by harness racing publicists across North America

Saturday’s (Oct. 22) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Pocono, Vernon Downs, Hollywood Dayton Raceway, Saratoga and Batavia Downs.

Terror Time A wins sixth straight at Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — The sizzling pacer Terror Time A won his sixth straight race Saturday night (Oct. 22) at the Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, taking the biggest purse race of the evening, the card’s $18,000 opener, in 1:51.1. But for the fourth time after his last seven races, he’ll start his next day in a different barn.

The $25,000 claimer, an altered son of Western Terror, didn’t let a little thing like being parked ruin his evening, as he ran away and hid from his opposition, scoring by eight lengths for driver George Napolitano Jr., trainer Chris Oakes, and owner Hunter Oakes.

As hard as it may be to believe, Terror Time A actually saw more of the inner pylons than did Oakes’ winner in the night’s $15,500 trotting feature, the Kadabra gelding Caulfield, who won in 1:55 for Synerco Ventures Inc. Although stuck with the outermost post eight, driver Sean Bier had this horse in play throughout despite traveling the overland route for just over three-quarters of the mile. He went on well to the wire to score by 1-1/2 lengths over 56-1 shot Brookroad Knight.

The $15,500 pacing feature saw Somewhere in L A overcoming the outside post eight and winning in 1:52.2.

The Sombeachsomewhere gelding, trained by Ron Burke for Our Horse Cents Stables, J&T Silva Stables LLC along with Deo Volente Farms LLC and T L P Stable, only had to travel most of the :26.2 first quarter outside to get the lead for driver Pat Berry. They then put up middle fractions of :54.4 and 1:22.3, then fought a stiff stretch headwind and a rail-shooting Kid PK to prevail by a half-length to make his record two-for-two since invading

— by PHHA/Pocono

Vernon Downs

Drivers John MacDonald and Fern Paquet, Jr. each captured four of Saturday evening’s (Oct. 22) 10 races at Vernon Downs, with MacDonald also copping top honors in the featured $7,900 upper level pacing event with odds-on favorite Flying Cowboy ($3.50). Despite chilly and rainy conditions, Flying Cowboy wasted no time securing the early lead, clearing from his assigned outside post to control early sectionals of :28.1 and :57.2. The 6-year-old Brandon’s Cowboy gelding faced his stiffest challenge on the far turn—when Cheyenne Reider (Truman Gale) briefly headed him during a :27.1 third quarter—but he responded beautifully under pressure. Flying Cowboy kicked away to defeat Cheyenne Reider by 3-1/4 lengths in 1:53.1, while Bondi Hanover (Chris Lems) rallied mildly to take third. Joe Skowyra trains Flying Cowboy for owner Wade Wyatt. While “The Prime Minister” took top honors in the night’s feature, Paquet would help give trainer Jordan Hope a double on the night, partnering with Hurrikane Bud K ($6.30, 1:54.1) and Flashy Trick ($5.70, 1:53.3). The penultimate week of racing at Vernon Downs offers Friday (Oct. 28) and Saturday (Oct. 29) programs, with post time each evening scheduled for 6:45 p.m.

Hollywood Dayton Raceway

Despite never seeing a pylon and still racing sixth at the three-quarter mile marker, Rockin Finish angled four-wide at the head of the stretch and swept to a 1:51.3 victory in Hollywood Dayton Raceway’s $15,000 Open Pace on Saturday night (Oct. 22). Driver Eric Goodell, who recently relocated to southwest Ohio and planned to compete on the Hollywood Dayton-Miami Valley circuit throughout the winter, was in the sulky of the 7-year-old gelding who notched his 8th win of 2016 and 36th of his career. The half-million plus purse earner is a son of Rocknroll Hanover, owned by Gerrie Tucker, and trained by Tyler George. Hawk’s Red Chief (Chris Page) was hustled from the outside post position directly to the front, clearing to the pylons just past the :26.4 quarter-mile clocking. Tail Gunner Hall (Kyle Ater), who was last week’s feature race winner, settled into the pocket spot as favored My Buddy Ninkster (Josh Sutton), who paced the third fastest mile in track history (1:50) in a conditioned race his last start, moved first-over into the outer flow early in the second quarter. Eventual runner-up Sports Sinner (Dan Noble) took up residence in the second-over position throughout the middle stations with Rockin Finish in tow. The half-mile was reached in :55 and the three-quarters in 1:22.1 before Rockin Finish collared the pacesetters during a :29.2 final panel. Dispatched at 7-1, Rockin Finish returned $17.60 to win, the $2 exacta coupled with Sports Sinner kicked back $67.80. The 50-cent trifecta paid $79.25 with My Buddy Ninkster holding on for third.

