Racing Roundup: Fox Valley Smarty gets lightning lane win in Meadows top trot
Friday, November 16, 2012 - from harness publicists around North America
Friday’s (Nov. 16) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from The Meadows, Batavia Downs and Saratoga Casino and Raceway.
Fox Valley Smarty gets lightning lane win in Meadows top trot
Washington, PA --- Fox Valley Smarty worked out a cozy pocket trip before brushing through the Lightning Lane to capture Friday’s $22,500 Preferred Handicap Trot at The Meadows.
Meadows newcomer Southwind Pepino gained steadily uncovered to slip past early leader Rembrandt Spur at the top of the stretch. But Fox Valley Smarty and Tony Hall found the Lightning Lane in time to gain a narrow victory over Southwind Pepino in 1:55.2. Jessesjo finished third.
Mark Goldberg trains Fox Valley Smarty, a 5-year-old Vaporize-Self Confessed gelding who now has banked $173,685, and owns with Rags To Riches of PA.
Dave Palone and Hall each drove three winners on the 13-race card.
-- Evan Pattak
Batavia Downs
Under The Stars and driver/trainer Jim McNeight were first under the wire in the featured $8,500 Open I-II Trot at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Nov. 16). Under The Stars had finished second in three of his last four starts in the Open trot but finally broke through for the win. Sitting second over going to the three-quarter pole, Under The Stars ($11.60) swept three-wide around the final turn and trotted around the pace-setting and favored Perfect Man (Dave McNeight III) and the cover of Big Baller (Dan Noble). Down the lane Under The Stars trotted strongly to the wire, beating the pocket-sitting Starbux Eden (John Cummings Jr.) by a length in 1:59.2, while Ziegfeld (Jim Morrill Jr.) rallied late to finish to third. Owned by Mike Calimeri of Falconer, N.Y., it was the fourth win of the season for Under The Stars, a 5-year-old Yankee Glide gelding. The win also moved his seasonal winnings to $44,952. A 12-race program is slated for Saturday night at 6:25 p.m. with some top late-season races on tap. The $27,000 Henry Tojj Pacing Series finale is the feature, scheduled for the seventh race. Johnny Grippa, with driver Jim Morrill Jr., is the morning line choice at 5-2 starting out of the post four.
Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Mymomsablizzard’s sensational season continued on Friday night at Saratoga as the superstar mare won for the 14th time of the year. The Chris Marino trained high-stepper has been the queen of the open trot all year long and prevailed in yet another $21,000 Friday feature. The mare has been a dominant force on the front end this season but this week, leading driver Billy Dobson was forced to settle in fifth in the early stages with Mymomsablizzard (Cr Excalibur). After flushing live cover, the 6-year-old fanned three-wide around the final turn and stormed home to prevail in 1:58.2. Mymomsablizzard will undoubtedly be named the track’s Trotter of the Year and is the frontrunner for Horse of the Year. Credit Blues was the open’s runner up (Dan Cappello Jr) as he completed a strong night for his trainer Jackie Rousse, who had two victories on the night to go with the second place finish of Credit Blues. Neighsay Hanover (Stephane Bouchard) earned the show spot.
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