Harrington offers solid Monday card
Much of the attention for harness racing fans on Monday evening is typically on half-mile tracks and earlier tonight Harrington Raceway in Delaware offered a solid card that gave an early indication that the lucrative Governor's Day evening program here on July 26 is actually close at hand.
In the opening race on the card, American Sportsman (Mike Cole) rallied from well off the pace to post a 54-1 shocker when he edged 3-5 choice Evolution Tour (Victor Kirby) in 1:54.3. A four-year-old Somebeachsomewhere stallion trained by Joe Columbo for owners George & Tina Dennis, American Sportsman recorded his second win from 14 starts this year and now owns a 6-6-2 slate and $75,000 bankroll from 35 lifetime outings.
Evolution Tour had been idle since finishing third as the 3-5 favorite in the March 29 edition of the $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund final, won by Slick Tony is 1:50.4. A sophomore son of Roddy's Bags Again trained by Jim King, Jr. for owner Joann Looney-King, Evolution Tour will take the next steps toward finally upending Slick Tony on the Governor's Day card in two weeks in the first round of DSBF eliminations.
Then one race later on the card, Machamillion N (Cole) prevailed as the 4-5 choice in a very formful non-winners of $8501 last five starts class for older pacers. A six-year-old Mach Three gelding trained by Michael Hall, Machamillion N notched his second win from 13 starts this year when he led through modest fractions of 28.1, 57.3 and 1:25.3 en route to scoring in 1:53.3 in a race in which the order of finish directly mirrored their post time odds.
Then one race later in a formful non-winners of $13,001 last five starts class for older pacers, Tip It On Back (Bret Brittingham) prevailed as the 2-1 second choice over Daiymir (Montrell Teague) and Shane Adam (Corey Callahan) in a race in which the top three finishers were all 2-1 at post time. Tip It On Back, a six-year-old Rockin Image gelding trained by Donald Brittingham for owner Elizabeth Brittingham, Tip It On Back notched his second win from nine starts this year and now owns 13 wins and nearly $153,000 banked from 73 lifetime tries.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $5501 last five starts class for older pacers, Gallic Beach (Callahan) delivered a dominant performance as the even-money favorite. A six-year-old Somebeachsomewhere stallion trained by John Wilkerson for the Robins Nest Farm, Gallic Beach scored by four lengths in 1:54.3 for his first win in 11 seasonal outings and he now owns 17 wins and over $200,000 banked in an 89-race career.
Then one race later in the $25/30,000 claiming handicap for older pacers, Hi Sir (Russell Foster) displayed more than a hint of youthful vigor when he led throughout to forge a 6-1 upset in 1:53. A 10-year-old Sir Luck gelding owned, trained and driven by Foster, Hi Sir ended a seven-race skid when he notched his fourth win in 16 starts this year. A durable sort with ample back class, Hi Sir now owns a solid 47-36-36 slate and over $450,000 banked from 245 lifetime outings and he has been horse of the meet on multiple occasions at Rosecroft Raceway.
Then one race later in the featured $17,500 Open Handicap for older pacers, Little Ben (Kirby) rallied from last year to post a 22-1 upset in 1:53.1. A seven-year-old Jereme's Jet gelding trained by King for owner Looney-King, Little Ben now owns a 4-2-0 slate and $60,000 banked from 10 starts this year and 32 wins and nearly $400,000 banked from 121 career outings. His previous victory came in the Open at Dover Downs on March 1 in 1:51.2, well above his lifetime mark of 1:49.3 taken three years earlier at that oval.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $80,001 lifetime class for younger pacers, Takeittotheface (Eddie Davis, Jr) recorded his fourth straight victory when he edged 6-5 favorite Bodega Bay (Tony Morgan) in 1:55. A four-year-old Artzina gelding owned, bred and trained by Shawn Hanley, Takeittotheface now owns six wins and earnings of $47,000 from 15 starts this year and an 8-6-4 slate and $67,000 bankroll from 31 career outings. Bodega Bay was game in defeat as the choice for owner-trainer Gary Ewing of Ge's Romanero and Ge's Karla fame.
