Artbitration wins debut
Artbitration, who won two legs of the Cape & Cutter Series last winter at the Meadowlands, prepped for this year\\\'s edition of the series by winning her 2006 debut in 1:54 Friday night at The Meadows. With Dave Palone driving, Artbitration set the pace in the fillies and mares handicap and won by one-half length with a final quarter in :27.4 in her first start this season. The now 5-year-o...
Vysoke Tatry wins easily
Vysoke Tatry overcame post nine to win the $48,000 White Ruffles final in 1:53.2 on a windy Thursday night at the Meadowlands. Trained by Erv Miller and driven by his brother, Andy, Vysoke Tatry was in the thick of the action early as Andy Miller sent the mare toward the front of the field at the start. She cleared to the pylons just past the quarter in :27.4, then Miller slammed on the brakes ...
Gov. meets with churches
Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher met at the Capitol on Thursday with about 40 Catholic, evangelical and Protestant leaders, who urged him to oppose any expansion of gambling in the state. Fletcher afterward told reporters he is not in favor of casino gambling. \\\"This is not something that I support and I don\\\'t think it\\\'s the economic development that Kentucky needs,\\\" Fletcher was quoted ...
More slots in Delaware
Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner is getting the bill she wanted allowing more slot machines at the state\\\'s three racetracks and making some 24-hour operations. On Thursday the Delaware Senate approved a House bill by a 17 to 2 vote, sending the measure to Gov. Minner for her signature. Minner asked for passage of the bill last week in her State of the State message. It is hoped that the add...
George upsets at 20-1
George At Bigs, a 20-1 shot starting from post nine, made a big move at the start and again just before the half to win the $85,000 Clyde Hirt final in 1:50.3 Friday night at the Meadowlands. Driver George Brennan fired George At Bigs away from the gate and had his horse settled second along the pylons in the first turn. Southwind Apex clicked off the first fraction in :26.4, then Brennan brush...
Mare wins 2nd straight
Solveig captured her second straight race Wednesday at Dover Downs, turning in a career-best 1:55 performance in the $24,000 Open Trot. With trainer-driver Jimmy Takter, Solveig was parked until the half but then the 4-year-old mare led the rest of the way. The 2004 Dan Patch Award-winner increased her career earnings to more than $650,000 with the victory. She is owned by Takter's wife, Christ...
Super Bowl winner at Big M
Bancroft Hall completed a Super Bowl Series sweep, scoring a two-length victory in the $65,000 final Wednesday night at the Meadowlands. Bancroft Hall trotted the mile in 1:57.2, posting her third straight victory. Driver Cat Manzi moved the 4-year-old daughter of Conway Hall three wide with an eighth of a mile to go, and she charged to the lead for her sixth win in 28 career starts. The vic...
Remember the Seahawks
Although the 3-year-old gelding pacer Steeler has been receiving plenty of media attention as Super Bowl XL approaches between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks (you can catch an interview involving the horse at www.wtae.com), let's not forget horses named Seahawk--which according to the USTA has been used twice. The first Sea Hawk registered was a foal of 1954 who had a non-descript...
Fire at Tioga Park
A building under construction at Tioga Downs in New York was damaged by fire Wednesday.The track, which has not raced a live meet in three decades, is undergoing renovation to open later this year with both live racing and a facility with video lottery terminals. According to reports, a local fire chief says a heater on the roof of a building overturned, causing the fire. No injuries were repor...
Champion On Ice shocker
Miss Gator sprung a 27-1 shocker in the third round of the Champion On Ice Series at Balmoral Park Tuesday night. Overlooked in the wagering in large part because of post position nine and the fact that she had missed nearly a month of action, the daughter of Smokey Legend looked as fresh as a daisy as she cruised home with a 1 1/4-length verdict in 2:01.1. After getting away seventh in the...