Saratoga

St Lads Moonwalk (Mach Three) prevailed in his local debut on Saturday night (Oct. 22) at Saratoga Casino Hotel as the Jackie Rousse trainee went coast-to-coast in the evening’s Open Pace. St Lads Moonwalk joined the Rousse stable a few weeks ago and following a win and a third place finish at Vernon Downs took part in the $18,000 Open at the Spa over a sloppy track on Saturday. The 3-year-old pacer marched out to the early lead and after posting honest first half fractions of :27 and :56.1 felt pressure for the first time as he paced towards three-quarters. St Lads Moonwalk held off the late surge from pocket sitter RU Ready To Rock (Jay Randall) before stopping the timer in 1:52.2. RU Ready To Rock was the runner-up while longshot Sassy Hanover (Billy Dobson) finished third. The early speed held in the Open and resulted in a line-up number that paid $54.50 (exacta) and $341.50 (triple) in the exotics. St Lads Moonwalk is the third Rousse trainee to win the Open Pace this year at Saratoga joining stablemates Artful Way and Titus Seelster. St Lads Moonwalk returned $11.20 to win in the mild upset with leading driver Frank Coppola Jr. in the sulky. Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 23) with a matinee beginning at 12:15 p.m.

Batavia Downs

Jim Morrill Jr. was on fire at Batavia Downs Saturday night (Oct. 22) as he won seven of the 13 races carded and vaulted himself into the dash driving lead for the meet. Morrill started early and was relentless as the night went on. He scored with Thunderbolt Jaxon ($4.80, 1:56.3), Outoftexas ($5.50, 1:55.3), Green Olives ($3.30, 1:56.2), Dodger Hanover ($2.80, 1:57.3), Littlebitaclass ($7.00, 1:54.2), Adversary Seelster ($3.50, 1:57.1) and Zipnthruthehall ($2.90, 1:57). The current record for wins on one card at Batavia Downs is eight, set by Jim Morrill Jr. in 2005 and matched by John Cummings Jr. in 2006. Beside his septuple successes, Morrill also had three seconds and a third among his 12 drives for the night and that added up to a .750 UDR for the evening. Morrill is currently ranked third in North America for UDR in 2016, sporting a gaudy .415 for the year. He has amassed 322 wins in 1,197 starts and earned $3,776,654 as a result to this point. The fifth win of the night for Morrill was with Littlebitaclass who won the $10,000 Open pacing feature. Claimed two weeks ago for $20,000 and victorious in each start since, Littlebitaclass left and out-legged China Dream (Shawn Gray) to the front shortly after they passed the quarter pole. From there, Morrill grabbed leather to settle the gelding until Knocking Around (Dave McNeight III) drew alongside approaching three-quarters. When they tripped the timer in 1:25.2 at that station, Knocking Around took a half-length lead and appeared to have gotten the best of the leader. But Littlebitaclass gallantly fought back and regained a neck advantage by the head of the stretch. But Knocking Around would not go away and was joined in the fray by China Dream, who had gotten the trip and came up the passing lane. Flanked by adversaries on both sides, Littlebitaclass dug in hard and refused to lose, hitting the wire first by a mere head in 1:54.2. It was the ninth win of the year for Littlebitaclass and it boosted his earnings to $52,201 for 2016. The 5-year-old gelded son of Santana Blue Chip is owned by Mike Torcello and trained by Gerry Sarama. Trainer Alex Giuliani sent three winners post-ward while fellow conditioners Gerry Sarama and Mihajlo Zdjelar Jr. each doubled up. As was previously mentioned, there is a new dash driving title leader at Batavia Downs in Jim Morrill Jr., who now tops everyone with 73 wins. Kevin Cummings, who was not in action Saturday, is tied for second with Drew Monti with 68 wins and Ray Fisher Jr. is a close fourth with 62. Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Oct. 26) with post time at 6:15 p.m.