Racing Roundup: Wednesday, July 30, 2008
July 31, 2008,from Harness Publicists across North America
Wednesday’s (July 30) edition of Racing Roundup features result stories from Saratoga Gaming and Raceway, Ocean Downs, the Meadowlands, Monticello Raceway and the Clearfield (PA) Fair.
Mesquite Heat tallies third straight at Saratoga
Saratoga Springs, NY — Mesquite Heat continued a career renaissance at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway on Wednesday, prevailing for the third straight time when capturing the featured $5,500 non-winners pace in 1:56.4.
Dave Oxford photo
Mesquite Heat (#3) won for the third straight time after holding off Whitaker Blue Chip (#5) to take the featured pace at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway.
Driven from post three by Dan Cappello, Jr., Mesquite Heat wasted little time asserting himself in the Wednesday feature, charging to the front the moment the gate swung open to cut fractions of :28.1, :57.1, and 1:26.3.
After turning back a first-over challenge from Allamerican Kansas (Brian Allen), Mesquite Heat entered the stretch with a one length lead, but the result was clearly in doubt as several rivals began to gather momentum from the back of the pack.
With the finish line rapidly approaching, the son of The Firepan began to weaken noticeably, but had enough left in the tank to dig in gamely and repel a late bid by Whitaker Blue Chip (John Stark, Jr.) to prevail by a head.
Mesquite Heat returned $2.60, $2.70, and $2.20 for the win. Whitaker Blue Chip brought in $4.00 and $4.30 for second, while Boston Seelster (Brian Cross) paid $4.90 for third.
Owned by Edward and James Hall and trained by Dan Gill, Mesquite Heat has now won three of four starts at Saratoga since shipping to New York from Harrington Raceway in early July.
Prior to his current three-race winning streak, Mesquite Heat had prevailed just three times in his first 65 lifetime starts.
— Michael Costanzo
Hal Belote Memorial opens at Ocean Downs
Berlin, MD — The opening leg of the Hal Belote Memorial Trotting Series, to honor the fine driver/trainer who died in an on-track accident at Harrington Raceway May 15, 2006, was held at Ocean Downs on Wednesday.
In the first division, Emerald Diamant, an 8-year-old gelding owned and trained by Charles Cochran III, used a late rush to the wire to edge 3-5 favorite Magic Swan in a four-horse field (1:59.3, $8.20). It was the first win of the year for the Strictly Business-Shemein gelding driven by Mark Gray.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever driven him,” Gray said. “He had a little trouble in the turns, but he was fine in the straight-aways. He was quite down at the top of the stretch, but he was trotting big in the stretch.”
Winning the second division of the opening leg was Frank Milby’s 6-year-old Goodbye Daddy (2:01.3, $2.80). The Master Lavec-R Goldy Lo gelding won three consecutive races at Rosecroft in May, but owner/driver Frank Milby explained that, “He hasn’t been quite 100 percent here lately. Had to be a little short here tonight because he hadn’t raced in about 2-1/2 to three weeks. I was glad to get some easy fractions. He needed a confidence-builder.”
The four-leg series continues with races on August 6, 13 and 20.
— Jim Whittemore
Trio of amateur trots at The Meadowlands
East Rutherford, NJ — For years now the Meadowlands has presented races for amateur drivers on the Wednesday prior to the racing of the Hambletonian and this year was no exception.
Three splits were contested; two went as non-wagering affairs prior to the betting card and one was on the card and went as race number one. The majority of the drivers who participated were members of the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driving Series.
The winner of the amateur event on the betting card was driven by Dave “Yes It’s True” Offenberg. A business executive by trade, Offenberg reined Double Strength to a 1:57.2 victory over Dream Of Magic, driven by Alan Schwartz. Third place went to the “Joltin’ Joe” Pennacchio-driven Anton K. It was Offenberg’s 29th career driving victory and second this season.
The first non-wagering event saw Terry “the Dairy Queen” Donnelly, owner of a Dairy Queen franchise, send her trotter Jay A Novak to the front from post six and then make every pole a winning one en route to a 2:01.1 triumph. The only other lady in the contest, Jody Riedel, hustled Petro Legacy home for second money while Rob “Rapid Rail” Krivelin and Red Lace rumbled home for the show dough. For Donnelly, it marked her 12th lifetime driving victory and second this year, both in Billings competition.
In the second non-betting contest, Eastern Region Billings point leader Todd “the Downeaster” Whitney padded his lead when he guided Witch And Famous to a 1:59 victory over Wolf’s Fawn and driver Mike Lopez. Steve “Cannonball” Markoff was third with CR Mr Bean. The victory was the 16th of the season for Whitney, a concrete master, and it was his sixth in Billings competition this year.
— John Manzi
Sudden Speed wins Monticello feature
Monticello, NY — Sudden Speed, a useful trotter owned by Nick Logothetis and April Aldrich, scored his eighth seasonal victory when Bruce Aldrich, Jr. guided the 7-year-old Guided Speed gelding to a 1:59.1 triumph in the trotting feature at Monticello Raceway on July 30.
Aldrich sent Sudden Speed to the front from post four and circled even-money favorite Heaven And Hall (Jordan Stratton) on the first turn. Sudden Speed cleared as the field headed up the backstretch toward the quarter pole and when he did Stratton moved his trotter to the front as they raced by the quarter in :29.3.
Geri Schwarz photo
Sudden Speed put away Heaven And Hall for his eighth season’s triumph.
Stratton and Heaven And Hall — a 1:59.3 winner in this class last week — trotted along on the front end with Sudden Speed shadowing their every move. The two horses continued one-two past the half and they remained in that position as they passed the three-quarters. As they headed into the final turn Aldrich moved Sudden Speed out to challenge and the two raced neck and neck around the turn and through the stretch until Sudden Speed drew off and finished a length ahead of Heaven And Hall.
Third place went to Craigie Brae June and driver Jacques Primeau.With his victory Sudden Speed raised his seasonal bankroll here to almost $34,000. The horse paid $8.20 for win.
It was the second win on the card for Aldrich. He also won the first race with his own Kountry Kid in a time of 1:58.2. Aldrich now has 159 winners at the meet which places him second on the local leaderboard. Jordan Stratton, who reined Ken Clairmont, Lucia Anne Les and Charles Harrison’s Illin N to a 2:00.1 victory on the card, continues to lead all reinsmen here with 197 driving victories.
— John Manzi
Action continues at Clearfield Fair
Clearfield, PA — The third day of the Clearfield County Fair meet featured four Pennsylvania Sire Stake events.
A trio of PASS races for sophomore filly trotters were up, with victories going to SJ’s Future (S J’s Photo-Futures Trade), Excellent Caviar (SJ’s Caviar-L V Prima Donna) and Blueridge Saprisa (Donerail-Saprisa). SJ’s Future, owned and trained by Roger Hammer, scored in 2:04.4 with Randy Neal catch-driving. Excellent Caviar’s 2:09.3 win brought a catch-driving win for Robert Rogeaux, who was at the lines for trainer Terry Altmeyer. Bill Altmeyer, Sr., is the owner. Blueridge Saprisa, trained and driven by Steve Schoeffel, was a 2:07.2 winner for owners Stephen Lander and Kathy Schoeffel.
The day culminated in the $10,083 3-year-old PASS colt trot, which featured a field of six. Tooth Ache, an SJ’s Caviar-Armbro Kanaka colt, used the rail post to his advantage and recorded the win in 2:03.4 for owner Anne McDonald LLC2. Joe Offutt is the winning trainer while Timmy Offutt tallied the winning drive.
The four-day meet concludes on Thursday at Clearfield.
— Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission