Racing towards the holidays

 

 

 

 

By Tara Spach

Social Media Coordinator

IaHHA

 

Dance Traveler kicked off the week for Iowa grads Monday (12/9) at The Meadows.  With trainer/driver Brady Jenson in the bike, Dance Traveler had all sorts of traffic most of the mile in race twelve.  Finally working his way to the top of the stretch, Dance Traveler battled Missouri bred Black River Spirit (Shawn Johnston) down the lane.  With only one fifth of a second separating the two, Dance Traveler got up for the win, Black River Spirit placing second.  This race was definitely the one to bet Iowa grads, as they blew up the board to pay out $1,173.20 for a straight 5-6 exacta!

 

In race three at Yonkers Raceway, Frisky Pedro put in a good effort with driver Joe Bongiorno.  Parked until the top of the lane, Frisky Pedro held on to finish third, his mile in 1:56.2.

 

Joe Bongiorno also had the assignment in race six with Snobbytown.  The Ron Burke trained filly continues to show her domination.  Leaving from the three hole, Snobbytown cut the mile, quarters in 27.1, 56.1, 1:24.1 and a last quarter of 29.1.  With an impressive wire to wire performance of 1:53.2, Snobbytown increases her lifetime earnings to over $180,000.

 

Tuesday (12/10) saw another close race from an Iowa grad at Yonkers.  Juxta Cowgirl (Jordan Stratton) got parked third to the quarter in race eight.  Charging up to take the lead, Juxta Cowgirl was beaten by a nose to place second, her mile in 1:55.3.

 

At Saratoga Harness on Wednesday (12/11) Oh Toodles (Jay Randall) left from the two hole in race nine and didn’t look back.  Fractions of 28.3, 58.1, 1;26.4, Oh Toodles crossed the wire, as victor, beating the next competitor by a length.  Returning to the winners circle for owner Debbie Philipp, Oh Toodles paced his mile in 1:55.4, last quarter in 29.0.

 

Trotting over to The Meadows, CR Blaze (Brady Brown) held on to place second in race four, her mile in 1:58.1.

 

In race eight, Red Neck Sioux (Jason Merriman) drew the five hole.  Getting away second, then pushed back to third, Red Neck Sioux regained second as they rounded the last turn.  Trotting a last quarter in 31.0, Red Neck Sioux put a head in front , winning in 2:02.3.

 

Looking to improve over her third place performance last week, Always B Hanny lined up in the four hole in race eleven at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday (12/12).  Driver Anthony Morgan drove out of the gate to get Always B Hanny parked to the quarter.  Asking his filly to charge on, Always B Hanny took control and put the competition away.  Winning by three lengths, Always B Hanny paced the mile in 1:56.2, last quarter in 29.1.

 

Friday the Thirteenth (12/13) was not an unlucky day for Iowa grads.  At Yonkers Raceway, Pretty Boy Swag also looked to finish higher on the board than his prior third place.  Not satisfied sitting third at the quarter, Pretty Boy Swag (Jordan Stratton) pulled at the half, sitting parked, to take over as the race leader.  Flying down the stretch, last quarter in 29.4, Pretty Boy Swag won by a neck, mile in 1:54.1.

 

Over at Cal-Expo, race two featured Queen of Marcs.  Getting a pocket trip, Queen of Marcs (Braxten Boyd) waited past the three quarter pole to make a move.  First, as they topped the stretch, Queen of Marcs pulled away to win by two lengths, pacing the mile in 2:06.3.

 

In race five, The Joe Lighthill-FFA Trot, Jeralene Roland’s Scramble Camp looked to try his luck from post position six,  Driver Nick Roland quickly asked Scramble Camp to leave the gate, settling into second.  Holding his position on the rail, Scramble Camp battled to the wire, trotting to second place, his mile in 2:05.0.

 

Saturday (12/14) at Cal-Expo, trainer/driver Nick Roland had four Iowa grads entered into race five, The Robert Staats Final.  Choosing to drive Bertha Vanation, Roland followed stablemates Flash Me Baby (Luke Plano), Red N Hotallover (John Roberts) and Lakota Law (Braxten Boyd) out of the gate.  Picking off the field, Bertha Vanation worked her way from fifth at the quarter, then parked fourth at the half, and still sitting parked, third, at the three quarter pole.  Taking command as they headed towards the wire, Bertha Vanation held on for the win, by a neck, in 1:57.4, her last quarter 29.0.

 

Nick Roland also picked up the lines to drive Diamonds Are Trump in race seven.  Getting shuffled from third to fifth after the half, Diamonds Are Trump sprinted a last quarter in 28.4, to place second, her mile in 1:59.2.

 

In other news, Adriano Sorella is looking outside the box to market Iowa grad Jimmy Freight’s new career as a stallion.  Using social media, Sorella has been giving away gift cards for Dunkin Donuts and Tim Horton’s with a picture of Jimmy Freight and the Winbak Farm logo on each card.  Most recently, Sorella is doing a “Twelve Days of Christmas” for those who “like, share and tag friends in comments”, with the first winner receiving an Amazon Echo Show 8.  Look for the giveaways on Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

 

 

 

Category: NEWS