In the opening race on the card, American Sportsman (Mike Cole) rallied from well off the pace to post a 54-1 shocker when he edged 3-5 choice Evolution Tour (Victor Kirby) in 1:54.3. A four-year-old Somebeachsomewhere stallion trained by Joe Columbo for owners George & Tina Dennis, American Sportsman recorded his second win from 14 starts this year and now owns a 6-6-2 slate and $75,000 bankroll from 35 lifetime outings.
Evolution Tour had been idle since finishing third as the 3-5 favorite in the March 29 edition of the $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund final, won by Slick Tony is 1:50.4. A sophomore son of Roddy's Bags Again trained by Jim King, Jr. for owner Joann Looney-King, Evolution Tour will take the next steps toward finally upending Slick Tony on the Governor's Day card in two weeks in the first round of DSBF eliminations.
Then one race later on the card, Machamillion N (Cole) prevailed as the 4-5 choice in a very formful non-winners of $8501 last five starts class for older pacers. A six-year-old Mach Three gelding trained by Michael Hall, Machamillion N notched his second win from 13 starts this year when he led through modest fractions of 28.1, 57.3 and 1:25.3 en route to scoring in 1:53.3 in a race in which the order of finish directly mirrored their post time odds.
Then one race later in a formful non-winners of $13,001 last five starts class for older pacers, Tip It On Back (Bret Brittingham) prevailed as the 2-1 second choice over Daiymir (Montrell Teague) and Shane Adam (Corey Callahan) in a race in which the top three finishers were all 2-1 at post time. Tip It On Back, a six-year-old Rockin Image gelding trained by Donald Brittingham for owner Elizabeth Brittingham, Tip It On Back notched his second win from nine starts this year and now owns 13 wins and nearly $153,000 banked from 73 lifetime tries.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $5501 last five starts class for older pacers, Gallic Beach (Callahan) delivered a dominant performance as the even-money favorite. A six-year-old Somebeachsomewhere stallion trained by John Wilkerson for the Robins Nest Farm, Gallic Beach scored by four lengths in 1:54.3 for his first win in 11 seasonal outings and he now owns 17 wins and over $200,000 banked in an 89-race career.
Then one race later in the $25/30,000 claiming handicap for older pacers, Hi Sir (Russell Foster) displayed more than a hint of youthful vigor when he led throughout to forge a 6-1 upset in 1:53. A 10-year-old Sir Luck gelding owned, trained and driven by Foster, Hi Sir ended a seven-race skid when he notched his fourth win in 16 starts this year. A durable sort with ample back class, Hi Sir now owns a solid 47-36-36 slate and over $450,000 banked from 245 lifetime outings and he has been horse of the meet on multiple occasions at Rosecroft Raceway.
Then one race later in the featured $17,500 Open Handicap for older pacers, Little Ben (Kirby) rallied from last year to post a 22-1 upset in 1:53.1. A seven-year-old Jereme's Jet gelding trained by King for owner Looney-King, Little Ben now owns a 4-2-0 slate and $60,000 banked from 10 starts this year and 32 wins and nearly $400,000 banked from 121 career outings. His previous victory came in the Open at Dover Downs on March 1 in 1:51.2, well above his lifetime mark of 1:49.3 taken three years earlier at that oval.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $80,001 lifetime class for younger pacers, Takeittotheface (Eddie Davis, Jr) recorded his fourth straight victory when he edged 6-5 favorite Bodega Bay (Tony Morgan) in 1:55. A four-year-old Artzina gelding owned, bred and trained by Shawn Hanley, Takeittotheface now owns six wins and earnings of $47,000 from 15 starts this year and an 8-6-4 slate and $67,000 bankroll from 31 career outings. Bodega Bay was game in defeat as the choice for owner-trainer Gary Ewing of Ge's Romanero and Ge's Karla fame.
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