from Harness Publicists across North America

Wednesday’s (December 17) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs, The Meadowlands, Pompano Park, and Balmoral Park.

Joey The Jet JT wins $27,000 featured trot

Dover, DE — Joey The Jet JT got back into the winner’s circle in the $27,000 Open Handicap Trot on Wednesday at Dover Downs.

In the week’s top trot, Tom Jackson shot Joey The Jet JT past race favorite Sauce Two K (Corey Callahan) at the three-quarters to take the lead and then breezed to a 1:54.3 triumph. LT’s Best (Vince Copeland) closed well to finish second. Self Professed (Ross Wolfenden) was third.

The winner was one of two wins for owner Ken Wood. His partner in Joey The Jet JT, a Wesgate Crown-NV Worthy gelding, is Bill Dittmar. The 5-year-old won for the seventh time this year while being on the board in 20 of his 27 outings. He has won $134,870 in 2008.

One race earlier, another Wood-owned horse, Steam The Windows, scored a 1:54.1 victory with Art Stafford, Jr. in the bike. Bill Taylor and Ruby Adams are co-owners with Wood of the Park Place-Anacapri Hanover gelding. Rusty Tank (Jim Morand) was second in front of Switch Hitter (Tony Morgan).

In the $18,000 sub-featured trot, PT Stables’ Tuna Whip made good use of starting from post one as Tony Morgan guided the Tagliabue-Harmonious Lady ridgling to his sixth win of the year in 1:55.4, upping his seasonal earning to $113,580. Dingy’s Party (Jim Morand) sped down the lane to finish second. Rose Run Flash (Mike Cole) was the show horse. Twelve Seventeen did not enjoy a successful effort on December 17, as he finished eighth.

Morgan closed out the program with his sixth win, driving Mike and Lisa Hill and Green Racing Inc.’s Cannae Princess to a 1:55.3 victory. Hawthorne Hudson (Callahan) closed along the Dover Driveway to finish second in front of JK Good Vibrations (Morand).

— Marv Bachrad

Fan favorite Crawdad makes Meadowlands comeback

East Rutherford, NJ — Over a year after an infection threatened to end his life, Crawdad returned to the Meadowlands in triumphant fashion Wednesday night as he crushed the competition in the $10,000 ninth race.

The Illinois-bred pacer shipped to the Meadowlands in early 2007 and quickly became a fan favorite as he piled up nine victories that winter, including sweeps of the Four Leaf Clover and Fox Sports Net Series. After a deserved respite, Crawdad was set to return to the races that summer when he was struck with an injury and subsequent infection in his leg that kept him sidelined for a year. The 5-year-old gelding resumed training this summer and made his first few starts at Balmoral Park before landing at the Meadowlands this week.

Crawdad had his regular driving partner Andy Miller in the sulky as he drew off to a 1:52 victory. He paid $4.40 as he improved his record to 16 wins in 42 career starts. The son of Art’s Conquest-Smiling Fantasy has earned more than $220,000 for trainer Erv Miller and the Red Barn Stable of Morrison, Illinois.

— Amy Silver

Ashcos Scotty is pocket rocket at Pompano

Pompano Beach, FL — Ashcos Scotty ($8.40) was the pocket rocket in the $7,300 seventh race feature trot at the Isle Pompano Park on Wednesday, using perfect cover from pacesetter Vals Empress to win in 1:58.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith

Ashcos Scotty and driver David Ingraham won the featured trot at Pompano in 1:58.

Driven by David Ingraham, Ashcos Scotty followed race favorite Vals Empress (Bruce Ranger) right out of the starting gate. Cutting fractions of :28.2 to the first quarter and :59.1 to the half-mile, Vals Empress was in control of the race until EW Royal Pain (Denis St. Pierre) came first-over to challenge and pressed Vals Empress to the three-quarters in 1:28.2 and would not back off.

Then in the stretch, Ingraham made his move with Ashcos Scotty and they pulled alongside Vals Empress and then passed them by to win by three-quarters of a length. EW Royal Pain was third.

Trained by Leon Cable for owner Anthony Chiniara, it was the sixth win this year for Ashcos Scotty, an 11-year-old gelding by Earl.

— Steve Wolf

Fox Valley Lector sweeps Incredible Finale Series

Crete, IL — Freshman pacing colts grabbed the headlines on Wednesday night at Balmoral Park as a field of seven Illinois conceived and foaled youngsters battled in the $7,000 final of the Incredible Finale Series.

Balmoral Park photo

Fox Valley Lector and driver Jason Dillander combined to make it a clean sweep of the Incredible Finale Series by taking the $7,000 final by three-quarters of a length.

Coming off back-to-back scores in the opening two legs of the series, G & B Stable’s Fox Valley Lector was backed to the near exclusion of his six rivals and the gelding did not disappoint his legion of backers as he held on gamely to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:56.2.

Taking advantage of the inside post position driver Jason Dillander fired the son of Richess Hanover-Love Life away from the gate and was in control of the proceedings as the field reached the opening station in :29.1.

Heading to the half-mile mark Fox Valley Lector encountered a first over challenge from longshot Sandbar Slugger (Dean Magee) and these two raced neck and neck through middle splits of :59 and 1:28.

After finally putting away the challenge of his first over rival, Fox Valley Lector then had to brace for a challenge from the pocket sitting Incredible Bob (Josh Sutton) and the late rushing Big Party (Brandon Simpson). Digging in tenaciously through the final sixteenth of a mile, the Roger Welch trainee was up to the task as he charged home in :28.2 to record his fourth win in 14 starts this season. Big Party edged Incredible Bob for the place money in a tight photo.

The 3-5 favorite in the wagering returned $3.20, $2.60 and $2.10 while running his seasonal earnings up to $23,537.

— Tom Kelley