Sharp scores highlight trio of Sunday cards
Harness racing enthusiasts had plenty of action to follow on Sunday afternoon and evening as Miami Valley, Rosecroft and Pompano Park each had something to offer.
Just before the midway point of the Sunday card at Miami Valley, Hominy Hill (Trace Tetrick) gained command past the opener and led throughout to forge an 8-1 upset in the $20,000 Open II for trotters by getting the mile in 1:56.2. A seven-year-old Swan For All gelding owned and trained by Sandy Tetrick, Hominy Hill notched his second win in four starts this year and now owns 21 victories and over $256,000 banked from 93 career outings.
Then several races later in the $24,000 Open I trot, Monopoly Blue Chip (Kayne Kauffman) rallied from well off the pace to forge an even bigger shocker. A seven-year-old Donato Hanover gelding trained by Jeff Olson, Monopoly Blue Chip earned his first local score in the Open when he forged a 15-1 shocker in 1:55.1. It was his first win in four starts on the season and he now sports a 14-11-16 slate and nearly $200,000 banked from 102 career outings.
Later that same afternoon at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland, Capital Builder (Jonathan Roberts) benefited from a pocket trip behind 6-5 choice Rock N Roll Jet (Kim Vincent) to the half, down the backside and by three-quarters then angled to the passing lane and got up late for a nose score in 1:53. A six-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding trained by Megan Roberts, Capital Builder kicked off his current campaign with a narrow score over the track's reigning horse of the year and how now owns 16 wins and over $105,000 banked from 64 career tries.
Then one race later in the featured Winners Over class for trotters, Deacons Valley (Russell Foster) easily lived up to his role as the 1-9 favorite when he gained command before a 27.4 opener, maintained an honest tempo to the half and three-quarters then cruised home four lengths clear of Overnight Shipper (Robert Hoffman) to score in 1:55.1. The nine-year-old Valley Victory stallion trained by John Cabot notched his second win in five starts this year and posted the 25th triumph of his 121-race career.
Then just past the midway point of the card, Diamondkeeper (Foster) rallied from far back and widest of all to prevail by a length as the 1-9 favorite in a non-winners of $4,000 last five starts class for older pacers. A former horse of the meet at both Rosecroft Raceway and Ocean Downs, Diamondkeeper notched his first win in four seasonal starts and now sports 36 wins and nearly $335,000 banked from 126 career outings for owner-trainer Basil Sapienza.
Two races later on the card, Jack Quick (Roberts), a Sapienza-trained homebred son of Nuclear Breeze, brushed to command down the backside and rolled by three-quarters in 1:24.3 then romped home three lengths clear under confident handling to score in 1:53.1 in a non-winners of four races or $30,000 lifetime class for younger pacers. The four-year-old gelding owned, bred and trained by Sapienza notched his second win in five starts this year and now sports a 5-3-0 slate and $26,000 banked from 22 career outings.
Then two races later in the penultimate race on the card, Rocktavius (Richard Still) benefited from a pocket trip behind Abelard Hanover (Roberts) by the half and three-quarters, angled inside late and just edged the leader to score by a nose in 1:54. A six-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding trained by Megan Roberts, Rocktavius narrowly prevailed in his seasonal debut and now owns 23 wins and nearly $150,000 banked from 96 lifetime tries.
That same evening at Pompano Park the overnight races sans the usual two Open classes offered a blend of chalky results and mild upsets.
In the second race on the card, American Passport (Wally Hennessey) lived up to his role as the 1-2 choice when he gained command in a brisk 26.2 opener, got a breather by the half in 56.3, met token pressure by three-quarters in 1:25 then held safe 13-1 Mikado Blue Chip (Scott Zeron) for a two-length score in 1:52.4 in a non-winners of $4,500 last four starts class for pacers. The six-year-old American Ideal gelding owned and trained by Melissa Beckwith recorded his third win in six starts already this season.
Several races later in a non-winners of $2,500 last four starts class for pacers, Feelin Like A Winner (David Ingraham) lived up to his role as the 6-5 favorite and his name when he rallied from well off the pace for a three-length score in 1:52.4. A nine-year-old Feelin Friskie gelding owned and trained by Casandra Uppal, Feelin Like A Winner notched his first win in six starts this year and now owns 25 wins and nearly $425,000 banked from 148 career outings.
One race later in a non-winners of $3,500 last four starts class for pacers, Major Starlight (Rick Plano) overcame a long first over bid to post a 7-2 upset in 1:53.1. An eight-year-old Major In Art gelding owned, trained and driven by Plano, Major Starlight remained perfect in three starts this year and now sports 41 wins and nearly $260,00 banked from 186 career outings.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $4,500 last four starts class for pacers, Lets Roll (Mike Simons) drew clear late to a three-length score in 1:52.3 as the 4-5 favorite. A four-year-old Roll With Joe gelding trained by Jake Huff, Lets Roll notched his second win from four starts this year and now owns an 8-4-1 slate and nearly $60,000 banked from 24 lifetime outings.
One race later in the featured non-winners of $5,500 last four starts class for pacers, Rebellious (Jim Meittinis), a longtime local fixture in the Open I here, rallied from well off the pace and widest of all to score in 1:52.2. A five-year-old Mach Three gelding owned and trained by Michael Deters. Rebellious earned his first tally in two starts this year and now owns 20 wins and over $160,000 banked from 56 career outings.
Then several races later in the finale, Hasty Terror (Hennessey) delivered an eye-opening performance as the 1-5 favorite in a non-winners of $2,500 last four class. A five-year-old Western Terror gelding owned and trained by Jim McDonald, Hasty Terror recorded his first win in five starts this year by stopping the timer in 1:51 flat, the fastest clocking of the season at the Florida five-eighths mile oval. It was his 10th win in 72 career tries and now represents his lifetime mark as well.