Mr. Thinker wins at RcR
Mr. Thinker captured Tuesday night\\\'s featured pace at Rosecroft with a 1:5 effort. The 6-year-old Glowing Tribute stallion led wire to wire for driver Sean Bier, holding off the late rally of Homeland Hero by three-quarters of a length. Razzle Dazzle Hall finished third for driver Walter Callahan, who currently has 2,997 career victories.
Morgan takes Dover Opens
Tony Morgan drove Apache Dame to a 1:51.2 victory in the $24,000 Open Pace for fillies and mares at Dover Downs Tuesday. Apache Dame led at every station before kicking home in :28.3 en route to holding off Shake Away, who settled for second, ending her four-race winning streak. Pacific Illusion finished third. The 5-year-old daughter of Apaches Fame is owned by the WJH McDougall Racing Inc...
Vernon settlement?
A report by Associated Press Wednesday states that Oneida Entertainment and Vernon Downs Acquisition have reached an agreement that could lead to Vernon Downs re-opening. The agreement was announced in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Utica on Tuesday. The agreement calls for Oneida Entertainment to withdraw its plan to bring the track out of bankruptcy and become an investor in Vernon Downs Acquisitio...
Lucas wins 1st at Nfld
Provisional driver Julie Lucas picked up her first career win Tuesday at Northfield, steering her own Jack Honore to victory in the 14th race, a $3,000 claiming pace. Lucas is the first female driver to win a race at Northfield since Barb Lewis picked up a win on Oct. 2, 2005 in the $20,000 Night of Champions with Stable Creek Barb. Lucas was out early after getting away third. She challenged ...
A win of a lifetime
Four-year-old mare The Great Pacific followed Laughing Louder all the way around the track and took full advantage when the odds-on favorite made a mid-stretch miscue to win the $55,500(C) final of the Lifetime Dream Trotting Series in 1:58.4 on Monday night at Woodbine. Trained by Jonas Stutzman and guided by leading driver Mark MacDonald, The Great Pacific, a daughter of American Winner, earn...
Dead heat in 2nd leg
Mypanmar and Shu Hanover finished in a dead heat for win in 1:50.2 the $50,000 second leg of the Presidential Series on Saturday night at the Meadowlands. It was a half-length back to Casimir Camotion in third. Mypanmar, with John Campbell driving, moved to the lead with an eighth of a mile to go while Shu Hanover, with David Miller in the sulky, was following an outside route, making up groun...
Willowdale splits raced
I Zee and Coast Highway won their respective $40,000(C) divisions of the Willowdale Series Saturday night at Woodbine. I Zee was a 1:51.2 winner while Coast Highway crossed the wire in 1:52.2. Coast Highway, sent off at odds of 22-1 for driver Randy Waples, rallied from off the pace to win by a half-length over Four Starz Sisco with Zooka third. Brett Robinson trains the 4-year-old gelding f...
Complex final set
Seeyouinmydreams, purchased this past Monday, delivered an immediate dividend when he won the second of two $20,000 divisions of the Complex Series on Friday night at the Meadowlands. Seeyouinmydreams, with Eric Ledford driving, held off a fast-charging Pandarin Duck by a head and won in 1:51. Crazy For Ever finished third by 3 1/4 lengths. David Scharf, Lightning 5 Stable, Shoot the Moon ...
Four Hirt splits held
In four $18,000 divisions of the Clyde Hirt Series at the Meadowlands Friday night, winning efforts were turned in by Deliver The Goods, George At Bigs, Ideal Lover and He's A Nice Guy. Deliver The Goods, driven by Cat Manzi and trained by Ken Rucker, won by one length over Smoky Bonz in a lifetime best of 1:51.2. George At Bigs got up in the final strides and won by a neck over Real Hanover...
Bono Bests best in series
Bono Bests, a half brother to Presidential Series round-one winner Hop Sing, was an impressive, three-move winner in 1:53.3 on Friday evening at Woodbine Racetrack, where the son of Pro Bono Best tallied a gritty, neck victory over Whitesand Invader in the $46,600 (C) Snowshoe Pacing Series final. Owned by Ivan Sugg and trained by Chad Milner, Bono Bests has had a sparkling start to his young c...