from harness publicists across North America

Friday night’s (Sept. 30) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Vernon Downs, Saratoga and Batavia Downs.

Sweet Thing dominates distaffers in Vernon trot

Vernon, NY — Heavy pressure into a blistering :25.4 first quarter could not deter Sweet Thing ($7.00), as she fought to hold her ground on the first turn and subsequently edged away to a 3-3/4 length win in Friday evening’s featured $7,900 top-level distaff trot at Vernon Downs.

Sweet Thing and driver Fern Paquet, Jr. meant business from the race’s outset, refusing to yield to even-money favorite My Lucky Word (Chris Lems) through a cut-throat duel into the first turn. The 4-year-old Chocolatier mare worked to protect inside position despite being headed out the straight, in fact forcing My Lucky Word into the pocket upon reaching the back of the course and controlling middle sectionals of :55 and 1:24.4.

A new challenger emerged coming off the far turn, as Mc Tiny’s Hope (Ben McNeil) gained without cover to take second from the fading My Lucky Word. Despite the presence of a fresh rival, Sweet Thing steadily drew away, posting a 1:53.3 victory over Mc Tiny’s Hope, while the late-rallying Painite (Truman Gale) took third as the 19-1 longest shot in the race.

Trainer Homer Hochstetler owns nine-time winner Sweet Thing in partnership with Robert Buddig.

In the sub-featured $6,700 trotting event, Walk The Floor ($6.80) circled from third-over to prevail, fanning to the grandstand side off the far turn and collaring the first-over Pegasus Point in the final yards of a 1:55.3 mile. Trainer Angus MacDonald drove the 5-year-old Crazed gelding to his second consecutive win.

Live racing returns to Vernon Downs with an 11-race card on Saturday (Oct. 1) evening. Post time is 6:45 p.m. (EDT).

— James Witherite

Saratoga
Velocity Vespa (I Scoot Hanover) continued her sensational 2016 campaign on Friday night at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Rich Banca-trained mare recorded win number 17 on the season as she went coast to coast in the $16,000 Fillies and Mares Open. Velocity Vespa is a dominant force when she makes the lead but has been a non-factor when having to come from off the pace. That trend continued on Friday night when the 6-year-old mare marched out to the early lead in a first quarter of :27.1 and never looked back. Facing a bid from the first over favorite Mosquito Blue Chip (Bruce Aldrich Jr.), Velocity Vespa dug in and put that one away turning for home. So Nice (Austin Siegelman), maybe the most consistent force in the Friday feature this year, closed sharply up the inside and finished second. She has now been the runner-up in four consecutive tries in the local Open. Velocity Vespa’s 17th seasonal score came in 1:53.1. The race’s second choice in the wagering at odds of 8-5, Velocity Vespa led an exacta that paid $26.40 and a triple that returned $69.50 in the six horse feature. The standout distaffer was piloted to the win by Jimmy Devaux.

Batavia
Justgottogetthere was one of the best resident trotters in western New York last year, however 2016 has been a bit of a different story. But it was like old times for the gelding on Friday night as he won the $10,500 Open trotting feature at Batavia Downs. Justgottogetthere (Jim Morrill Jr.) went right to the front at the start of the race and remained there until the end. While setting early panels of :28.2 and :58.4, the only challenge the leader got came from Snapshot Springs (Drew Monti) who pulled near the half and tried to engage the front. But the closest he could get was a half-length from second seated Noble Legend (Shawn Gray) who was tracking there the whole mile. After they hit three-quarters in 1:27.2, Justgottogetthere got busy and extended his lead around the far turn and just trotted away in the lane to win by three in 1:57.1. Noble Legend was second and Snapshot Springs finished third. It was the fourth win of the year and a seasonal mark for Justgottogetthere ($11.20), and the first trip to the winner’s circle with him for new owner Mike Torcello, who privately purchased the son of Valley Victor on Sept. 3. Gerry Sarama trains Justgottogetthere. In the co-featured $8,500 Open II trot, Serious George ($5.50) came early to press the front running Socialdelight (Ray Fisher Jr.) before running her down to win in 1:57.4. Serious George is owned by James Palladino and is trained by Richard Mays. John Cummings Jr. won four races Friday night. He had pictures taken with Gun Show ($4.00, 1:56.2), Hez A Buckeye ($5.60, 1:59), V I P ($9.20, 2:02) and Northern Matador ($13.20, 1:59). Shawn Gray and Jim Morrill Jr. both chimed in with two wins apiece. The Batavia Downs early Pick-5, which on Friday was part of the USTA Strategic Wagering Program with a guaranteed $4,000 pool, recorded the track’s largest handle ever by 50 percent. The 3-2-1-2-6 combination returned $202.00. Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Oct. 1) with a guaranteed early Pick-5 pool of $1,500. Post time is 6:15 p.m.