from harness publicists across North America

Thursday’s (September 2) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Saratoga Gaming and Raceway and Cal-Expo.

Ubetterthink Think scores in Mares Open at Saratoga

Saratoga Springs, NY — UBetterthink Think made her return to Saratoga a winning one on Thursday as the classy Mark Ford trainee won her second Fillies and Mares Open of the season at the Spa.

Dave Oxford photo

Ubetterthink Think held off Civil Shepherd in a time of 1:53.4.

Assigned the outside post in what wound up being a five horse field in the $16,500 feature, Ubetterthink Think sprinted to the quarter in :26.3 and never let up. Being continuously urged by driver Frank Coppola, Jr., the classy 6-year-old blazed a trail with fractions of :55.2 and 1:24.2 before stopping the timer in 1:53.4 to record her ninth win of the year and 35th in her terrific career. The Bettor’s Delight mare moved her lifetime earnings to over $690,000 with the feature win. Civil Shepherd (Mike Signore) ran second after nearly tracking down the favorite in the stretch and Chocolate Art (Brian Allen) finished third.

Live racing continues on Friday night at Saratoga with a first post time of 7:20 p.m.

— Mike Sardella

Cal-Expo
A track bias that clearly favored closers had no bearing on Gee Gee Cyril Lee from wiring a field for his sixth straight win. Claiming handicap pacers, racing for a purse of $3,900, were co-featured at Cal-Expo on a hot Thursday night, in which Gee Gee Cyril Lee paced to the fastest mile of the young summer/fall/winter meet. The tough to beat 4-year-old won by 1-3/4 lengths. Bred and owned by Lee and Arlene Gellerman in partnership with Cyril and Lola Green, the Rick Plano pacer stopped the timer at 1:54.4, a seasonal best. Grandpa Stevie was second best once again and Hanover D G (James Kennedy) finished another 1-3/4 lengths farther back in third. For Luke Plano, the victory was the middle portion of a consecutive driving triple. It also marked the fifth straight card in which Plano has recorded at least three wins. Additionally, it marked the seventh straight program in which Plano has won at least twice on a card.