Harrah's, Rosecroft and Pompano offer Sunday cards
While many sports enthusiasts were keen on watching the National Football League games throughout the day, many harness racing fans focused their attention on the trio of five-eighths mile oval that offered ample action for roughly 10 hours.
In the afternoon at Harrah's Philadelphia, still commonly referred to as Chester by many harness racing fans, Late Mail N (Eric Carlson) forged a 9-1 upset in non-winners of $7,000 last five starts class by rallying from midpack to score in 1:51.4. A five-year-old Bettor's Delight gelding trained by Ross Croghan, Late Mail N briefly ended his bridesmaid status by notching his sixth win from 33 seasonal outings.
One race later in a non-winners of $14,000 last five starts class for pacers, Decoy (George Napolitano, Jr.) lived up to his role as the 1-2 favorite when he gained command in a 27.4 opener, got a breather by the half in 56.4 then drew clear in the lane to a three-length score in 1:51.2. A sophomore son of Somebeachsomewhere trained by Jimmy Takter, Decoy notched his sixth win from 21 starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings just over the $100,000 plateau.
Then several races later in the other half of the split, non-winners of $7,000 last five starts class for pacers, Last Gunfighter (Mike Cole) led throughout to forge a 10-1 upset for trainer Joe Columbo. A four-year-old Rock N Roll Hanover gelding out of an Artsplace mare, Last Gunfighter recorded his fourth win in 21 starts pushed his seasonal toward $50,000 and sent his career earnings over the $100,000 plateau.
One race later in a non-winners of $10,750 last five starts class for pacers, Good Living (Tim Tetrick) lived up to his role as the 9-5 favorite when he gained command before a 27.3 opener, got a breather by the half in 56.1 and by three-quarters in 1:23.1 and held safe Toureg Seelster (Napolitano) for a neck score in 1:50.4. A five-year-old Western Ideal stallion trained by Scott DiDomenico, Good Living now owns a 4-4-3 slate and $46,000 bankroll from 21 starts and he now fits the non-winners of $14,000 last five starts condition.
That same evening at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland, Rock N Roll Jet (Kim Vincent) kicked off the card by cementing his status as the pacer of the meet when he rallied second over to overhaul Al's Hammered (Allan Davis) by two lengths in 1:51.1 in the $12,000 Open I Handicap. A nine-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding owned and trained by William "Buddy" Bright, Rock N Roll Jet notched his third straight win in the top class and now owns an 8-6-4 slate and banked $68,000 from 33 starts this year. He now boasts 45 wins and nearly $350,000 banked from 243 lifetime outings.
One race later in the non-winners of three races or $35,000 lifetime class for younger pacers, B A Rocket (Russell Foster) continued his impressive fall meet when he led throughout as the tepid 5-2 favorite to score by a neck over Dancing On A Star (Jackie MacLeod) for a neck victory in 1:54.2. A sophomore son of Cam's Rocket owned and trained by Brian Callahan, B A Rocket recorded his fourth win six starts at the meet and now owns a 5-2-1 slate and $17,400 from 16 seasonal outings.
Several races later in a non-winners of $4,000 last five starts class for pacers, Capital Builder (Jonathan Roberts) lived up to his billing as the 3-5 favorite when he gained command from post six in a 26.3 opener, rebuffed pressure from Winbak Carl (Davis) by three-quarters in 1:24.3 then held safe Manattack (Brian Burton) late to score in 1:52.4. A five-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding trained by Megan Roberts, Capital Builder notched his second straight tally and now owns an 11-3-0 slate and $55,500 banked from 33 starts this year.
One race later in the featured weekly trot, Fashion Smile (Roberts) continued his obvious fondness for the local oval when he overcame post eight to gain command and led through honest fractions then held safe the pocket-sitting Don Dorado (Davis) for a length score in 1:55.1. A seven-year-old Broadway Hall gelding trained by Megan Roberts, Fashion Smile won for the third time in as many starts at the meet and now owns 11 wins and nearly $48,000 banked from 23 seasonal outings and this victory pushed his lifetime earnings past $200,000.
Then one race later in the non-winners of $6,000 last five starts class for older pacers, Outstand Forever (Jason Thompson) rallied second over and widest of all in the lane to forge a 20-1 upset in 1:52. A five-year-old Stand Forever gelding trained by Brian Wright, Outstand Forever recorded his second win in nine starts at the meet and now owns a 7-2-3 slate and $36,000 banked from 35 seasonal outings.
