from harness publicists across North America

Saturday’s (Sept. 13) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Scioto Downs Racino, Hoosier Park, Tioga Downs, Vernon Downs, Batavia Downs and Saratoga Casino and Raceway.

Sweet Talkin Satin captures $25K Open Pace at Scioto

Columbus, OH — Sweet Talkin Satin prevailed in Saturday’s (Sept 13) $25,000 Open Pace feature at Scioto Downs in 1:49.4.

Scioto Downs photo

Sweet Talkin Satin was victorious in 1:49.4 for driver Chris Page in Saturday night’s Open Pace at Scioto Downs Racino.

The 4-year old gelded son of Always A Virgin out of Silky Satin is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, J&T Silva Stables and Phil Collura. Sweet Talkin Satin was driven by Chris Page and started from post seven in the assigned field of seven.

Page used the gelding’s great gate speed to his advantage to launch for early position when the starter said go. Landing in the third spot behind the inside leavers of Carol’s Comet and J’s Six Pak Attack. They clocked the opening quarter in a hot :26. Page wasn’t content sitting third and pulled shortly after the quarter to take command before they hit the half mile that was paced in :53.4.

Jeremy Smith and J’s Six Pak Attack were the first to make their move, pulling first-up. Josh Sutton and Kanaris followed suit to pick up the cover. Meanwhile, Ardyne Ace and Randy Tharps made a huge three-wide move down the backside to drop in front of J’s Six Pak Attack. Sweet Talkin Satin felt the pressure and paced down to the three quarters in 1:22.2. The field swarmed in on the leader in the stretch, but Sweet Talkin Satin dug in to win by a length over a closing Kanaris and Carol’s Comet settled for third.

This win was the 13th career victory for Sweet Talkin Satin in his 45th try and is closing in on $350,000 in career earnings.

— Scioto Downs Racino

Hoosier Park
As one of only two mares in the field, Lady Blitz pulled the 10-1 upset over her male counterparts in the featured event of the evening, a $22,000 Invitational Trot, at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday, September 13. Given a perfect, pocket trip by driver James Yoder, Lady Blitz stopped the timer in 1:53.4 to score her seventh win of the season. Leaving from post five, Yoder sent Lady Blitz away from the gate firing to grab a pocket seat behind Creatine and Trace Tetrick who got the first call in :27.1. Creatine led the field to the second station in :56.2 but was quickly joined on the outside by the post time favorite Natural Herbie and Verlin Yoder who were unable to find a spot along the rail. After being parked out for much of the mile, Natural Herbie pressed on and was able to reach the leader’s wheel at the three-quarter clocking in 1:25.2. While much of the damage was being done on the front, Lady Blitz waited patiently to make her move from the pocket. Natural Herbie was able to wear down the tiring leader but the taxing trip began to take its’ toll on him as well. Lady Blitz was given the green light and she exploded from the pocket to finish two lengths in front of her stablemate Natural Herbie who held on gamely for second. Anaffairtoremember, the other mare in the field, rounded out the trifecta with driver Peter Wrenn in the sulky. As the publics’ fourth choice, Lady Blitz returned $23.00 to her backers at the window. Trained and owned by Verlin Yoder, Lady Blitz scored her seventh win from 17 seasonal starts and just missed her lifetime mark by a fifth of a second with the 1:53.4 victory. The daughter of Keystone Blitz-Oriental Lady is a multiple Indiana Sires Stakes champion who now sports a lifetime bankroll of $388,281. The upset trend continued in the featured pacing event of the evening as Thebestofjoel and Tyler Smith scored in 1:50.3 as the longest shot on the board in the $22,000 Invitational Pace. Dismissed at odds of 30-1, Thebestofjoel was able to turn a pocket-trip into a win and give driver Tyler Smith his fourth win of the evening. Trained by Jeff Cullipher, Thebestofjoel has now won seven of 28 seasonal starts and equaled his lifetime mark with the win.

Tioga Downs
Tirade Hanover and Tyber Tyke proved victorious in Saturday (September 13) evening’s co-featured $15,000 Open events at Tioga Downs, headlining an eleven-race closing night card. Tirade Hanover ($16.60) sustained a sweeping three-wide bid on the far turn for a 1:54.3 victory in the $15,000 Open Trot, staving off a resurgent Oh No Three O. The 4-year-old Crazed gelding was well off dueling leaders In Your Room (Mike Simons) and Oh No Three O (Fern Paquet, Jr.) through a :55.3 initial half mile, sweeping three-wide past a stalled Spice It Up Lindy (Tom Jackson) en route to the far turn. Tirade Hanover continued on to the lead 100 yards from the winning post, maintaining his momentum to just hold off Oh No Three O, who split rivals in a late rally from the pocket. B L Class Act (Aaron Byron) gained late down the grandstand side to take third. Tyler Raymer drove Tirade Hanover to his fifteenth career win. Trainer Leigh Raymer shares ownership with Stephen Moss, Harold Solomon, and Helane Solomon. Hoosier invader Tyber Tyke ($4.90) kicked clear late in the $15,000 Open Handicap Pace after sustaining a barrage of pressure, emerging from a four-way battle to control a :55.1 initial half mile. The 5-year-old Panspacificflight gelding then repelled a stout first-over challenge from Golden Gun (John Cummings, Jr.) before drawing clear to a 6-1/4 length victory in :50.3. Bettorsluckystreak (Jim Taggart, Jr.) took second narrowly after shaking free in the final yards, while Dreamlands Art (Mike Simons) finished a tiring third after stalking from the pocket. Fern Paquet, Jr. handled the driving duties aboard Tyber Tyke for trainer Daniel Gill. John McGill and Brian Carsey co-own the 19-time winner. Tioga Downs honored driving champion Jim Marohn, Jr. and training champion Mike Deters during the evening’s festivities, along with acknowledgements of Trotter of the Year I Love New York (trained and driven by Bruce Clarke through the meet) and Pacer of the Year Fireyourguns (driven by Aaron Byron for trainer Terence McClory).

Vernon Downs
Oh My Joepa (Rocknroll Hanover-Nittany Lion) returned to the Vernon Downs Winner’s Circle after the $6,500 feature event on Saturday night. He had won two straight before finishing third last Saturday night. Oh My Joepa (Claude Huckabone III) sat in mid-pack throughout the early stages while You Bet Your Glass (Frank Davis) set the pace through a quarter of 27.3 seconds and a half-mile in 56.3 seconds. Oh My Joepa was able to catch some live cover from Western Tsunami (Roman Lopez) as the field moved on to the final turn. In fact, Western Tsunami took the lead as they paced past three-quarters in 1:25. That lead lasted into the stretch, but then Oh My Joepa rallied past on the outside and strode away to win handily in 1:53.1. Martial Bliss (Joe Nassimos), who had been sent aggressively at the start before settling into a pocket trip behind You Bet Your Glass, closed smartly to finish second. Melvyn (Truman Gale) trailed early on, but was another sharp closer at the end and finished third. The complete order of finish was: Oh My Joepa, Martial Bliss, Melvyn, Western Tsunami, The Green Knight, Dragon Fever, Cabbie’s Delight, and You Bet Your Glass. Oh My Joepa is owned and trained by Michael Deters of Coconut Creek, Florida.

Batavia Downs
After a perfect trip in a short field, Best Ears scored his second Open pace victory in the last three weeks, capturing the featured race in 1:54.4. Favored Western Alumni (Jim McNeight) took early command and led an unfettered life through a causal :57 half. With no other takers, driver Jack Flanigen pulled Best Ears and came first-over to pressure the leader and that’s when it got interesting. McNeight stepped up the pace with a :28.3 third panel to try and put some distance between his horse and the approaching conqueror but they couldn’t stem the tide. Best Ears roared alongside and the two paced as a pair to the top of the lane. Halfway down the stretch, Best Ears got the advantage and took the lead and held off a late charging What The Sheik (Dave McNeight III) in the process. What The Sheik finished second and Western Alumni hung on for third. It was the seventh win in 31 starts for Best Ears and increased his 2014 earnings to $49,017 for owners Joseph Amico Jr. and Joseph Amico. The winner returned $5.90. Driver Shawn McDonough scored a driving triple on the night with Kevin Cummings and Jack Flanigen both bagging doubles.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Panocchio (No Pan Intended) scored his first Open Pace victory since July on Saturday night at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. The Jimmy Mattison-trained 4-year-old is in the midst of a breakout year and secured his ninth win of the season in just nineteen tries as he out closed his rivals in the $17,000 Saturday feature. Gerry Mattison piloted Panocchio and sat patiently with the top pacer as the fractions in the first half were sizzling despite a sloppy track after a day full of rain in Saratoga. The race favorite Bet On Roulette (Wally Hennessey) came first-over after a half in a demanding 55.2 and Panocchio followed third-over before reeling in Bet On Roulette in the final furlong. Bet On Roulette was a strong second in the mile paced in 1:53.3 while Code Word (Joe Bongiorno) came on to finish third. Panocchio returned $12.80 to win while the exacta with the even money favorite second came back $34.60.