from harness racing publicists across North America

The Saturday (Oct. 21) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from The Meadows, Scarborough Downs, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Vernon Downs, Batavia Downs Hollywood Dayton Raceway and Saratoga Casino Hotel.

Racing Roundup: Stride Of pride wins third straight Meadows $20K pace

Washington, PA — Stride Of Pride captured his third straight win, this one as impressive as the previous two, in Saturday’s (Oct. 21) $20,000 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows.

Chris Gooden photo

Stride Of Pride wins his third straight race at The Meadows on Saturday afternoon.

Stride Of Pride was stalking Dapper Dude from the pocket when Dave Palone sent him wide for the drive. The 4-year-old Manhardt-Apple B gelding blew by Dapper Dude and drew off late to down his rival by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:51. Happy Andyversary was a ground-saving third.

It was the fifth win in the last six starts for Stride Of Pride with a combined victory margin of 16-1/2 lengths.

Ron Burke trains him for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and RTC Stables.

Burke enjoyed a four-bagger on the 12-race card while Jim Pantaleano and Palone each fashioned a triple.

— by Evan Pattak

Scarborough Downs

Walter Case, Jr, who was making his first driving appearance in nearly nine years on Saturday (Oct. 21), showed little signs of rust while winning three races on a picture perfect mid-autumn afternoon at Scarborough Downs. Case, a state of Maine native and the sport’s eighth leading dash winner of all time with 11,041 wins, was recently granted a provisional driver’s license by the Maine Harness Racing Commission, clearing the way for his first raceway starts since November of 2008. Case held off a determined inside charge from Ms Lynette and driver Mitch Cushing to collect his first win with Real Yankee. Live harness racing will resume on Sunday with a 1:30 post time. Scarborough Downs will proudly feature live harness racing every Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. throughout the fall season, with closing day of the 2017 meet scheduled for Dec. 10. For more information, visit www.ScarboroughDowns.com or visit our Facebook page.

The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono

Scott Rocks reclaimed the lead approaching the second turn, then held off the long first-over bid of Maxdaddy Blue Chip to take Saturday’s $25,000 winners-over handicap pace at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in 1:49.4. George Napolitano Jr. sent the Rocknroll Hanover gelding to the lead in quick order, then kept Bushwacker outside until releasing him nearing the wire for the first time. But Scott Rocks was quick to reclaim the lead, then dug in to battle against the uncovered Maxdaddy Blue Chip. Scott Rocks had the advantage of the inner position and paced his last half in :53.4, but he needed all his talent to hold off the stubborn and game Maxdaddy Blue Chip by a head. Chris Oakes trains the winner of 42 career races and $657,754 for the Northfork Racing Stable and Chuck Pompey. In the $16,500 co-feature pace, it was George’s brother Anthony entering Victory Lane after putting a new mark of 1:50 in the Western Ideal gelding JJ Flynn. The career winner of $254,048 rode cover second-over, then came home sharply to overhaul favored Luck Be Withyou by a neck for trainer Josh Green, also co-owner with Richard Lombardo, Carl Alley, and Charles Cochran III.

Vernon Downs

Dreams Beachboy (Chris Lems) were victorious in the Vernon Downs featured pace ($9,000) on Saturday (Oct. 21). Dreams Beachboy (Somebeachsomewhere), who is owned by Crawford Farms Racing and trained by Gates Brunet, would takes over just before three-quarters. The 5-year-old gelding found another gear and won by four lengths in 1:50.1.Major Leaguer (Jimmy Whittemore) finished second with Let Foal Around (Harry Landy) getting third. Dreams Beachboy ($6,10), won for the sixth time this year while picking up career win number 18. Lems would also get wins with Galows Nightmare($12.80), and Maceiver ($5.40) Fox Valley Cadet (Leon Bailey) would win for the fifth straight time at the Miracle Mile. Owned and trained by Harris O’Brien, the 5-year-old blew them away in the stretch winning by five lengths in 1:52.4 and paying $4.10 for the victory. Vernon Downs returns to live action on Thursday (Oct. 26), with leg number five of the Kindergarten Classic, featuring all 2-year-old classes. The 10-race card starts at 6:45 p.m. For more information go to www.vernondowns.com.

