Lines Being Firmly Drawn in Divisional Races

DRF HARNESS HOME DIGITAL HARNESS EYE HARNESS PPS DRF BETS ENTRIES ARCHIVE THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021 Lines being firmly drawn in divisional races

Hambletonian soc./breeders crown poll EDITOR’S EYE NEW PLAYERS Name (1st Votes) age/Sex/Gait Points By Derick Giwner DOUBLE YOUR 1 Manchego (28) 6mt 336 @DRFHarness FIRST DEPOSIT 2 Captain Corey (6) 3ct 297 As the dog days of summer wind down and 3 Atlanta 6mt 216 UP TO Woodbine Mohawk Park embarks on what I wish would be the new norm of its four to 4 Lyons Sentinel 4mp 159 $250 five week championship meet, we finally have Join Now: promos.drf.com/offer more clarity in the various divisional races 5 Charlie May (1) 3gp 142 throughout the sport. Starting with the older trotters, Manchego 6 Hot Mess Express 3fp 124 is the clear Queen, not only among mares but all Standardbreds. The Nancy Takter trainee, 7 Test Of Faith 3fp 106 Inside this issue with six wins in seven starts and a 1:49 4/5 win on her record, is the current Horse of the 8 Catch The Fire 4hp 98 Year leader. Jay Bergman: Alagna dealt with post The older male trotting arena remains one 9 Bella Bellini 3ft 90 nightmare in Sun Stakes, Page 3 of the few where there is no clear top dog. 10 King Of The North 2ct 88 Beads leads in earnings and is closely followed Gallucci seeks Grand Circuit success at by It’s Academic and Ready For Moni. Woodbine Mohawk Park, Page 4 Firmly at the head of the 3-year-old male Hellabalou, American Courage, Rockyroad trotting ranks and quickly gaining traction Hanover and Bulldog Hanover ready to jump Bob Marks: In breeding, what’s old can on Manchego for Horse of the Year is Captain into the fray at any moment. The North Amer- be new again, Page 6 Corey. The Hambletonian winner owns four ica Cup on September 11 is the next big dance Melander duo looks to get some cash in wins in six starts and leads all horses in earn- in this division, followed by the Little Brown ings at $733,695. Jug. Zweigs at Vernon, Page 7 Equally entrenched at the top of her divi- While my personal opinion remains that Road to the Mohawk Million - Week 2, sion is Bella Bellini in the 3-year-old trotting Test The Faith is the best 3-year-old pacing filly ranks. The Hambletonian Oaks winner filly in North America, I couldn’t argue with Page 8 has never been worse than second in 11 starts anyone who places the red-hot Grace Hill or On The Backstretch: Hall of Fame in 2021. once-beaten Hot Mess Express ahead of her. We Communicator Dave Little, Page 9 Both 2-year-old trotting leaders are unde- really haven’t seen a showdown of the top fillies feated and undisputed. The filly Venerable yet and it should be a battle worth watching. Best Bets & Analysis, Page 11 and colt King Of The North have each won all We end with the older pacers where Lyons five of their starts and have huge leads on any Sentinel has a solid edge among mares and Industry headlines, Page 12 contenders. it’s a current three-way crapshoot for the boys Sticking with the rookies, the 2-year-old between This Is The Plan, Catch The Fire and Comments? Questions? pacing ranks simply don’t have enough returns Allywag Hanover, with the latter two 4-year-olds Email the Editor [email protected] to declare a divisional leader. Sea Silk (6-for-6), certainly proving that age doesn’t always matter I Did It Myway (5-for-5) and many others are in this division. In fact, eight of the top 12 earners To ensure proper delivery undefeated or close to it, but we can’t crown among older pacers and trotters in 2021 are age 4. of the newsletter via anyone ahead of any Grand Circuit races. So, 12 divisions and at least six of them email, add [email protected]. It’s a two-way battle right now in the have clear leaders. For the rest, as Monticello 3-year-old male pacing race between Lawless announcer Howard Oil would say, “Who do you com to your contact list Shadow and Charlie May, with Perfect Sting, like?”

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Know When To Take The Reins. ResponsibleGambling.org TM Trademark of Woodbine Entertainment Group Alagna dealt with post nightmare in Pocono’s Sun Stakes

jaywalking By Jay Bergman BergmanJay

Trainer Tony Alagna went into last Saturday’s Sun Stakes at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono knowing the obstacles his 3-year- old pacers would have to overcome not just to win the Lynch or Max Hempt Memorial but to even be in the running. With Cane Pace champion Rockyroad Hanover and Mistletoe Shalee winner Hot Mess Express both drawing outside positions, Alagna had a flashback to 2013. “I think that had to be one of the greatest races of all time,” Alagna said in recalling the 2013 Max Hempt Memorial where Rockyroad Hanover’s sire Captaintreacherous did something perhaps not seen before but most definitely not seen since over the Pocono surface. “He had post nine and was parked three and four wide through the opening turn,” said Alagna, remembering the overland journey required by Captaintreacherous and driver Tim Tetrick while being parked through a 1:21 three quarters on a rain-soaked surface, and the fact that they needed to come wide into the homestretch. “I thought he had to be all done but he just kept coming in the stretch,” continued Alagna about the 1:49 2/5 score that likely translated to something closer to 1:47. Post positions weren’t kind to Alagna in the August 21 Sun Stakes and the overland trips suffered by Rockyroad Hanover and Hot Mess Express more than compromised their individual chances as neither hit the board, though at the same time not racing badly in defeat. Such is the criteria for racing over the Wilkes Barre five-eighths mile oval. In the Hempt, a 25 2/5 opening quarter forced all of the speed to look for position along the pylons as eventual race-winner Lawless Shadow did what he couldn’t do against lesser competition in Ontario over his most recent two starts. Trainer Dr. Ian Moore credited the return of Mark MacDonald to the sulky but that was just one part of the equation. Perhaps more important was the fact that

Lawless Shadow, despite being off the gate at the start, managed to Nikki Sherman push out hard enough through the opening bend and thus dictated the Lawless Shadow used post 1 to his advantage in winning the Max fractions. Though the opening quarter was blistering hot, MacDonald Hempt Memorial. got away with a cheap second quarter, something that really matters when you consider a majority of it is raced on a straightaway. It was the first loss in eight starts for Hot Mess Express, but again Rockyroad Hanover would pick up cover, but it wouldn’t advance this sixth-place finish was nothing to be ashamed of. Owner Sam him anywhere near the leader, and going wide on the final turn at Bowie was on-hand to watch his prized filly in action and generously Pocono is only a good trip if the speed collapses or if you happen to offered an interview to Heather Wilder before the race. be Captaintreacherous in 2013. While the chart shows Rockyroad Grace Hill is a daughter of Always B Miki out of Western Silk. In Hanover unable to pass the first-over Southwind Gendry in the 2010 Western Silk finished third in the sophomore Breeders Crown stretch, it would be wise to point out that first-over at Pocono is a at Pocono, overcoming post eight in the process. Unfortunately, on much more enduring trip than second-over. that night Put On A Show had a much easier path to victory from post In the winner’s circle following the Lawless Shadow Hempt victory three. was Fred Grant. A former leading trainer at The Meadowlands, Grant Alagna noted that last year’s Hambletonian champion Ramona Hill now trains a string for Hanover Shoe Farm’s Russell Williams, but is ready to return to racing. “I trained her in 1:53 last week,” Alagna found the time to take care of one more horse during the week. said. “She’s been dealing with back issues, and it’s taken some time to “Doc (Moore) sent him down to me,” said Grant. “He’s a big horse work them through.” but a very kind horse. I didn’t do anything, just babysat him.” The Pocono pacing results leave both divisions as wide-open as they Well even if that was true, Moore could not have chosen a better were before the races. Certainly in the 3-year-old pacing filly class horseman to entrust the care of his star sophomore. Grace Hill has elevated her game with three straight stakes wins. Hot The $250,000 Lynch saw Alagna’s Hot Mess Express overcome post Mess Express and the once-beaten-in-2021 Test Of Faith remain solid nine with Andrew McCarthy pushing out hard enough to get a seat in contenders in a division likely to be decided in the Fall. fourth behind Fire Start Hanover, Grace Hill and Blue Diamond Eyes. Lawless Shadow now has a pair of major stakes to his credit, though Her chances looked good at the quarter that was passed in 26 2/5, but one did come by way of disqualification. That said, I would be hard once again (or before if you will since the Lynch preceded the Hempt) pressed to put him ahead of Charlie May at this point of the season, Fire Start Hanover was able to steal a 28 3/5 second quarter before especially after Charlie May’s convincing victory in the Milstein at Yannick Gingras and Blue Diamond Eyes made their second move to Northfield Park a few weeks back. go coverless near the halfway mark. With two consecutive 27 quarters Trainer Nancy Takter reported that early season sensation One left in the tank, the Nifty Norman trained duo of Fire Start Hanover Eight Hundred had throat surgery recently and would be ready for and Grace Hill marched clear of the field, with the latter doing what a return to the racing wars in short order. While One Eight Hundred she did in the Shady Daisy on Hambletonian Day in the exact same has been sidelined, his Sweet Lou-sired younger brother Market 1:49 clocking. This time it was Todd McCarthy steering Grace Hill as Based has reeled off a pair of victories at Pocono, including a 1:51 4/5 his brother Andrew stayed loyal to Alagna and Hot Mess Express. clocking in a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes on August 15 for Takter.

DRF Harness Digest | 3 | August 26, 2021 Visit us online at drf.com/harness Gallucci on the prowl for Grand Circuit success at Mohawk

By Jay Bergman

Trainer Nick Gallucci has some potential 2-year-old star power hitting the Grand Circuit for the first time on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park. With freshmen making stops in two divisions of the Nassagaweya for colts and geldings and the Eternal Camnation for rookie fillies, Gallucci is hopeful this his successful Ontario- breds can do well against mixed company. Aviator, a son of Sportswriter, is the first he hopes will take off kindly in Saturday’s C$139,300 first Nassagaweya division (race 2) as he meets six others after landing the pole position. “That trip wasn’t his kind,” said Gallucci, referring to a first-over grind in the August 14 Ontario Gold division at Mohawk. “He put in a couple of steps and we’ve made some changes.” Aviator was a winner in his first two career starts but finished fourth in his first stakes appearance. How well New Image Media Photos Aviator will do on Saturday remains Aviator (above) and Betterhavemymoney are trainer Nick Gallucci’s contenders in separate to be seen, but Gallucci believes he fits divisions of the Nassagaweya Stake for 2-year-olds. the company well. “Even though he had a tough trip, he still paced a mile in 1:52 with a 27 last quarter,” said Gallucci. The opening split of the Nassagaw- eya appears to be wide-open as horses come in from many different classes. Nautical Hanover (post 6) and Many Moons (post 7) exit the Dream Maker series where the former was second in the final and the latter fifth despite owning a 1:51 3/5 race-best career mark. Contact Zone (post 2) and Magi- cal Arthur (post 5) both look to build on Ontario Sire Stakes Grassroots wins. Battle of Waterloo champion Better- havemymoney had his perfect season shelved after a fifth-place finish in his Ontario Gold division on August 14 and he’ll look for better fortune two races later. “I don’t think the trip did him any good,” said Gallucci. “Maybe he bounced after those tough miles on the half-mile track?” Whatever the reason for the defeat, the son of Betterthancheddar already has two Ontario Gold divisions to his credit over this surface and certainly is capable of a bounce-back effort. The juvenile pacing filly Prohibition Legal (post 5) has been letter- “I trained him this morning (Wednesday) and he was very sharp,” perfect thus far with three wins in as many starts for Gallucci. said Gallucci. The Millar Farms-homebred daughter of Big Jim hails from their Betterhavemymoney drew post 6 in a field of eight in the C$140,300 superb broodmare Catch A Wish, who from 10 living foals has seven second Nassagaweya division carded as race four of 13 on Saturday with earnings in excess of six figures. Prohibition Legal enters the night. The field is made up of predominantly Ontario-based horses, C$113,650 Eternal Camnation (race 12) off of a 1:52 victory in the with the lone exception Wearinmysixshooter (post 4), a son of Captain- Ontario Gold at Woodbine Mohawk Park on August 17. Given that she treacherous that has been first, second and third in three Pennsylva- hadn’t raced in a month prior to that effort, Prohibition Legal should nia Sire Stakes events for trainer Nancy Takter prior to his arrival be primed for a big mile on Saturday. for the Nassagaweya. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