Just before the midway point of the Sunday card at Miami Valley, Hominy Hill (Trace Tetrick) gained command past the opener and led throughout to forge an 8-1 upset in the $20,000 Open II for trotters by getting the mile in 1:56.2. A seven-year-old Swan For All gelding owned and trained by Sandy Tetrick, Hominy Hill notched his second win in four starts this year and now owns 21 victories and over $256,000 banked from 93 career outings.
Then several races later in the $24,000 Open I trot, Monopoly Blue Chip (Kayne Kauffman) rallied from well off the pace to forge an even bigger shocker. A seven-year-old Donato Hanover gelding trained by Jeff Olson, Monopoly Blue Chip earned his first local score in the Open when he forged a 15-1 shocker in 1:55.1. It was his first win in four starts on the season and he now sports a 14-11-16 slate and nearly $200,000 banked from 102 career outings.
Later that same afternoon at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland, Capital Builder (Jonathan Roberts) benefited from a pocket trip behind 6-5 choice Rock N Roll Jet (Kim Vincent) to the half, down the backside and by three-quarters then angled to the passing lane and got up late for a nose score in 1:53. A six-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding trained by Megan Roberts, Capital Builder kicked off his current campaign with a narrow score over the track's reigning horse of the year and how now owns 16 wins and over $105,000 banked from 64 career tries.
Then one race later in the featured Winners Over class for trotters, Deacons Valley (Russell Foster) easily lived up to his role as the 1-9 favorite when he gained command before a 27.4 opener, maintained an honest tempo to the half and three-quarters then cruised home four lengths clear of Overnight Shipper (Robert Hoffman) to score in 1:55.1. The nine-year-old Valley Victory stallion trained by John Cabot notched his second win in five starts this year and posted the 25th triumph of his 121-race career.
Then just past the midway point of the card, Diamondkeeper (Foster) rallied from far back and widest of all to prevail by a length as the 1-9 favorite in a non-winners of $4,000 last five starts class for older pacers. A former horse of the meet at both Rosecroft Raceway and Ocean Downs, Diamondkeeper notched his first win in four seasonal starts and now sports 36 wins and nearly $335,000 banked from 126 career outings for owner-trainer Basil Sapienza.
Two races later on the card, Jack Quick (Roberts), a Sapienza-trained homebred son of Nuclear Breeze, brushed to command down the backside and rolled by three-quarters in 1:24.3 then romped home three lengths clear under confident handling to score in 1:53.1 in a non-winners of four races or $30,000 lifetime class for younger pacers. The four-year-old gelding owned, bred and trained by Sapienza notched his second win in five starts this year and now sports a 5-3-0 slate and $26,000 banked from 22 career outings.
Then two races later in the penultimate race on the card, Rocktavius (Richard Still) benefited from a pocket trip behind Abelard Hanover (Roberts) by the half and three-quarters, angled inside late and just edged the leader to score by a nose in 1:54. A six-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding trained by Megan Roberts, Rocktavius narrowly prevailed in his seasonal debut and now owns 23 wins and nearly $150,000 banked from 96 lifetime tries.
That same evening at Pompano Park the overnight races sans the usual two Open classes offered a blend of chalky results and mild upsets.
In the second race on the card, American Passport (Wally Hennessey) lived up to his role as the 1-2 choice when he gained command in a brisk 26.2 opener, got a breather by the half in 56.3, met token pressure by three-quarters in 1:25 then held safe 13-1 Mikado Blue Chip (Scott Zeron) for a two-length score in 1:52.4 in a non-winners of $4,500 last four starts class for pacers. The six-year-old American Ideal gelding owned and trained by Melissa Beckwith recorded his third win in six starts already this season.
Several races later in a non-winners of $2,500 last four starts class for pacers, Feelin Like A Winner (David Ingraham) lived up to his role as the 6-5 favorite and his name when he rallied from well off the pace for a three-length score in 1:52.4. A nine-year-old Feelin Friskie gelding owned and trained by Casandra Uppal, Feelin Like A Winner notched his first win in six starts this year and now owns 25 wins and nearly $425,000 banked from 148 career outings.
One race later in a non-winners of $3,500 last four starts class for pacers, Major Starlight (Rick Plano) overcame a long first over bid to post a 7-2 upset in 1:53.1. An eight-year-old Major In Art gelding owned, trained and driven by Plano, Major Starlight remained perfect in three starts this year and now sports 41 wins and nearly $260,00 banked from 186 career outings.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $4,500 last four starts class for pacers, Lets Roll (Mike Simons) drew clear late to a three-length score in 1:52.3 as the 4-5 favorite. A four-year-old Roll With Joe gelding trained by Jake Huff, Lets Roll notched his second win from four starts this year and now owns an 8-4-1 slate and nearly $60,000 banked from 24 lifetime outings.
One race later in the featured non-winners of $5,500 last four starts class for pacers, Rebellious (Jim Meittinis), a longtime local fixture in the Open I here, rallied from well off the pace and widest of all to score in 1:52.2. A five-year-old Mach Three gelding owned and trained by Michael Deters. Rebellious earned his first tally in two starts this year and now owns 20 wins and over $160,000 banked from 56 career outings.
Then several races later in the finale, Hasty Terror (Hennessey) delivered an eye-opening performance as the 1-5 favorite in a non-winners of $2,500 last four class. A five-year-old Western Terror gelding owned and trained by Jim McDonald, Hasty Terror recorded his first win in five starts this year by stopping the timer in 1:51 flat, the fastest clocking of the season at the Florida five-eighths mile oval. It was his 10th win in 72 career tries and now represents his lifetime mark as well.
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