Batavia Downs

In what may have been the most entertaining race of the year, Rock Fame moved up in class after a lifetime best effort last week and turned a perfect trip into a late rally to win the $10,500 Open Handicap pace at Batavia Downs on Saturday evening (Oct. 21). In Runaway Bay (Kevin Cummings) out-dueled Rock Fame (Ron Beback Jr.) to the quarter in :26.4 before being immediately harassed by Fireyourguns (Mike Caprio) who tried to overtake him just past that station. Despite his best effort, Fireyourguns could not clear and was then parked to the three-quarter pole. That was when Show Stopping (Billy Davis Jr.), Teo Enteo A (Larry Stalbaum) and Focus Power (Drew Monti) tipped to attack and fanned four-wide against the still-leading In Runaway Bay. But it was Rock Fame, who sat the perfect two-hole trip behind all the action, that found the passing lane and out-sprinted everyone to the wire to win by a length in 1:53.2. It was the fifth win in the last seven starts and the eighth win of the year for Rock Fame ($10.20) who now boasts $40,773 on his card for 2017. Rock Fame has been owned by William Emmons since he claimed him for $12,500 at Batavia Downs on Aug. 27 and became the best resident pacer on the grounds for this week under the training of James Clouser Jr. In the co-featured $9,000 Open II pace, Miss Irish Rose A (Larry Stalbaum) took on a full-field of male opponents and went coast-to-coast to capture a narrow victory over Chickenwithabanjo (Jim Morrill Jr.) in 1:53.4, which was a new lifetime mark for the winner. Miss Irish Rose A ($2.40) now has three wins in four North American starts for owner/trainer/driver Larry Stalbaum. Drew Monti led all drivers with four wins on the card followed by Ron Beback Jr. and Larry Stalbaum with three each. Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday afternoon at 5 p.m.

Hollywood Dayton Raceway

Although he was hung three-wide through the first quarter before reaching the top in :26.4, K Ryan Bluechip held off all subsequent challenges and persevered to win the $18,500 Open Pace in 1:51.2 on Saturday (Oct. 21) at Hollywood Dayton Raceway. The even money favorite, a 5-year-old son of Art Major driven by Dan Noble, held off a hard-charging Whataboy (Chris Page) and Doctor Carter (Mike Micallef) to cop his 11th seasonal victory and 23rd of his career. Lucky Lime (Kyle Ater), who endured a grueling first-over journey, finished a respectable fourth, while My Buddy Ninkster (Tyler Smith) picked up the fifth and final check in the talented nine-horse field. The winner’s share pushed the Virgil Morgan Jr. trainees lifetime bounty over the $300,000 plateau. K Ryan Bluechip is owned by Carl Howard, Bruce and Trish Soulsby, and Alan Weisenberg.

Saratoga Casino Hotel

Leg two of the Gary Kamal Memorial Pacing Series took place on Saturday night at Saratoga Casino Hotel. There were three $10,000 divisions of the second leg of the series for young pacers. Zac And Forth (Village Jove) was the first of two back-to-back winners in the series on the night as the 4-year-old displayed his versatility. In leg one of the series, Zac And Forth went coast to coast to win in 1:53.2. On Saturday night, the John Podres trainee came from off the pace and outclosed his rivals to prevail in 1:53.1. Fellow leg one winner Carolina Beach (Mark Beckwith) was the second pacer to go back-to-back in the Kamal Memorial on the evening. Making just his fourth start in more than a year, Carolina Beach moved out to the early lead on Saturday and never looked back. The 3-year-old pacer stopped the timer in 1:53.1 to lower the lifetime mark he set last week by nearly two seconds. Beyombo (Frank Coppola Jr.) closed in the final strides to pull off the mild upset in the evening’s third division as the Jackie Greene trainee scored in a career best 1:54.2. The final of the fourth annual Gary Kamal Memorial Pace will take place next Saturday (Oct. 28) and go for a purse of an estimated $35,000. Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with a first post time of 12:15 p.m.