DRF Harness Digest | 4 | August 26, 2021 Visit us online at drf.com/harness CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

“She’s done everything we’ve asked,” said Gallucci. “She’s staked to everything up here; the Champlain and the She’s A Great Lady. We may skip the Champlain and just get her ready for the She’s A Great Lady.” First and foremost, Prohibition Legal will focus on her six rivals on Saturday night that collectively have won just once in 2021, with Speak Your Mind (post 1) the lone winner in a Ontario Gold leg on July 2 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The other Eternal Camnation split (race 6) features the unbeaten Free To Be Me as she takes the step up to stakes competition after four consecutive wins. Perhaps Galluci’s most intriguing stakes entrant on Saturday night is Powertrain (post 6), who meets five others in a C$85,250 Somebeach- somewhere division carded as race 11.

New Image Media Powertrain will have the tall order of defeating Ontario Sire Stakes standout Bulldog Hanover in the Somebeachsomewhere.

“He was injured as a yearling and was never supposed to race,” said Gallucci of the sophomore son of Shadow Play that has advanced admirably in 2021. “He didn’t race last year and we were going to try him over the winter but he got shut down by COVID.” Powertrain had to learn his lessons quickly and won his first three starts including an Ontario Grassroots event. “Those first few starts didn’t get him much experience because there were only a couple who could go,” said Gallucci. “Then he started getting into tougher fields and getting jammed up, and he wasn’t used to that.” Powertrain, despite his minimal experience, flashed some impressive power when he finished second behind Ontario’s top dog Bulldog Hanover in a Gold division on August 7. “That was the first time Sylvain (Filion) sent him to the inside and he didn’t really get his footing. Perhaps if he could have gotten to the outside he could have done better,” Gallucci said. Powertrain gets another shot at Bulldog Hanover (post 4), a four- time winner in six 2021 starts, in the Somebeachsomewhere. The opening C$86,260 Somebeachsomewhere division (race 8) features a quartet of Ontario Gold performers from post 1 to 4 facing off against three shippers from south of the border. Whichwaytothe- beach (post 6) figures to attract plenty of support after a convincing 1:50 1/5 victory in the Max Hempt Consolation at The Downs at Pocono last Saturday. Finally, the stakes-filled card also includes the C$169,550 Simcoe (race 5) for 3-year-old pacing fillies. The 11-horse field contains a number of talented young ladies led by two-time Gold winner Voelz Delight. Not part of the Grand Circuit action but featuring those types of horses is a C$35,000 F&M Open including many of the 12 starters in next Saturday’s C$316,000 Roses Are Red final. The action at Woodbine Mohawk Park kicks off at 7:00 P.M. on Saturday with a $100,000 Guaranteed Pick 5 pool.

DRF Harness Digest | 5 | August 26, 2021 Visit us online at drf.com/harness When it comes to breeding, what’s old can be new again