That same evening at Pompano Park, Dinky Dune (Mike Simons) benefited from a pocket trip behind Fritzie Pic Up Man (Jason Dilinger) through the first three calls, angled out at the top of the lane and edged clear late to a length score in 1:53 in the $8,000 Open II Handicap for pacers. A six-year-old Duneside Perch gelding trained by Dane May, Dinky Dune notched his second straight score and his third win in five tries at the meet and now owns a 4-2-2 slate from 19 starts this year.
Then one race later in the $17,000 Melvyn Aylor Memorial for two-year-old filly pacers in an event that appeared to be a match race on paper, Natasha (Wally Hennessey) easily lived up to her role as the 1-9 favorite when she brushed to command before the half in 56.4, strolled by three-quarters in 1:26.1 then drew clear from second choice Prairie Westerngal (Jim Meittinis) to a three-length score in 1:54.2.
A juvenile daughter of Six Of Diamonds trained by Kim Sears for owner-breeder Jay Sears, Natasha posted her seventh straight win and now owns seven wins and $40,000 banked from nine lifetime tries. Prairie Westerngal settled for the runner-up honors yet again and owns a 1-5-2 slate and $35,000 bankroll from 11 outings despite her bridesmaid status.
One race later in the featured $10,000 Open I Handicap for older pacers, Dakota Jack (Simons) saved ground through the first three calls then angled widest of all in the lane to overhaul 7-5 second choice Panocchio (Hennessey) and 3-5 favorite Rebellious (Meittinis) to forge a 15-1 shocker in 1:52. A five-year-old Duneside Perch stallion trained by Jim Brinson, Dakota Jack stepped up from a win in the Open II last week to record his third win from five tries at the meet and he now sports a 7-7-3 slate and $82,000 banked from 37 seasonal tries.
Then one race later in the finale, a non-winners of $5,500 last four class for older pacers, Casimir Quasimodo (Andy Shetler) rallied three-wide on the far turn to take command and then outlasted the late, wider bid of Kotare Yael N (Corey Braden) for a length score in 1:52.1. A four-year-old Astronomical gelding trained and driven by Shetler, Casimir Quasimodo recorded his second win in five tries at the meet and now sports a 4-6-5 slate and $44,500 bankroll from 36 seasonal starts.
In the afternoon at Harrah's Philadelphia, still commonly referred to as Chester by many harness racing fans, Late Mail N (Eric Carlson) forged a 9-1 upset in non-winners of $7,000 last five starts class by rallying from midpack to score in 1:51.4. A five-year-old Bettor's Delight gelding trained by Ross Croghan, Late Mail N briefly ended his bridesmaid status by notching his sixth win from 33 seasonal outings.
One race later in a non-winners of $14,000 last five starts class for pacers, Decoy (George Napolitano, Jr.) lived up to his role as the 1-2 favorite when he gained command in a 27.4 opener, got a breather by the half in 56.4 then drew clear in the lane to a three-length score in 1:51.2. A sophomore son of Somebeachsomewhere trained by Jimmy Takter, Decoy notched his sixth win from 21 starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings just over the $100,000 plateau.
Then several races later in the other half of the split, non-winners of $7,000 last five starts class for pacers, Last Gunfighter (Mike Cole) led throughout to forge a 10-1 upset for trainer Joe Columbo. A four-year-old Rock N Roll Hanover gelding out of an Artsplace mare, Last Gunfighter recorded his fourth win in 21 starts pushed his seasonal toward $50,000 and sent his career earnings over the $100,000 plateau.
One race later in a non-winners of $10,750 last five starts class for pacers, Good Living (Tim Tetrick) lived up to his role as the 9-5 favorite when he gained command before a 27.3 opener, got a breather by the half in 56.1 and by three-quarters in 1:23.1 and held safe Toureg Seelster (Napolitano) for a neck score in 1:50.4. A five-year-old Western Ideal stallion trained by Scott DiDomenico, Good Living now owns a 4-4-3 slate and $46,000 bankroll from 21 starts and he now fits the non-winners of $14,000 last five starts condition.
That same evening at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland, Rock N Roll Jet (Kim Vincent) kicked off the card by cementing his status as the pacer of the meet when he rallied second over to overhaul Al's Hammered (Allan Davis) by two lengths in 1:51.1 in the $12,000 Open I Handicap. A nine-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding owned and trained by William "Buddy" Bright, Rock N Roll Jet notched his third straight win in the top class and now owns an 8-6-4 slate and banked $68,000 from 33 starts this year. He now boasts 45 wins and nearly $350,000 banked from 243 lifetime outings.
