Harness racing: Talent on display at East Coast tracks
While many residents along the East Coast were overwhelmed by the oppressive heat and humidity that enveloped the region and caused several thoroughbred racetracks to cancel live cards, standardbred racing fans had plenty of quality action to view at three different ovals Saturday.
Saratoga Harness offered a superb card Saturday that featured the half-mile oval's signature event—the $260,000 James Gerrity Memorial for older pacers.
Much of the attention in the Gerrity centered around four pacers who drew alongside one another. Western Fame (Daniel Dube) hero of the $664,000 George Morton Levy Series final had post two, McWicked (Brian Sears) the reigning harness horse of the year, This Is The Plan (Yannick Gingras) and None Bettor A (Joe Bongiorno) each had a claim to the favorite's role. But it eventually belonged to This Is The Plan, one of the best four-year-old pacers in the land.
A good portion of the drama evolved the opening turn when None Bettor A and This Is The Plan secured the top two spots early. Western Fame got away in third but was not handled with his usual aggressiveness and stayed in as This Is The Plan rolled by the opening quarter in 26.3 and None Bettor A secured the garden spot.
This Is The Plan led the way by the half in 55.4 then met modest pressure from The Wall down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:23.1, with None Bettor A tucked snugly in the pocket and McWicked looming a serious threat second over. Western Fame was buried three-deep along the pylons and never reached contention while being tentatively handled throughout.
At the top of the lane, This Is The Plan shook loose from The Wall and had disposed of None Bettor A, but McWicked fanned wide for the drive and had plenty of pace in reserve. Gingras went to work on This Is The Plan, but the four-year-old could not rebuff the late surge of McWicked who rallied late to forge a mild 7-2 upset in 1:50.4. An eight-year-old McArdle stallion trained by Casie Coleman, McWicked notched his second win in six starts this year and he now boasts a 36-24-15 slate and $4.2 million banked from 99 lifetime tries.
Among the supporting events on the undercard at Saratoga on Saturday were a trio of $55,000 New York Sire Stakes events for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings that proved very formful and virtually inseparable.
In the opening race on the card, Cake Daddy (Brent Holland) recorded his second victory in as many starts when he led throughout to score in 1:55 for trainer Homer Hochstetler. Then one race prior to the Gerrity, Maryland-breds Groovy Joe (Matt Kakaley) and American Rebel (Gingras) battled to a dead-heat in 1:55, then several races later Hurrikanekingjames (Gingras) carved out all the fractions to edge Cigars And Port in 1:55.1.
That same evening at Yonkers Raceway, which kicked off the card an hour later than normal in an effort to offset the hot, humid conditions, a trio of Open events right at the midway point of the card proved to be mainly formful and partially puzzling.
In the $46,000 Open Handicap for trotters, Will Take Charge (Jordan Stratton) continued his march to the $1 million Yonkers International when he brushed to command before the half in 56.3, rebuffed a bid from Melady's Monet then outkicked the pocket sitting In Secret to score in 1:54. A six-year-old Kadabra gelding trained by Jeff Gillis, Will Take Charge has won four of 12 starts this year and now owns 25 wins and $1.1 million banked from 88 career tries.
One race later in the $46,000 Open Hco for older pacers, Scott Rocks (Eric Goodell) notched his second straight win in the top class when he gained command in a 26.2 opener, shook loose from Cavairt Luca on the far turn then outlasted the late surge from The Real One (Pat Lachance) to score by a length in 1:50.4. A nine-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding trained by Hunter Oakes, Scott Rocks sports six wins and $110,000 banked from 15 starts this year and a commendable 56-27-23 slate and over $950,000 banked from 165 career outings.
Then one race later in the $37,000 Four-Year-old Open, Albergo Hanover (George Brennan) appeared to live up to his role as the 6-5 favorite when he gained command from post seven on the far turn the first time, rebuffed a bid from So Mach and outlasted the skillfully handled Turbo Hill (Goodell) to score in 1:51.3. But following a long inquiry, Albergo Hanover was disqualified and placed last for not maintaining a reasonable pace on the turn and causing confusion to trailing horses which seemed ludicrous at best.
Earlier that afternoon at The Meadows, a five-eighths mile oval near Pittsburgh, that venue also offered its signature event of the summer - the Delvin Miller Adios eliminations for three-year-old colt pacers. Although the field did include several of the sport's best sophomores, the diluted version of the race that once required a second heat for participants, was contested sans several genuine stars who will be among the serious contenders for divisional honors this winter.
In the first Adios elim, Captain Victorious (Gingras) lived up to his role as the even-money favorite when he carved out the fractions and edged clear in the lane to a three-length score in 1:50.4. A son of Captaintrecherous trained by Burke, Captain Victorious recorded his second win in eight starts this year and now owns a 5-4-4 slate and $250,000 banked from 18 career outings and looms a serious contender for the final.
Then one race later in the second Adios elim, Prince Of Tides (Dave Palone) brushed to command before the half in 54.3, opener a clear lead down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:21.3 and romped home five lengths clear in 1:49.4. A sophomore son of the late, great Somebeachsomewhere trained by Ross Croghan, Prince Of Tides posted his seventh win from 10 starts this year and will garner plenty of support in the final thanks largely to the presence of driver Dale Palone.
Then two races later in the third Adios elim, Southwind Ozzi (Sears) lived up to his billing as the 6-5 choice when he rallied second over to score by two lengths in 1:49.3. Another sophomore son of Somebeachsomewhere trained by Bill Mackenzie, Southwind Ozzi notched his third straight win and fourth victory in five starts this year and could garner the favorite's role in the lucrative final this Saturday afternoon.