Meadow Skipper’s dam Countess Vivian is by King’s Counsel, a pacing son of Volomite who threw many top pacers in addition to on the mark his famed trotting offspring. Bret Hanover’s second dam was by Nibble Hanover, the only By Bob Marks @BobMarks3 horse credited with a Hambletonian winner in Miss Tilly and a Little Brown Jug winner in Knight Dream. Worthy Boy sired the great Star’s Pride, who still holds the record for siring the most Hambletonian-winning offspring. Worthy Boy Those that have been around Harness Racing for as many got many a top pacer, including champion Stand By, Harold J, Gold decades as this old scribe were hardly surprised when a horse with Worthy, High Level, and others. pacing blood won the Hambletonian and then Earl Beal Jr Memo- While Star’s Pride sired eight Hambletonian winners, he was rial, following in the footsteps of his dad in coming away victorious no slouch in the pacing department, accounting for such talented in the latter. “side-wheelers” as Horton Hanover, Hunters Star, Egyptian Pride, Captain Corey, like Googoo Gaagaa before him, captured the etc. Egyptian Pride, from the Hoot Mon mare Doe Hanover, is a full Beal in 1:51, just a fifth slower than his dad nine years earlier. As brother to Hambletonian winner Egyptian Candor. mentioned, Googoo Gaagaa has some pacing blood on his sire’s side, Star’s Pride’s stud companion Hoot Mon (Scotland-Missy) sired but he was clearly a proficient trotter and almost exclusively sires four Hambletonian champions. He also sired pacer Capetown, best trotters, many who are much more than just proficient, as evidenced known for his pacing son Overcall. Hoot Mon also sired a rogue by Captain Corey and many top Standardbreds in Europe. pacer named Mighty Tide (Mighty Sister), a contemporary of Googoo Gaagaa is by the pacing sire Cam’s Rocket, a son of Cam’s Henry T Adios well known for trying to kick driver Bob Frame out Card Shark, from the trotting-bred Koras Trotter by Veeba Rova, of the sulky prior to the start. As it went, if Mighty Tide got past himself a trotting son of Speedy Somolli. While Googoo Gaagaa, the starting gate still on gait, he could beat Free For All pacers, and by genealogy Captain Corey, are the most recent exemplary and often did. specimens of gait crossover, the history of the Standardbred breed Darn Flashy, a son of Darnley, virtually made his living by being is loaded with this type of mix. a double-gaited stallion. In addition to the well known FFA trotter There was talk on social media about Zoot Suit, a son of Nevele Darn Dandy, Darn Flashy provided equally well-known pacers Mr. Pride and the double-gaited Glad Rags, not being used much in this C Song, Public Affair, and Pinehaven Flash. The latter two were country, and following but a handful of pedestrian trotting foals he very familiar to Roosevelt and Yonkers regulars back then. wound up in Europe. The dam Glad Rags (Greentree Adios-Jewel That brings us to the great Sir Dalrae, the famed “Porterhouse” Rosecroft) did trot in her aged form. That probably enticed Norman pacer from Queens Crown by Queens Adios (Adios-Odella Hanover). Woolworth, master of Stoner Creek, to breed her to trotter Nevele Queens Crown was double-gaited, which is probably why she was Pride after three undistinguished foals by Meadow Skipper. Ironi- bred to the Rodney stallion Porterhouse, though later in life she did cally, Glad Rags raced against and I believe beat Meadow Skipper produce another excellent pacer Mr Dalrae to Meadow Skipper. Sir in her younger days. But like many amazon race mares she was not Dalrae actually took his 3-year-old record of 2:11 on the trot before an exceptional broodmare. being switched over to the pace where his career then took off. As it was, Zoot Suit was a good but hardly exceptional horse, The point here is that while ostensibly Googoo Gaagaa may be which probably impacted the anemic demand for his stud services somewhat of a present-day oddity, in reality he’s just a throwback on this side of the Atlantic pond. to what used to be, when stallions were often double-gaited. As Mr. Woolworth also bred La Pomme Souffle (Nevele Pride- indicated above, many pacing superstars had trotting blood in the Pompanette) to Meadow Skipper, resulting in French Chef, a top second or third generations. As it is, Googoo Gaagaa’s Hambleton- colt but marginal sire whose son Beach Towel was his main contri- ian son Captain Corey, from Luv U All by Angus Hall, is purely bution. La Pomme Souffle took a pacing record at 2 and was exclu- trotting-bred on his dam’s side. Thus Captain Corey is virtually a sively bred to pacing sires, producing only pacers. 75% blood dosage second generation trotter, with his sire being 50% From time to time we hear about mixing the gaits, and even Bill trotting bred and his dam 100% trotting bred. Perretti wanted to breed a trotting mare to Matt’s Scooter seeing Unquestionably Hambletonian champion Captain Corey will get as how his youngsters were “all trot” in the yearling paddocks at his stallion opportunities and most likely will sire primarily trot- video time. Fortunately that never happened. ters. I won’t be shocked if he gets a pacer or two, but I’d expect him While some tout the “improvements of the breed” at both gaits, to be a “trotting” sire. most tend to ignore the fact that what we’ve really done is purify The point of all this is that we were here before when double- those gaits. Most modern-day pacers or trotters are approximately gaited stallions and/or broodmares were common instead of being five generations clear of what might be termed a mixed-bred influ- rarities. That said, one wonders why after purifying both the trot- ence. Back in the 1960’s, most pacers had trotting influence within ting and pacing gaits, we’d go back to where we were since the puri- their second generation and many top stallions were proficient at fication has resulted in primarily natural trotters and pacers who throwing champions or near champions at both gaits. come to their gaits almost instantly and inherently.

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DRF Harness Digest | 6 | August 26, 2021 Visit us online at drf.com/harness Melander duo looks for success in Zweigs at Vernon

By Ken Weingartner leading up to the Hambletonian and he’s beaten these horses before. If he stays flat, I think he has a good shot. I think he’s the best horse in the Dancinginthedark M will try to return to his winning ways Satur- field and we’ve got a good post. That’s very important too.” day (Aug. 28) when he meets eight foes in the $325,000 Dr. Harry M. Paul Kelley-trained Balenciaga, coming off a win over Ahundred- Zweig Memorial for 3-year-old trotters at Vernon Downs. The colt, who dollarbill and Ambassador Hanover in a division of the New York Sire posted impressive victories in the weeks prior to the Hambletonian, Stakes, is the 7-2 second choice. Ake Svanstedt’s Ambassador Hanover, went off stride in his Hambletonian elimination last month and failed who was third in the Hambletonian, is 4-1. to advance to the final. Prior to the Zweig’s open division, Melander will send out Iteration The week following his Hambletonian elimination, Dancinginthe- in the $140,000 Zweig Memorial for 3-year-old filly trotters. She is the dark M made a break near the finish line and was second in the Muscle 7-2 second choice behind 5-2 Darlene Hanover, who won the Delmonica Hill. He heads to the Zweig off a second-place finish in the second round Hanover Stakes last weekend. of the Kentucky Championship Series at Lexington’s Red Mile, where Iteration, by Chapter Seven out of Steamy Windows, has won nine of he remained trotting throughout the mile. 18 career races and $633,292 for owner Courant Inc. Her wins include “I wasn’t really happy with him making breaks two weeks in a row, last season’s New York Sire Stakes championship for 2-year-old filly so it was nice for him to get a good confidence race in Kentucky, even trotters and this year’s New York New York Mile and a division of the if he was second,” trainer Marcus Melander said. “He was very strong Empire Breeders Classic. crossing the wire. I think he’s as ready as he can be.” She was second in both her elimination and the final of the Hamble- Melander believes Dancinginthedark M’s break in the Hambleton- tonian Oaks. She started the Oaks from post 10 at The Meadowlands. ian elimination was the result of the colt hitting a knee. In the Muscle “From the 10 hole, it almost felt like a win from our perspective,” Hill, the horse raced without shoes up front and got pacey at the end of Melander said. “She was ready that day. We pulled all her shoes; that the race. Jujubee won the Muscle Hill in a Meadowlands track-record might have helped a little bit.” 1:49.4. Dancinginthedark M was timed in 1:50. Prior to the Oaks elimination, Iteration suffered her only finishes “It was a huge disappointment he didn’t make the final in the Hamble- worse than second this year. She was fourth in a New York Sire Stakes tonian,” Melander said. “He can lean in a little bit in the turns and event at Tioga Downs and went off stride behind the gate in a division probably hit his knee because the speed was picking up in the last turn. of the Delvin Miller Memorial and was seventh. “Of course, the Hambletonian is the (sport’s) biggest race, and we all “At Tioga, we hoped it was the track that day,” Melander said. “I don’t want to win it. Sadly, it wasn’t our year with him. We just try to forget think she got enough grip and she got tired because of that. We couldn’t it and move on.” find any sickness. In the Delvin Miller, we closed her up a little (with Prior to the Hambletonian elimination, Dancinginthedark M won her bridle) and she got too aggressive behind the gate, so we put an open a division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial in 1:50 1/5 over a Meadow- bridle back on her.” lands track labeled “good” and a division of the W.N. Reynolds Memo- Iteration enters the Zweig off a New York Sire Stakes victory at Sara- rial in 1:51 4/5 over a sloppy surface. toga. Dancinginthedark M will start the Zweig from post four with driver “There are some nice fillies in this race, but she is one of the Tim Tetrick and is the 5-2 morning-line favorite. For the year, the son contenders, for sure,” Melander said. “She’s a very nice filly. You don’t of Readly Express-Leila has won four of eight races and $128,847 for make over six-hundred thousand if you’re not a nice filly. She’s a real breeder-owner Menhammar Stuteri AB. Lifetime, the colt has seven sweetheart, nice to drive and everything. We’ve got a good post. It will victories and three second-place finishes in 15 starts, good for $220,808. be exciting. She’s done everything we’ve asked of her.” “I’m confident in my horse,” Melander said. “He was the favorite Racing begins at 6:10 p.m. (EDT) Saturday at Vernon Downs.