One race later in the non-winners of three races or $35,000 lifetime class for younger pacers, B A Rocket (Russell Foster) continued his impressive fall meet when he led throughout as the tepid 5-2 favorite to score by a neck over Dancing On A Star (Jackie MacLeod) for a neck victory in 1:54.2. A sophomore son of Cam's Rocket owned and trained by Brian Callahan, B A Rocket recorded his fourth win six starts at the meet and now owns a 5-2-1 slate and $17,400 from 16 seasonal outings.
Several races later in a non-winners of $4,000 last five starts class for pacers, Capital Builder (Jonathan Roberts) lived up to his billing as the 3-5 favorite when he gained command from post six in a 26.3 opener, rebuffed pressure from Winbak Carl (Davis) by three-quarters in 1:24.3 then held safe Manattack (Brian Burton) late to score in 1:52.4. A five-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding trained by Megan Roberts, Capital Builder notched his second straight tally and now owns an 11-3-0 slate and $55,500 banked from 33 starts this year.
One race later in the featured weekly trot, Fashion Smile (Roberts) continued his obvious fondness for the local oval when he overcame post eight to gain command and led through honest fractions then held safe the pocket-sitting Don Dorado (Davis) for a length score in 1:55.1. A seven-year-old Broadway Hall gelding trained by Megan Roberts, Fashion Smile won for the third time in as many starts at the meet and now owns 11 wins and nearly $48,000 banked from 23 seasonal outings and this victory pushed his lifetime earnings past $200,000.
Then one race later in the non-winners of $6,000 last five starts class for older pacers, Outstand Forever (Jason Thompson) rallied second over and widest of all in the lane to forge a 20-1 upset in 1:52. A five-year-old Stand Forever gelding trained by Brian Wright, Outstand Forever recorded his second win in nine starts at the meet and now owns a 7-2-3 slate and $36,000 banked from 35 seasonal outings.
That same evening at Pompano Park, Dinky Dune (Mike Simons) benefited from a pocket trip behind Fritzie Pic Up Man (Jason Dilinger) through the first three calls, angled out at the top of the lane and edged clear late to a length score in 1:53 in the $8,000 Open II Handicap for pacers. A six-year-old Duneside Perch gelding trained by Dane May, Dinky Dune notched his second straight score and his third win in five tries at the meet and now owns a 4-2-2 slate from 19 starts this year.
Then one race later in the $17,000 Melvyn Aylor Memorial for two-year-old filly pacers in an event that appeared to be a match race on paper, Natasha (Wally Hennessey) easily lived up to her role as the 1-9 favorite when she brushed to command before the half in 56.4, strolled by three-quarters in 1:26.1 then drew clear from second choice Prairie Westerngal (Jim Meittinis) to a three-length score in 1:54.2.
A juvenile daughter of Six Of Diamonds trained by Kim Sears for owner-breeder Jay Sears, Natasha posted her seventh straight win and now owns seven wins and $40,000 banked from nine lifetime tries. Prairie Westerngal settled for the runner-up honors yet again and owns a 1-5-2 slate and $35,000 bankroll from 11 outings despite her bridesmaid status.
One race later in the featured $10,000 Open I Handicap for older pacers, Dakota Jack (Simons) saved ground through the first three calls then angled widest of all in the lane to overhaul 7-5 second choice Panocchio (Hennessey) and 3-5 favorite Rebellious (Meittinis) to forge a 15-1 shocker in 1:52. A five-year-old Duneside Perch stallion trained by Jim Brinson, Dakota Jack stepped up from a win in the Open II last week to record his third win from five tries at the meet and he now sports a 7-7-3 slate and $82,000 banked from 37 seasonal tries.
Then one race later in the finale, a non-winners of $5,500 last four class for older pacers, Casimir Quasimodo (Andy Shetler) rallied three-wide on the far turn to take command and then outlasted the late, wider bid of Kotare Yael N (Corey Braden) for a length score in 1:52.1. A four-year-old Astronomical gelding trained and driven by Shetler, Casimir Quasimodo recorded his second win in five tries at the meet and now sports a 4-6-5 slate and $44,500 bankroll from 36 seasonal starts.
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