 12-race card.

— by Evan Pattak

Hollywood Dayton Raceway

An extremely classy field of eight open pacers, five with speed badges of 1:49.3 or better, answered the starter’s call for Hollywood Dayton’s $18,500 feature on Saturday night (Oct. 14). When the dust settled, it was the indefatigable Mykindachip (Jason Brewer) topping Rock N’ Roll World (John DeLong), Feelnlikearockstar (Greg Grismore), K Ryan Bluechip (Dan Noble) and Lucky Lime (Shawn Barker II) in 1:51.1 over the five-eighths mile oval. The winning 8-year-old son of Art’s Chip left the gate on a mission, refusing to relinquish the lead until a stride short of the first quarter pole, reached in :26.3. At that point eventual runnerup Rock N’ Roll World assumed command and lead the field through a pedestrian :55.3 half and a speedy :27.3 third panel. Utilizing his pocket ride to full advantage, Mykindachip pulled outside at the head of the stretch and the battle was on until Brewer was able to urge his charge to the front in deep stretch. It was the eighth seasonal triumph for Mykindachip, who hails from the powerful Ron Burke Stable, and increased his 2017 bounty to $142,690. This was the 48th victory in this stellar performers career and pushed his bankroll to $778,432. Driver Tyler Smith moved into fourth place in the local dash standings by winning seven of the 14 races on the program. The 24-year-old reinsman trails only Josh Sutton, Dan Noble and Kayne Kauffman after the first 22 days of the 76-day meet. Rounding out the top ten are Kyle Ater, Jason Brewer, Jeremy Smith, Randy Tharps, Chris Page and Brady Galliers.

Batavia Downs

Racing against Foiled Again last week must have had a positive effect on In Runaway Bay as he put a circle around the best local pacers in the $10,000 Open Handicap Pace at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Oct. 14). In Runaway Bay (Kevin Cummings) fired off the gate and crossed over like a flash of light. Cruising unchallenged from there until the half, the leader saw fit to cut a rather casual :57.3 fraction. At that point In Runaway Bay was confronted first by Santana Beach (John Cummings Jr.) until three-quarters and then by Fireyourguns (Mike Caprio) when that one faded. Try as he might Fireyourguns couldn’t get closer than a length from the time he pulled and when the race hit the stretch, In Runaway Bay ran away to a three-length victory in 1:53.1, which was a new seasonal mark for the winner. It was the fifth win of the year for In Runaway Bay ($26.60), all five of which were scored at Batavia Downs. Owner Super Mile LLC has received $30,010 in purses as a result of the 7-year-old Mach Three offspring’s efforts this year which were achieved through the training of Angelo Nappo. In the $9,000 Open II co-feature, Show Stopping (Kevin Cummings) sat a tight two-hole trip behind the heavily favored Miss Irish Rose A (Larry Stalbaum) before popping the pocket off the last turn and out-pacing the leader to the wire to win in 1:52.1, which was a new lifetime mark. Show Stopping ($7.20) is owned by Resilient Racing Stable and trained by Rose Russo. Kevin Cummings led all drivers with four wins on the night and James Clouser Jr. led all trainers with three. Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Oct. 18) with post time at 5 p.m.

Vernon Downs

Gimme The Cash (Chris Lems) won the featured trot ($6,000) at Vernon Downs Saturday night (Oct. 14). Lems won four on the night. Gimme The Cash (Cash Hall) sprinted to the front right out of the gate, playing catch me if you can. Owned by William Ballard Mdacs and trained by Angus Mac Donald, the 6-year-old mare would put up all the fractions of :28.3, :58.0, 1:27.1 and 1:56.0. ABC Crown Me Queen (John MacDonald) would follow in the pocket the whole way but had no answer in the stretch finishing third. Ulysses Bi (Truman Gale) came up late to finish second. Gimme The Cash ($2.90) picked up win number four on the season and career victory number 17. Lems would win three others on the night. The first win came with Mansome ($2.90). His second victory was with Stubble Trouble ($5.80). His last win came after the feature with Ladyyouaregorgeous ($11.20). Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Sunday night (Oct. 15). It features eight Excelsior A finals with combined purses of $360,000. The 14-race card starts at 6:45 p.m. For more information go www.vernondowns.com.

The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono

The Napolitano brothers, Anthony (four wins) and George (three), combined with Jim Marohn (three victories) to take eight of the first 10 races at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono Saturday night (Oct. 14). Race 10 was the $20,000 featured pace, and the hot drivers continued to form, with Anthony (Bushwacker) sitting behind his brother (favored Luck Be Withyou), going to the Pocono Pike and getting the stretch lead, then holding off late-charging Marohn (Photobombr Hanover) in 1:49.2. Luck Be Withyou is a known Pocono lover, but the fractions proved too much for him this night. Luck Be Withyou and George Napolitano followed Bushwacker and Anthony as they both quarter-moved past Dream Out Loud N after a sensational :25.1 opening-quarter. Bushwacker made the lead and then yielded to Luck Be Withyou. The millionaire pacesetter continued furiously in fractions of :53 and 1:21, with first-over Kept Under Wraps A right at his throat at the latter call. Photobombr Hanover was behind him. Luck Be Withyou kept the lead to early stretch, but the grueling pace tired him, and it was the two trip horses – pocketsitter Bushwacker and second-over Photobombr Hanover — who slugged it out late. Bushwacker had the better part of a length past midstretch, but the 3-year-old Photobombr Hanover kept fierce pursuit. In the end only a nose separated the pair, with Bushwacker the more photogenic for trainer Chris Ryder and owner Henderson Farms as the Rocknroll Hanover gelding took his lifetime bankroll to $667,457. Anthony Napolitano and Jim Marohn Jr. had earlier accounted for the $16,500 co-features. Napolitano was behind the trotter Skates N Plates, a son of Revenue S who won by a length in a new mark of 1:53 for trainer Andrew Harris and owner Bob Key. On the pace Marohn also used a pocket-rallying technique as the Modern Art gelding Si Semalu lowered his mark to 1:49.1 for trainer Bruce Clarke and owner John Coffey.

Saratoga Casino Hotel

Deetzy (Jereme’s Jet) won his first Open Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel last month. The Heidi Rohr-trained pacer came from the back of the pack in a race that featured blistering fast fractions in lap one. In that start, Deetzy scored in a career-best 1:50 with Billy Dobson in the sulky. Following back-to-back third place finishes in the $18,000 feature, Deetzy was the public’s betting favorite on Saturday night (Oct. 14) and Dobson wasted no time setting sail with the 5-year-old pacer who is in the midst of his career year. Deetzy posted fast first half fractions of :27 and :55.1 before cruising through three-quarters in 1:23. Pocket sitter Rocknroll Wildcats (Jimmy Devaux) made his debut in the Open on Saturday and wound up second best to the 6-5 favorite Deetzy who stopped the timer in 1:50.2 in what was the second Open score in his young career. Dancin Yankee (Mark Beckwith) hit the board for the fourth consecutive week in the Open by earning the show spot. Deetzy moved over the quarter million dollar mark in career earnings with the victory, which was his fifth of the season. Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee beginning at 12:15 p.m.