Top New York 3YOs to rumble Sunday Gural named in new lawsuit at Tioga in Empire Breeders Classic The Meadowlands, Tioga & Vernon Downs and Jeff Gural have been named in a lawsuit initiated by a number of Standardbred The Empire Breeders Classic for 3-year-old pacers will be owners who allege to have been excluded from racing at the three conducted on Sunday afternoon at Tioga Downs as some of the tracks as a result of their patronage of trainer Rene Allard. stars of the sport will look to keep rolling along while others try to Allard was among more than 30 racing related individuals get back on the winning track. indicted and arrested in March of 2020 by the United States Depart- The $214,000 feature for fillies is slated as race 8 and will be ment of Justice for offenses relating to the systematic and covert another chance for Test Of Faith to prove her dominance in the administration of illegal performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) to Empire State. The Brett Pelling-trained daughter of Art Major is racehorses. He was later included in a superseding indictment filed 5-for-5 in New York and most recently dispatched a Sire Stakes in federal court in December of 2020. The charges remain pending. field at Vernon by seven lengths. The plaintiffs named are Kapildeo Singh, Lawrence Dumain, The male Classic events were split into two $104,000 races carded Ira & Brian Wallach, Yves Sarrazin, Erlin Hill, Bruce Soulsby as the fifth and seventh on the Sunday program with a 1 P.M. EDT and Alan Weisenberg, who in their complaint admit that they post time. have an interest in horses stabled by Allard in Florida over the In the first five-horse split, King James Express, a recent 1:50 4/5 winter of 2020-2021. The complaint alleges that the plaintiffs were winner at Vernon who has three NY Sire Stakes wins on his card, the victims of a conspiracy by Gural to exclude their horses from will take on Natameri, also a strong winner at Vernon on August racing at the three tracks to gain a “competitive advantage.” 20 with a 1:50 score. “It’s a little discouraging that when you’re trying to clean up the The seventh race seems like a walk-in-the-park spot for Ameri- drug problem, we now have to hire an expensive lawyer to defend can Courage. The Messenger winner is off a NYSS victory at us against this lawsuit, which essentially calls me dishonest,” said Yonkers on August 13 but recently scratched out of the Max Hempt Meadowlands President Jeff Gural. “Worse yet, we get no coopera- on August 21 at The Downs at Pocono. tion from the horsemen, who love to complain about the drugs but “He trained fantastic on Wednesday at Pocono,” said trainer don’t lift a finger to help us catch the perpetrators. The lawsuit is Travis Alexander, who is using the EBC as a stepping stone for without merit. We will vigorously defend against these allegations next Saturday’s North America Cup eliminations at Woodbine and look forward to being vindicated in court.” Mohawk Park. “Things are looking up.” -release (Meadowlands)

DRF Harness Digest | 7 | August 26, 2021 Visit us online at drf.com/harness ROAD TO THE MOHAWK MILLION The Mohawk Million for 2-year-old trotters is scheduled for September 25 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Nine owners paid C$100,000 each to own slots for the C$1,000,000 race. Each slot-holder may enter their own horse in the Mohawk Million or make arrangements with another owner to use the entry. In addition, a tenth spot in the million-dollar race will be awarded to the winner of the William Wellwood Memorial on September 11 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Below are the Top 10 horses on the Road to the Mohawk Million (Week 2 - August 26) as rated by DRF Harness Editor Derick Giwner along with his comments.

Horse Sex sire record/Best Win Time trainer Last Start 1-KING OF THE NORTH c walner 5-5-0-0 (1:52 4/5 - Med) ray Schnittker won Peter Haughton at Meadowlands on 8/7 Owner(s): Schnittker-Ward, Arden Homestead Stable, Nolamaura Racing & Steve Arnold Giwner: Certainly impressed firing off less than perfect cover and storming home for the Haughton win. Walner colt has done whatever regular driver Mark MacDonald has asked and has won from on or off the pace. Being eligible to the Wellwood, which provides the winner a spot in the Mohawk Million, this seems like the most logical path.

