from Harness Publicists across North America

Sunday’s (September 28) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Colonial Downs and the Billings Series.

Awesome Way takes U Gotta Win One Now Final

New Kent, VA — Awesome Way parlayed a perfect trip into a 1-1/4 length win in the $9,200 final of the U Gotta Win One Now late closing series on Sunday afternoon at Colonial Downs.

Driver Sean Bier tucked Awesome Way into second behind G-String Jenna as the field hit the first turn of the unusual 1-1/4 mile race. G-String Jenna set reasonable early fractions, pacing the opening quarter in :29.1 and the half in :58.1.

Awesome Way was content to save ground in the pocket into the turn as G-String Jenna continued to lead through three-quarters in 1:27.3. Hi Im Johnny Kash made the first move on the turn, sweeping up on a first-over move to get within a neck of G-String Jenna as the field turned for home.

G-String Jenna clung to the lead in the upper stretch with Hi Im Johnny Kash breathing down his neck and Awesome Way poised just 1-1/2 lengths back in third. Hi Im Johnny Kash went by the pacesetter after the eighth pole but Awesome Way found a seam and blew by everyone in the final sixteenth to post the 1-1/4 length victory. Leadmetothetruth closed fastest of all to get second by a neck over Hi Im Johnny Kash.

Awesome Way paced the 1-1/4 mile distance in 2:25.2. The win was the second of the year for the 3-year-old Dream Away gelding. Wayne Short trains Awesome Way and co-owns him with Henry C. Wieseneck.

— Kyle Fitzgerald

Canadian amateurs win three of four Billings contests

Monticello, NY — Perhaps it was only fitting that the Canadian members of the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driving Series won most of the contests on their home turf this past weekend. Though it wasn’t a competition among the participating reinsmen of the four races at the three different tracks, the Canadians won three times and the Americans once.

On Friday at Rideau Carleton, Vladimir “Butch” Melnichenko — yes, he’s American — sat a two-hole pocket trip with Eastwood Fly and then rallied in the homestretch to a 2:03.2 victory over Churro, who was handled by “Fast Philippe” Trudeau. Todd “the Downeaster” Whitney chugged home third best with Incredibly Elegant.

What Trudeau failed to accomplish in the first division he did in the second Billings split when the French-Canadian reined Latenight Bayama to a solid three length triumph in a swift 1:57.4. Another Canadian, though not from Quebec, “Dynamite Dave” Drew, hustled Day To San Jose home for second place while Alain Lamontagne took home the show dough with Carl’s Future.

The management of Rideau Carleton and their horsemen were very gracious and wanted the Billings Series to be part of their racing program even though trotters are at a premium there. They inquired if it would be all right to offer a pacing race for the Billings members and of course the members agreed and the aforementioned contest was with sidewheelers.

The same scenario took place the following day at Hippodrome Gatinau — formerly Hippodrome d’Aylmer — where Alain Lamontagne reined The Gaspe Clipper to a two length, 2:00 victory over the half-mile oval there. Fellow Canadian “Racin’ Jason” Sgrignuoli finished second with 35-1 shot Bridgeports Best and “Dynamite Dave” Drew made it a Canadian sweep when he guided Herecomesyourpan home third best.

Jason Sgrignuoli’s victory at Sulky Quebec on September 25 helped the local teamsters take three of four Billings wild card contests on the recent Billings Canadian tour which marked the first time in many years that racetracks in Quebec hosted the series.

Next action in the Billings Series will be on October 2 at the Red Mile.

— John Manzi