from harness publicists across North America

Wednesday’s (Feb. 25) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs, The Meadows, Miami Valley Raceway and Buffalo Raceway.

Tough Mac takes Open Handicap Trot at Dover

Dover, DE — Tough Mac registered his sixth win of the Dover Downs meet scoring a 1:53.3 triumph in the $18,000 Open Handicap Trot on a chilly Wednesday, Feb. 25.

Fotowon photo

Tough Mac (inside) won for the sixth time in the current Dover Downs meet in 1:53.3 on Wednesday.

Tough Mac held off a determined bid from Tirade Hanover (Vic Kirby) in the stretch to give driver Corey Callahan and trainer Dylan Davis a double. The 6-year-old altered son of Lockkeeper-Traditional Lady won for the second straight Wednesday, after suffering his only non-win of 2015, a second-place finish early in the month, losing to Tirade Hanover by a neck. Wind Of The North (Daryl Bier), sixth on the last turn closed with a rush to finish third in his first start of the meet

Tough Mac, owned by Mike Casalino, has now banked $43,000 this meet. His lifetime record shows 15 wins and $169,944 in earnings.

Kirby led the winner’s parade with four trips to the winner’s circle. Callahan, Davis, trainer Jim King and owner-trainer Leigh Raymer had two wins apiece.

Jebswesternshake seeks a sixth straight win heading the $25,000 Delaware Special Thursday feature race.

— Marv Bachrad

The Meadows
Atta Boy Dan made it three straight at The Meadows when he strolled through a leisurely :58 half, then blazed home in :55.4 to capture Wednesday’s (Feb. 25) $18,000 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Pace. Dave Palone was able to work out that comfortable half for Atta Boy Dan, which left the 6-year-old Western Terror-Dropitlikesitshot gelding plenty in reserve to thwart the stern first-over challenge from I’m Feelin Good. Atta Boy Dan scored in 1:53.4, 1-1/4 lengths better than the ground-saving Dew N Doughnuts, while I’m Feelin Good saved show. Ron Burke trains Atta Boy Dan, who extended his career bankroll to $244,560, for Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

Miami Valley Raceway
Astronomer (Chris Page), the lukewarm favorite, held off Skyway Titan (Ken Holliday) in a close photo finish to capture the $10,000 championship leg of the ‘Rootbeer Slammer’ series at Miami Valley Raceway on Wednesday (Feb. 25) night. Using a quarter-move at the :27.3 first quarter station to make the front, Astronomer led every step the rest of the way through fractions of :56.3, 1:25.2 and stopped the tele-timer in 1:54.3 The 9-year-old gelded son of Astreos, owned by Pamela Loomis and trained by Terry Deters, now has two wins plus a second and third place finish in six seasonal starts. Rootbeer Slammer was one of the hardest hitting war horses in southwest Ohio in the late 80’s and early 90’s winning 44 races. He was trained and co-owned by Diane Williams throughout his illustrious career and she also drove him in 151 of his 159 starts. In addition to a pair of Ohio Sires Stakes wins, Rootbeer Slammer won numerous open races at Lebanon Raceway in addition to Invitational scores at Northfield Park, Scioto Downs, Louisville Downs and The Red Mile. Sent off at 2-1 odds, Astronomer paid $6.20 to his $2 win backers. Coupled with Skyway Titan the exacta returned a healthy $51.60.

Buffalo Raceway
Ugly Betty turned in another ‘beautiful’ effort while Justgottogetthere had little trouble in disposing of his competition to highlight the action at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday night (February 25). Despite starting from the seven post, Ugly Betty made it three straight by circling the field in the $9,500 pace for the fillies and mares in 1:58.3. A race later, Justgottogetthere, a hard-charging $58.50 winner last week, showed it wasn’t a fluke. He used a front-running journey this time around to capture the $9,500 Open Trot in 2:01.3 over the good track. Ugly Betty (Shawn Gray), drawing the rail the past three weeks and scoring two wins and a second place finish from there, was assigned the outside post this week. She showed it wasn’t an issue. After sitting seventh and last, Ugly Betty ($8.90) started the first-over trip just before the half -mile marker. She tipped three-wide to the three-quarter pole and rolled right to the lead in the stretch and never looked back. Ugly Betty registered a comfortable two-length victory over Sadie’s Place (Andrew Monti) with She’s A Maniac (Jim McNeight) taking the show position. Owned by Margaret Payne and Jennifer Payne, the 7-year-old mare (Camluck-Red Road Rage) is trained by Dennis Dylo. The victory moved her 2015 winnings to $18,055 and $191,548 lifetime. Justgottogetthere ($5.20) in the meantime used a completely different method to get to the winner’s circle. After showing a late kick in last week’s victory, Justgottogetthere (Jim McNeight) flew off the gate from the four spot and was never threatened. Posting fractions of 31.0, 1:02 and 1:32.3, there was no serious threats in the lane as Justgottogetthere smartly trotted off to a 2-1/2 length win over Flaming Yankee (Gray) while Northern Spark (John Cummings Jr.) placed third. Justgottogetthere (Valley Victor-Mara’s Theme) is owned by Antonietta Landi and North Creek Racing LLC. The 6-year-old gelding, trained by Jerry Nugent Jr., has now won three times in four starts this season, earning $14,750 in 2015 and $152,932 in his career.