by harness racing publicists across North America

The Friday (July 15) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Scarborough Downs, Buffalo Raceway, Tioga Downs, Vernon Downs and Saratoga.

Switzer scores a “Six Pack” at Scarborough Downs

Scarborough, ME — Kevin Switzer Jr. held the hot hand at Scarborough Downs on Friday (July 15) as the man in “Black and Blue” put a bruising on his fellow drivers, scoring six wins from the eight-race program.

Switzer currently resides in second place in the local drivers standing, but impressively is ranked third when it comes to the best driving percentage in all of North America. He sports a hefty .413 Universal Driver Rating Statistic (UDRS).

Michael Newman photo

Kevin Switzer Jr. guides six horses to victory at Scarborough Downs.

Here he is as he scores his third win of the day with Mystican, holding off a determined stretch run from Call Me Hal to seal the deal at the wire.

Scarborough Downs features live harness racing with twilight cards on Thursday, Friday and Saturday with post time at 4:30 p.m. Eastern. The Sunday matinees get underway at 1:30 p.m.

For more information, visit www.ScarboroughDowns.com or our Facebook page.

— by Michael Sweeney

Buffalo Raceway

Red Clay wasn’t asked to do much for more than three-quarters of the mile but when driver Shawn McDonough called on him to go to work, he responded in a big way and captured the $10,000 Open Trot at Buffalo Raceway on Friday (July 15) night. Getting a perfect pocket trip, Red Clay ($11.00) roared by the pace-setting Winkys Pride in the stretch and scored a convincing two-length victory in 1:59.1 over the fast track. Winkys Pride managed to grab the lead from the start and set fractions of :28.3, :59.2 and 1:29.1. Red Clay, in the meantime, was more than happy to draft along in second until the top of the lane. When his opportunity arrived, Red Clay pounced on it and rolled to the lead while Winkys Pride (Drew Monti) could do nothing but watch. Serious George (Mike Caprio) showed some late trot and gobbled up the show spot. Co-owned by trainer Carmen Cappotelli and Patricia Cappotelli, Red Clay (American Mike-Ersa Kash) now has three victories in 12 starts in 2016. The 6-year-old gelding has earned $20,526 this season and $46,340 lifetime. Todd Cummings and Kevin Cummings each had driving doubles while trainer Angelo Nappo had two wins. Action continues on Saturday (July 16) evening at 6 p.m. with a 13-race card on tap. There’s a $857 carryover in the Pick-5 which begins in the fifth race. For more information including upcoming promotions, race replays, results and the latest news, go to www.buffaloraceway.com.

Tioga Downs

The J P Stables’ All Charged Up ($6.50) took full advantage of a clear pocket trip in Friday (July 15) evening’s featured $11,000 Mares Open I Pace at Tioga Downs, reeling in pacesetter K J’s Caroline in the last yards of a 1:53.1 mile. Fresh off a top-level win at Vernon off a similar tracking trip, the 5-year-old Ponder mare kept close from the outset via her inside draw, pursuing the uncontested K J’s Caroline (Jim Taggart, Jr.) through splits of :27.4, :57.2, and 1:25.2. Despite K J’s Caroline’s best efforts to evade her foes on the far turn, All Charged Up worked to the fore in deep stretch, putting three-quarters of a length on K J’s Caroline in the final 70 yards. Mydelight Bluechip (Kyle DiBenedetto) chased stoutly to just miss second off her ground-saving trip. Tom Jackson handled the driving duties of All Charged Up for Vernon-based trainer John MacDonald. Mike Simons led all drivers with three wins on the nine-race card. The hat trick gives Simons a 35-33 lead over Scott Coulter in the Tioga driver standings. Live racing returns to Tioga on Saturday (July 16) evening, with a $391.02 carryover in the 50-cent Pick-5. Post time is slated for 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Vernon Downs

Parkhill Horton ($12.20) made full use a pocket trip en route to his 1:56 triumph in Friday (July 15) evening’s top-level $6,500 Miracle Mile Trot at Vernon Downs, pushing to the fore in mid-stretch and drawing clear to evade a pair of late challengers. Truman Gale made an early push to secure the pocket with the 8-year-old Oaklea Julian gelding, tracking pacesetter Count Speed (John MacDonald) through fairly comfortable early sectionals of :29 and :58.2. As Count Speed accelerated mildly through the far turn, Parkhill Horton stuck right with him before edging off the pegs with just over a quarter-mile remaining. The two dueled off the far turn, and Parkhill Horton pushed his head clear just inside the eighth pole, ultimately opening up to a two-length winning margin in 1:56. Gimme the Cash (Angus MacDonald) split rivals late off a stalking trip to just take second over the mildly chasing Hallanet (Donald Dancer), while the worn-down Count Speed-while fourth-was barely nosed out for the runner-up spot. Trainer Robert Gale shares ownership of 15-time winner Parkhill Horton with Jeffrey Agan and David Adsit. Live racing continues at the Miracle Mile on Saturday (July 16) evening, with a 10-race card slated to commence at 6:45 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga

So Nice (Ponder) pulled off the mild upset in Friday’s (July 15) feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Amber Buter-trained mare recorded her fifth win on the season and it came in the $15,000 Fillies and Mares Open as she parlayed her pocket ride to victory. Super Soph (Frank Coppola Jr.) charged out to the early lead and parked out the race’s favorite Godiva Seelster (Wally Hennessey) in sizzling first half fractions of :26.3 and :54.2 over a track labeled ‘good.’ Super Soph still led turning for home but was faced with a two-pronged challenge as rivals So Nice and Bazooka Terror (Billy Dobson) closed in. So Nice, the track’s current record holder for oldere pacing mares behind a 1:52 score late last season, rallied up the rail to prevail in 1:52.1 with Mark Beckwith in the sulky. Longshot Bazooka Terror was the runner up in the Friday feature while Super Soph held on for third. It was victory number 20 in the career of the 6-year-old distaffer. So Nice who returned $14.00 to win and led an exacta and triple that paid $118 and $449.50, respectively. Live racing continues on Saturday (July 16) night with a first post time set for 6:45 p.m.