2-VENERABLE F walner 5-5-0-0 (1:52 - Med) nifty Norman won KY Sire Stakes at Red Mile on 8/15 Owner(s): David McDuffee, Melvin Hartman, Paul Bordogna & Steven Arnold Giwner: She was spectacular winning the Doherty on Hambletonian Day and didn’t miss a beat with a 1:54 1/5 win at The Red Mile on Sunday. Her appearance in that Kentucky Sire Stakes makes it less likely that she’ll race in the Mohawk Million since the KYSS final is six days before the Million, though last year’s winner Venerate did it.

3-DULY RESOLVED G resolve 4-4-0-0 (1:56 - Wdsb) John Bax won Ontario Sire Stakes Gold at Mohawk on 8/19 Owner(s): Bax Stable, David Hudson, Don Allensen & Gaelic Stable Giwner: Another race and another easy win. This guy continues to destroy the competition in Ontario. He faces perhaps his toughest test to date against some new shooters on Thursday in the Champlain at Mohawk (race 10). The only knock I can find is that he hasn’t impressed in terms of time, though he hasn’t needed to do it.

4-GLOBAL pandemic c cantab Hall 8-4-2-1 (1:54 4/5 - Mw) ron Burke won PA Sire Stakes at Pocono on 8/22 Owner(s): Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables & Weaver Bruscemi Giwner: Got away with soft fractions on a sloppy track and cruised to an easy win at Pocono. He admittedly has something left to prove in terms of raw speed but he’s Wellwood eligible and as a PA Sire Stakes horse, won’t have any conflicts with the Mohawk Million date.

5-SELFIE QUEEN F muscle Hill 6-3-1-0 (1:51 2/5 – Lex) nancy Takter won KY Sire Stakes at The Red Mile on 8/23 Owner(s): Robert Leblanc, David Anderson and John Fielding Giwner: This gal has some serious raw ability and when she minds her manners, which has been a 50/50 proposition, she’s as fast as or faster than any 2-year-old trotter out there. Her 1:51 2/5 win last time certainly proves that point. As a lock for the KYSS final on September 19, she’s iffy to head north for the Million right now, but maybe it is worth the risk.

6-DOUBLE DECEIVER G cantab Hall 5-3-2-0 (1:52 4/5 – Lex) carter Pinske won KY Sire Stakes at The Red Mile on 8/23 Owner(s): Pinske Stables & Makenna Pinske He’s never been worse than second and you had to be ultra-impressed with the way he charged home in 26 2/5 to blow away his competition in 1:52 4/5 last time. Co-owned by the Pinske Stables, and they raced in the KYSS final in 2020 with Venerate and still brought him north for the Mil- lion (and won) six days later.

7-DOVER IN MOTION G dover Dan 4-4-0-0 (1:54 1/5 - HoP) Jamie Macomber won IN Sire Stakes at Hoosier Park on 8/18 Owner(s): M&M Racing & Norbert Joseph Maza Giwner: Spotted the field 20 lengths and blew past in the stretch with a 27 1/5 final quarter in his first career start and has continued to roll with brush and crush victories in his last two starts. Granted Indiana is a long way from the Grand Circuit but this guy looks like the real deal. His four wins have come with an average margin of victory of 5 1/2 lengths.

8-S I P c bar Hopping 8-3-1-0 (1:53 4/5 - Lex) ron Burke 6th in KY Sire Stakes at The Red Mile on 8/23 Owner(s): Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Brixton Medical Inc. & Weaver Bruscemi Giwner: Comes off a disappointing effort but has to be given some slack considering he had post 9. Set a lifetime mark at The Red Mile on August 15. The fact that he is highly likely to make the Kentucky Sire Stakes final and isn’t eligible to the Wellwood could mean we don’t see him north of the border. Let’s leave him on the list one more week.

9-KEG stand c bar Hopping 7-3-1-2 (1:53 3/5 - Lex) nancy Takter 3rd in KY Sire Stakes at The Red Mile on 8/23 Owner(s): Black Horse Racing, Christina Takter & John Fielding Giwner: I’d call his most recent effort a step backwards as despite the good final time he really didn’t seem to be stressed on the lead. That now makes two straight losses. He’s been double-dipping between PA and KY Sire Stakes, so he might be too worn out by the time the Mohawk Million comes around to take the trip.

10-PINK GYPSY F Father Patrick 6-1-2-1 (1:55 3/5 - Phl) ron Burke 3rd in KY Sire Stakes at The Red Mile on 8/15 Owner(s): Crawford Farms Racing Giwner: She could be the best 2-year-old trotter for Crawford Farms Racing and they own a spot in the race. She was a good third behind divisional leader Venerable on August 15 and was in-to-go on August 26 in the eighth race PA Sire Stakes at The Meadows at press time.

DRF Harness Digest | 8 | August 26, 2021 Visit us online at drf.com/harness Did you ever want to know more about the people involved in the harness industry? Editor Derick Giwner combs the harness land- scape each week to profile a new personality from the sport.