Saratoga Harness offered a superb card Saturday that featured the half-mile oval's signature event—the $260,000 James Gerrity Memorial for older pacers.
Much of the attention in the Gerrity centered around four pacers who drew alongside one another. Western Fame (Daniel Dube) hero of the $664,000 George Morton Levy Series final had post two, McWicked (Brian Sears) the reigning harness horse of the year, This Is The Plan (Yannick Gingras) and None Bettor A (Joe Bongiorno) each had a claim to the favorite's role. But it eventually belonged to This Is The Plan, one of the best four-year-old pacers in the land.
A good portion of the drama evolved the opening turn when None Bettor A and This Is The Plan secured the top two spots early. Western Fame got away in third but was not handled with his usual aggressiveness and stayed in as This Is The Plan rolled by the opening quarter in 26.3 and None Bettor A secured the garden spot.
This Is The Plan led the way by the half in 55.4 then met modest pressure from The Wall down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:23.1, with None Bettor A tucked snugly in the pocket and McWicked looming a serious threat second over. Western Fame was buried three-deep along the pylons and never reached contention while being tentatively handled throughout.
At the top of the lane, This Is The Plan shook loose from The Wall and had disposed of None Bettor A, but McWicked fanned wide for the drive and had plenty of pace in reserve. Gingras went to work on This Is The Plan, but the four-year-old could not rebuff the late surge of McWicked who rallied late to forge a mild 7-2 upset in 1:50.4. An eight-year-old McArdle stallion trained by Casie Coleman, McWicked notched his second win in six starts this year and he now boasts a 36-24-15 slate and $4.2 million banked from 99 lifetime tries.
Among the supporting events on the undercard at Saratoga on Saturday were a trio of $55,000 New York Sire Stakes events for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings that proved very formful and virtually inseparable.
In the opening race on the card, Cake Daddy (Brent Holland) recorded his second victory in as many starts when he led throughout to score in 1:55 for trainer Homer Hochstetler. Then one race prior to the Gerrity, Maryland-breds Groovy Joe (Matt Kakaley) and American Rebel (Gingras) battled to a dead-heat in 1:55, then several races later Hurrikanekingjames (Gingras) carved out all the fractions to edge Cigars And Port in 1:55.1.
That same evening at Yonkers Raceway, which kicked off the card an hour later than normal in an effort to offset the hot, humid conditions, a trio of Open events right at the midway point of the card proved to be mainly formful and partially puzzling.
In the $46,000 Open Handicap for trotters, Will Take Charge (Jordan Stratton) continued his march to the $1 million Yonkers International when he brushed to command before the half in 56.3, rebuffed a bid from Melady's Monet then outkicked the pocket sitting In Secret to score in 1:54. A six-year-old Kadabra gelding trained by Jeff Gillis, Will Take Charge has won four of 12 starts this year and now owns 25 wins and $1.1 million banked from 88 career tries.
One race later in the $46,000 Open Hco for older pacers, Scott Rocks (Eric Goodell) notched his second straight win in the top class when he gained command in a 26.2 opener, shook loose from Cavairt Luca on the far turn then outlasted the late surge from The Real One (Pat Lachance) to score by a length in 1:50.4. A nine-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding trained by Hunter Oakes, Scott Rocks sports six wins and $110,000 banked from 15 starts this year and a commendable 56-27-23 slate and over $950,000 banked from 165 career outings.
Then one race later in the $37,000 Four-Year-old Open, Albergo Hanover (George Brennan) appeared to live up to his role as the 6-5 favorite when he gained command from post seven on the far turn the first time, rebuffed a bid from So Mach and outlasted the skillfully handled Turbo Hill (Goodell) to score in 1:51.3. But following a long inquiry, Albergo Hanover was disqualified and placed last for not maintaining a reasonable pace on the turn and causing confusion to trailing horses which seemed ludicrous at best.
Earlier that afternoon at The Meadows, a five-eighths mile oval near Pittsburgh, that venue also offered its signature event of the summer - the Delvin Miller Adios eliminations for three-year-old colt pacers. Although the field did include several of the sport's best sophomores, the diluted version of the race that once required a second heat for participants, was contested sans several genuine stars who will be among the serious contenders for divisional honors this winter.
In the first Adios elim, Captain Victorious (Gingras) lived up to his role as the even-money favorite when he carved out the fractions and edged clear in the lane to a three-length score in 1:50.4. A son of Captaintrecherous trained by Burke, Captain Victorious recorded his second win in eight starts this year and now owns a 5-4-4 slate and $250,000 banked from 18 career outings and looms a serious contender for the final.
Then one race later in the second Adios elim, Prince Of Tides (Dave Palone) brushed to command before the half in 54.3, opener a clear lead down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:21.3 and romped home five lengths clear in 1:49.4. A sophomore son of the late, great Somebeachsomewhere trained by Ross Croghan, Prince Of Tides posted his seventh win from 10 starts this year and will garner plenty of support in the final thanks largely to the presence of driver Dale Palone.
Then two races later in the third Adios elim, Southwind Ozzi (Sears) lived up to his billing as the 6-5 choice when he rallied second over to score by two lengths in 1:49.3. Another sophomore son of Somebeachsomewhere trained by Bill Mackenzie, Southwind Ozzi notched his third straight win and fourth victory in five starts this year and could garner the favorite's role in the lucrative final this Saturday afternoon.
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