Dave Oxford photo

Heather K won for the fourth time in 2009, scoring in a time of 1:56.1

Utilizing her early speed, Heather K went to the lead in the early stages and never looked back. Finishing first or second in nearly half of her lifetime races, Heather K has become a fixture in the $12,500 claiming pace for mares as she has hit the board in 11 of 17 tries in ‘09.

Mark Beckwith was the winning driver for trainer Heidi Rohr as they recorded a double on the afternoon program, registering an earlier win with Hoosier Smirk, who set a lifetime mark in the matinee’s fifth race. The wins were two of three on the afternoon for Beckwith, who currently sits in fourth in the driver standings at the Spa.

Brian Allen was the winningest driver on the afternoon as he piloted four winners. Allen swept the late pick three behind strong efforts from Hitachi, Armbro Dizzy and Chasing Hope. The latter pair comprised a training double for John Rybka, Jr.

Allen, a fixture in the top five in the standings for the past several seasons, was off to a little bit of a slow start to the year but has been much hotter of late as he has made his way into eighth in the list.

— Mike Sardella

Wojcio pilots four to victory lane at The Rock

Salem, NH — Richard Wojcio had a banner day at Rockingham Park on Sunday as he drove four winners, and everyone who backed him at the windows celebrated along with him.

Wojcio partnered with Finally Finished in the fourth of the 10 races on the card and when the Ralph Anderson-trainee crossed under the wire first in 1:59 on a sloppy track, the toteboard flashed $51.60 for a $2 wager. Wojcio came right back in the fifth race with Get Around Busch, trained by Basil Sapienza, and lit up the board again with a $90.20 winner. Wojcio also won the seventh race with Budlightning, who paid $11.20, and the eighth race with Chianaglia ($7.20).

Longshots have ruled thus far in the meet, which began on June 6, but none has topped the modern day harness racing record win price of $181 for a $2 bet that was set in 2006.

— Lynne Snierson

Opening weekend concludes at Ocean Downs

Berlin, MD — Frank Milby won the feature race on Sunday at Ocean Downs as he drove Keystone Rhythm ($3.20), a 5-year-old mare, to a victory that came down to the wire.

“I wanted to lead the pack, but other horses got there first,” he said. “So I decided to wait and bait them. I picked up my pace at the right moment and was able to get to the wire first.”

The sixth race also proved to be another tightly contested contest as 29-year-old Kasey Shahan emerged victorious, driving 6-year-old gelding Four Starz Cacti ($44.60). Shahan says that luck was on his side during the battle.

“I saw the heavily favored horse (Grab The Fortune) still in the pack and I knew that if he was running like he could, then he would be crushing the pack by 10 lengths. So I pushed my horse into the next gear and we were able to win. There’s nothing wrong with getting lucky.”

— Ozi Menakaya

The lady was the champ in Billings action at Balmoral Park

Monticello, NY — Had the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Series midwest region trot at Balmoral Park on Sunday been a betting race, the winner, Spit Happens, driven by “Michelle the Belle” Ruvola, probably would have paid a big price because her veteran 7-year-old had not hit the board in his five previous seasonal starts. And add the fact that last year’s winningest trotter, Eng-amer Bobby, driven by Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford, already was one-for-one this year and would have had all the attention in the contest.

Obviously undaunted by the aforementioned opinion, the lady and Spit Happens settled down in third place after the field sped away from the gate and Oldford and Eng-amer Bobby cruised to a soft :30.1 first stanza. Oldford’s trotter was comfortable on the lead as the field passed the half in 1:00.2 and they still had 1-1/2 lengths on the field as they passed the three quarters in 1:30, at which point Ruvola and Spit Happens still remained covered in third position.

When the field headed down the long homestretch and Spit Happens ranged alongside Eng-amer Bobby the pace quickened as the two raced side by side to the finish. In the final strides the lady was the champ as Spit Happens got a head decision over Eng-amer Bobby. The two leaders trotted the final stanza in :28.3 en route to a 1:58.3 victory. Third place went to Done Dreamen in rein to “Trader Bud” Hatfield.

— John Manzi