Hall of Fame Communicator Dave Little What kind of car do you drive? 2010 Toyota Camry – high mileage and still going strong! USHWA Dave Little was inducted into the Communicator’s wing of the Favorite dinner meal? Snack? Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 2019. My dad’s lasagna for dinner followed by my mom’s chocolate cake for newspaper sports section cover to cover every day and a good friend dessert; Doritos. of mine went to the track one night. I borrowed $20 from his father and the first bet I made was on the advice of the paper’s handicapper. What is your favorite all-time track to visit? Why? I hit the double for $66. That was that. Harness: Roosevelt Raceway – A special place with the greatest tote board anyone’s ever seen. You worked nearly 25 years at the New York Daily News. Do you look back at that time fondly? Thoroughbred: Santa Anita Park – I could go there every day and never get sick of it. I do in a big way. I LOVED being a newspaperman. My wife Debbie and I would go on vacation, and with a few days to go, I’d tell her ‘I What is your favorite big event in racing? Why? can’t wait to get back to work’. I had one great sports editor after another during my tenure. Covering races was a special treat, and Without question, the Meadowlands Pace. There is always electricity as far as I know, I wrote the last weekly harness racing newspaper in the air. The best horses in the most intriguing division on a hot column. summer night at the greatest track in the world. The Hambletonian is great, but it belongs to ALL of harness racing. The Meadowlands My last year at the News was a nightmare. I was putting the score- Pace belongs to The Meadowlands! board pages together, something I wasn’t interested in doing. The only racing left in the section were NYRA entries and results, with What is your favorite sport to watch? Team? my selections. All harness racing was gone. The day they told me I was being let go was a great day in my life. Especially, when you Baseball. I became a New York Mets fan in 1972. How about this consider what was to come. coupling of my two favorite things? The day I picked all nine winners on a Roosevelt matinee program was the day of the Mets parade in Three words – Battle of Saratoga. Any thoughts? celebration of winning the 1986 World Series. My accomplishment went above the Mets parade on the back page of the New York Post. To be part of something so popular for 20 years was a real treat. And I had been at the paper less than six months and there was a photo since I was the harness guy – or “Trotter Guy” as Bill Finley dubbed of me above Gary Carter in the backseat of a convertible covered in me – I felt like I had the entire industry rooting for me. I’ll never confetti. forget my three-year reign from 1999-2001. The insults were always flying. That was the schtick. Lots of people read what we wrote every What is one thing about you most fans/bettors don’t know? day. I miss handicapping the races at NYRA. I miss the Battle of Saratoga. I love animals. My wife Debbie and I used to drive 90 minutes one way just to spend some time with dogs in a shelter down the Garden After the Daily News you caught on with The Meadowlands State Parkway. More recently, we sponsored hybrid wolves at an and was doing the thankless job of morning-line odds. Were exotic animal park in Oklahoma. Some seriously ferocious-looking beings, but sweet and always great to hang out with. you glad to give up that job and focus on being an on-air host, handicapper and writer? What is one word that describes harness racing for you? That’s not quite how it went down. I was out of work and Jason Challenging. Settlemoir was nice enough to hire me to do the morning-line and the program comments for the 2016 Championship Meeting, but on How did harness racing enter your life? an interim basis.

I was 16 in the summer of 1978. I used to read The Bergen Record CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

DRF Harness Digest | 9 | August 26, 2021 Visit us online at drf.com/harness CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

Doing the morning-line odds was a tough gig. I was sure I’d be good at it. At the start, I wasn’t, but I feel like I got incrementally better every few weeks, but I only did it for a few months.

I love doing TV. Partnering with Dave Brower, who I’ve been friends for over 25 years, I think we have good chemistry. I love handicapping the horses. I enjoy arguing with Brower, whose approach is far different than mine, but that’s a good thing. When one of us is in the host chair and surprises the other guy with a question he’s not expecting, those are the moments I really look forward to. I love writing the recap at the end of the night. The challenge of taking a live event and writing something that goes beyond merely giving the facts, something that requires some imagina- tion, that’s something I get to challenge myself with every Friday and Saturday night.

Derick Giwner When people ask, I tell them this about After a 25-year run at the NY Daily News, Dave Little now serves as on-air analysist and my Meadowlands gig: “I’m where I host for the Meadowlands Racetrack. belong.”

What’s it like to be live at The had passed Herve for most driving wins all time and Herve could not Meadowlands for world-class racing week after week? Is it a have been nicer to Dave, or a better interview for me. dream come true in some respects? Announcing races has been a passion of yours through the Really cool. The level of racing we have at The Meadowlands is years. Do any races that you’ve called stick out in your head? second to none. Stakes season is great, of course, but if we get a Preferred Trot and Pace in the dead of winter, that’s a great night of Actually, no. I love calling the races yearly as the Grand Circuit racing as well, if you ask me. announcer at Historic Track in Goshen, the Orleans County Fair in Vermont and calling a race card or two every year at The Meadow- What have you learned in your time covering the sport? lands is also a thrill. The one thing I try to do: Don’t make a boring race into an exciting If you want to get harness racing stories into major newspapers, be race. An announcer cannot create excitement from the booth. It is extra nice to your editors. Of course, that’s not much of a problem created on the track. Sometimes, it’s really exciting, sometimes it’s these days given the state of the newspaper industry. not. What was your favorite moment covering harness racing? Did you ever consider trying to find a full-time announcing gig? Muscle Hill’s sensational six-length romp in the Hambletonian in I did. After Bill Ryan passed away 30 years ago, I was up for the Free- 1:50 1/5. Absolutely spectacular! hold job. I had called four or five consecutive Saturday programs Which is your favorite horse from your time in the sport? filling in for John Bothe, who was the interim announcer, so my audition was solid. It looked like I was going to get the gig, but late in Genghis Khan. He went up against Beatcha in the World Cup. It was the game, management decided to go with Jack E. Lee, the longtime a great rivalry. That’s 40 years ago and I remember it well, just not as voice of Roosevelt Raceway. A year and a half later, I was at The well as his driver. I was on the phone with Billy O’Donnell sometime News, so by not getting the Freehold job, my life took a completely within the last year and I asked him about Genghis, and he told me different path. One that I was happy to travel. about some of his best races. When you consider how many great horses he drove in his career, that’s a good memory. You’ve been a member and Director of the United States Harness Writers Association for decades. Do you think What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten about harness industry people realize how much “free” time gets donated racing? to making it run smoothly? “Don’t memorize!” When I was in my late 20s and desperate for a They don’t realize. I’ve spent at least 10 Hambletonian weeks as the race-calling gig, I drove up to Monticello to call some qualifiers. Bob chief copy editor for the Clyde Hirt Journalism Workshop. We take Meyer, the announcer at Yonkers, told me that I had to memorize, 6-10 college students every year and teach them everything they but Howard Oil at Monti said not to do that. He taught me his tech- need to know about how to cover the Hambletonian. Not an easy nique, one where you could pick up the program as they head to the thing to do. The goal is to get young people interested in the game gate, and I’ve used it ever since. who know nothing about it.

