Racing News

In 2001 John Bax of Peterborough, Ontario, enjoyed one of his best years ever as a Standardbred trainer culminating with an O’Brien Award as Canada’s trainer of the year. One of the highlights of that season came on November 10 at Mohawk Racetrack when he started four trotters in the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Finals and came away with three wins and a second.

That night Natashas Kiss upset her stablemate from the Bax barn, Pepi Lavec (who finished second), in the 2-year-old trotting filly final, while Duke Of York and Northern Bailey were also successful in their divisions for the popular conditioner.

This Saturday night Bax has an opportunity to add more Super Final trophies to his case as he’ll send out five starters in the eight finals worth C$250,000 each at the Campbellville, Ontario oval. Like 2001, he has two starters and the probable favorite in the rookie trotting filly division, Stubborn Belle and Juanitas Fury.

After winning the first five Yonkers Raceway races Tuesday night, Jason Bartlett’s final total for the eveningwas just that…a quintet.

The winners were…

1st race—Taillight Hanover ($7.20) in 1:54;
2nd race—Moliere Hanvoer ($14.20) in 1:54.1;
3rd race—the trotter Ima Que T ($3.50) in 1:57;
4th race—Bettor Believe It ($4.50) in 1:54.1;
5th race—Greystone Cash ($3.10) in 1:55.

Bartlett’s subsequent starts finished eighth (after a break), second, eighth, third, third, eighth (another break) and eighth again. 

After competing at Flamboro Downs on Sunday (Oct.5) the Billings Series action in Canada continued on Monday (Oct. 6) at Mohawk Raceway where Michiganders, Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford and Mike “the Mortgage Man” Mitchell, each emerged victorious in their respective divisions; Oldford with Bold Strike and Mitchell with Unabating.

The two-day trip marked the second time this season that Billings members raced in Canada, initially competing over a weekend in early September at two racetracks in the Maritimes.

Although going into his contest on Monday as the leading point-earner in the lengthy amateur driving series, Oldford added even more points to his seasonal total after reining his own Bold Strike to a gate to wire triumph in a time of 1:58.4.

Second place went to Kelly “Sky” Walker who rallied Protégé Seelster from 13-lengths back at the quarter-pole to finish second, a length behind the winner. Once again, Canada’s own Howie the Horse” Gelfand took home the show dough—as he did yesterday at Flamboro Downs—this time with Back To Peace.

Two-year-old pacing colts bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, the undefeated Reverend Hanover and the bargain yearling Drachan Hanover, captured both $94,500 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold divisions Monday night (Sept. 29) at Mohawk.

The final division saw the lightly raced Reverend Hanover extend his unbeaten record to three with another impressive effort. In that split Mike Saftic and Seaforth were on top by the opening quarter in :26.1 but not for long as Chris Christoforou and Reverend Hanover quickly took over well before the :55.1 half. That colt opened up by the three-quarters in 1:23.4 and could not be caught down the stretch as he won handily in 1:51.4. Manny In Sports (Badlands Hanover) and Bob Ben And John (Sportswriter) were next across.

A son of Sportswriter-Razzle My Tazzle owned by West Wins Stables, Steve Calhoun, and Anthony Beaton, Reverend Hanover has yet to taste defeat in his young career. This was the second OSS Gold win for the $24,000 yearling purchase at Harrisburg and upped his earnings to $84,620 in just three starts.

Two brilliant, but aging, veteran trotters--Andover America and Gale Warning--proved their merit on Wednesday (Oct 8) night by taking their respective "Open" events at Pompano Park.

In the $10,000 top open event, Andover America, now nine, earned his 54th lifetime victory with a splendid 1:57.2 win for driver Bruce Ranger, easily scoring a win measuring 3-1/4 lengths over Illusionsndreams, handled by Mickey McNichol. Adenium, with Aaron Byron in the bike, finished third after a brush from fourth to second on the backside. Tug River Dylan finished fourth with Lugar, on top early before making a miscue just short of the opening panel, picking up the last check in the quintet.

After the :28.3 opening quarter, Ranger put his charge on "cruise control," wiring three straight subsequent panels of :29.3 to seal the deal.

Illinois conceived and foaled trotting fillies stepped into the spotlight on Wednesday night at Balmoral Park as a field of seven diagonally gaited youngsters battled in a $20,000 Lady Lincoln Land Stake Consolation.

On paper it appeared to be a “one-horse race” and it turned out to be just that as Homer Hochstetler & Robert Buddig’s Persuasive Look romped to an easy five-length victory in 2:00.1 for driver Casey Leonard.

Four $20,000 divisions of the first leg of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings were contested Tuesday at Harrington Raceway.

 Two nights into DSBF 2-year-old action, first crop sires have enjoyed ample success.

 Scott Woogen’s KJ Ben ($14.40, Art Stafford Jr.) was the fastest winner after a 1:54.1 impressive score. The Riggins colt brushed to lead at the opening quarter mile in :28.3, clearing early leader and race favorite Smoking Joey. KJ Ben then marched through fractions of :57.1 and 1:26.1 before holding the favorite at bay in the stretch for a measured win. Trained by Duane Wagner, it was the third win of KJ Ben’s career.

 Perhaps the most contentious division was the fourth when Michael White’s Son of a Sizzle ($11.80, Allan Davis) recorded a 1:54.2 win from off the pace for trainer Gary Green. The Life Sizzles colt battled first over and cleared leader Byby Landon, before holding off a game late charge from Remember Me VK for his first win of the season in five career starts.

Parked the opening quarter before making the lead, Better Caviar still was much the best as he rolled to victory in Tuesday’s $18,000 Winners Over $10,000 Life Handicap Trot at The Meadows.

Under Dan Rawlings’ handling, Better Caviar fought off a determined first-over challenge from Tamarind and scored in 1:54, 2 1/2 lengths better than the pocket-sitting Redder Than Red. The game Tamarind earned show.

Dave Wade trains the 6-year-old son of SJ’s Caviar-Better Credit, who extended his career bankroll to $128,085, and owns with Gerald Brittingham, Kelley Rogers and William Peel III.

And the beat goes on in Lexington. Another gorgeous morning on Tuesday, highs continue in the low 80s. I was again delayed 10 minutes due to traffic, but once I arrived I decided to start at the top and work my way back. So my first stop was to see Andy and Julie Miller and the new world champion Cee Bee Yes.

Andy was just bringing Cee Bee Yes from off the track. Dr. Andy Roberts was nearby and asked if I came to see Cee Bee Yes, and I replied that I indeed had, but I had already stopped to see ABC and NBC as well. Andy laughed and said that "Cee Bee Yes is by far the nicest of that group. She's so nice she's atypical of a 3-year-old filly trotter.”

Andy then took Perfect Alliance out and Julie said the plans call for the 4-year-old trotting mare to qualify at Pocono Downs in early October. Owned in part by Meadowlands owner Jeff Gural and his right-hand man Jason Settlemoir, Perfect Alliance steamrolled her way to 11 straight wins to open up 2014 before finishing second in the Armbro Flight final. Two sub-par efforts in July led to some R&R time.