from Harness Publicists across North America

Tuesday’s (July 22) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from The Meadows, Vernon Downs, Plainridge Racecourse and Monticello Raceway.

Go Get Blanche wins again at The Meadows

Meadow Lands, PA — Go Get Blanche charged through the lane to win a three-horse photo and capture the $23,000 Filly & Mare Preferred Handicap Trot on Tuesday at The Meadows.

An unhurried sixth at the half, Go Get Blanche waited patiently while B V’s Sister and I’m Justa Lady skirmished for the lead. But when Aaron Merriman asked her for trot, she sped home in :28.4 to score in 1:56.1, a head better than B V’s Sister, a head and a whisker better than I’m Justa Lady.

It was the second consecutive victory for Go Get Blanche in the track’s top trot for fillies and mares. Sharlene Dufford trains the 4-year-old daughter of Go Get Lost-Cayenne Pepper K and owns with Phillip B. Sollon.

— Evan Pattak

Trio of highlights on Tuesday at Vernon

Vernon, NY — Co Ed Desire, Hanger Pride N and Golden Receiver all produced highlights during Tuesday night’s nine-race program at Vernon Downs.

With trainer Gary Messenger doing the teaming for owner Scott Woogen, Co Ed Desire (Real Desire-Yankee Co-Star) remained unbeaten in five starts, two in pari-mutuel competition, after posting an unchallenged 1:55.3 victory in Tuesday’s $5,000 first race, a 2-year-old pace. The time for the seven length score is the fastest by a frosh female sidewheeler thus far this year at the Downs.

Hanger Pride N rallied late in the $4,000 third race to record a neck triumph over pacesetter Defiant Looks and become the winningest trotter at the meet in a 1:58 performance. Josh Marks drove for owner-trainer Tracy Brainard, as the 8-year-old mare notched her third straight tally and sixth at the track this season, tying the pacers Caroline Star and Basilio Blue Chip for most Standardbred scores after 43 programs.

Golden Receiver, owned and trained by Nina Simmonds, made his initial career triumph a memorable one in Tuesday’s $2,900 fourth event, not only pacing in 1:56.2 and giving Sean Mcaleese a double during the card, but also lighting up the payoff board with returns of $286 to win, $94.50 to place and $29.20 to show. The 3-year-old gelding also triggered a 2-5-8 trifecta that returned $10,583, as well as a 2-5 exacta that was worth $602.

Mcaleese also captured the $3,000 fourth race with the pacer Classy Shuttle, who logged a 1:56.4 record for trainer Janine Waldron and owner Nicholas Aronica.

— Jim Moran

Southwind Night is a winner at Plainridge

Marlborough, MA — Ask driver John Hogan what horse ranks among his favorite claimers and chances are his 12-year-old pacer Southwind Night would be at the top of the list.

After sustaining an interference break in his last start and settling for a third-place finish, Hogan wired the field with his game pacer on Tuesday and set a season’s mark with a 1:55.3 mile.

The win was the third of the season for Hogan’s gritty pacer who has sustained his share of injuries during a career that has produced lifetime earnings of $224,032 in 336 lifetime starts. He took his mark (1:53.2) at Plainridge at age 6.

Named this year’s Iron Man award recipient by the New England Chapter of U.S. Harness Writers, Hogan’s other winner on Tuesday’s card came with the Al Thomas owned pacer Lord Donald. That mile went in 1:55.3 as the Marlborough, Mass. native again wired the field.

The meet’s leading driver, Jim Hardy, continued his winning ways with trips to the winner’s circle with Four Starz Search in the co-featured opener (1:53.3) and TJ Force in the 10th (1:55.2). Hardy’s two wins upped his meet leading win total to 83, some 27 victories in front of runner-up Mike Eaton in the chase for Plainridge driving honors. Hardy also sports a glittering UDR of nearly .400.

— Jack Ginnetti

Spongbobsquarepans wins Monticello Preferred Pace

Monticello, NY — Jordan Stratton reined three winners on the Tuesday card at Monticello Raceway and among them was the $8,900 Preferred Pace where he guided Spongbobsquarepans to a stunning 1:54.2 victory, which happened to be the pacer’s first triumph of the year after finishing second in each of his last three outings.

Geri Schwarz photo

Spongbobsquarepans was a 1:54.2 winner for driver Jordan Stratton in the Mighty M Preferred Pace.

After being circled by Talk Forever and driver Billy Parker, Jr. as the gate sprung, Stratton retook the lead with Spongbobsquarepans as they passed the quarter-mile marker in :28.1. From there it was catch me if you can and nobody could as Stratton sent the 6-year-old son of The Panderosa through fractions of :57.2 and 1:26 and then finished with a :28.2 final stanza for a 1:54.2 victory. Talk Forever, who shadowed Spongbobsquarepans from the quarter pole to the finish couldn’t deliver in the homestretch and had to settle for second money. The Grand Poopa, driven by Jimmy Marohn, finished third.

Robert Bogigian owns the winner, who is trained by Bob Beauregard. Spongbobsquarepans paid $5.00 to win.

Stratton also scored victories with Brett Smith’s Invincible Hall in 1:58.4 and with Pacer Enterprises’ Vasvixen N in 1:57.3.

— John Manzi