If you could interview anyone from harness racing history, Even though it’s Hambletonian Week, we eat, sleep and breathe that who would it be with and why? workshop. In addition to my other responsibilities of my job. If I get four hours of sleep on a given night, that’s a good night. And well I’d love to get another interview with Herve Filion. He was someone worth it because maybe one of those kids will become a fan. Debbie and I got to know towards the end of his career and he was so nice to us. I interviewed him and Dave Palone at Goshen after Dave CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

DRF Harness Digest | 10 | August 26, 2021 Visit us online at drf.com/harness CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 At DRF Harness we strive to provide the best handicapping What was the moment like when you found out about your information in the sport. Each week we’ll use this space to bring you some of our handicappers’ best bets, value plays and horses to election to the Communicators wing of the Hall of Fame? watch. Use this information as one of your tools when wagering or simply click on the link above and head to DRF Bets to wager now. It was humbling to know that my peers thought I deserved such an honor. I took a lot of pride in being a newspaperman, which from where I sit is the primary reason I got in. The fact that I’ve also Thursday, august 26 called races, been on TV, served as a director in USHWA, covered races, wrote columns, and the thing that I am most proud of, being a RACE 9 public handicapper, I suspect didn’t hurt. (5) NATASHA rolled home Is there a track or race that remains on your bucket list to from off-the-pace on 8-12 and just ran out of racetrack. She attend? moves back to a mid-pack post here, and I could definitely see Not that I can think of right now. For many years, Debbie and I her racing closer to the front. would visit a new track every year, so I’ve seen an awful lot. -Greg Reinhart I’ve been to the Little Brown Jug, Gold Cup & Saucer, World Trotting Derby and Trot Mondial among others. These days, I enjoy a big race friday, august 27 more when I’m working. RACE 6 If you had the power to change one thing in the sport, what (3) TERRITORY has played would it be? the claiming game to perfec- Conformity of rules, conformity of takeouts and conformity of a tion for his connections, commitment to tracks putting money in the hat to promote the sport. who paid a bit over $15K for Sorry, that’s three things. the 4-year-old and now has taken three straight in this How do you view the future of harness racing? class. He’ll be odds-on to win another. When I was a writer at the News years ago, my feeling was if a busi- -Matt Rose ness can’t stand on its own, let it dry up and blow away. But then I learned about the agricultural aspects, the breeding aspects and RACE 5 everything else that needs to happen to make racing happen. The number of jobs at stake are too important. A longtime racetrack (2) T C SCANDAL paced the manager once told me: “We offer many different types of gaming and fastest mile of her 150-race dining options to get people to come to our track. That’s how we like career last week but she could to conduct our business.” do no better than 4th in a race dominated by a vicious Sporty Time for the stretch drive: Tori. She fits better here. -Garnet Barnsdale Best Horse You Ever Saw?: Trotter-Muscle Hill; Pacer-Nihilator Saturday, august 28 Best Driver Ever?: I’ll let you know after I retire, for the time being I have to deal with these folks all the time. RACE 9 Favorite TV Show?: The Mary Tyler Moore Show. (4) DANCINGINTHEDARK Trotters or Pacers?: Pacers. M is the fastest horse in the race if he minds his manners. Even money is the right price. -Giwner

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DRF Harness Digest | 11 | August 26, 2021 Visit us online at drf.com/harness NEWS FROM AROUND THE HARNESS INDUSTRY

He would continue on the front-end through a 56 1/5 half and a 1:26 #senditin INVITATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS SCIOTO saturday three-quarters, then cruise home in 28 2/5 to tally by 4 3/4 lengths in 1:54 2/5, a career-best clocking. Words As Weapons S (Elliott Deaton) Catch The Fire, one of the hottest older pacers in North America, was second and Summit City Sonny (Joey Putnam) came in third. headlines Saturday’s $100,000 #Senditin Invitational at Eldorado READ MORE Scioto Downs. With Trevor Smith taking over for regular driver Scott Zeron, Catch Yall Beneath Me sets track record at Ocean Downs The Fire (5-2) starts from post 7 as he looks to extend his winning streak to four. Most recently the Todd Luther trainee won the $325,000 Driver Russell Foster was on a mission Wednesday (Aug. 25) night Dan Patch at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on August 13 and prior to that when he sent Yall Beneath Me (Googoo Gaagaa) out of the gate in the he won a division of the Sam McKee Memorial at The Meadowlands. early non-wagering Maryland Sire Stakes event for 4- and 5-year-old Interestingly, all three of his string of wins have been by a neck. horse and gelding trotters. The richest horse in the field starts just one spot to his outside in The pair sped away from the field by six lengths at the quarter-pole, post 8. This Is The Plan has earned $644,604 this year while winning by 10 at the half, by 12 at the three-quarters and flew home 22 lengths a third of his 15 starts for trainer Ron Burke. Chris Page picks up the in front, stopping the timer in an all-age trotting track record of 1:54 drive on Saturday. at Ocean Downs. The #Senditin is race 10 on a 15-race card that also includes divi- READ MORE sions of the Buckeye Stallion Series for 3-year-old colts and geldings. Live racing returns Friday at Freehold Helpisontheway yearling tops strong Blooded Horse Sale Freehold Raceway, located in central New Jersey, has returned A yearling half-sister from its summer break and will begin the summer/fall meet on to Hambletonian winner Friday, August 27, with a 10-race card. Market Share from the The meet is generally headlined by the New Jersey Sire Stakes- first crop of Helpisonthe- Standardbred Development Fund series, and this year is no excep- way grabbed top honors tion. The series kicks off on Friday with the first leg of the series for when Greg Luther signed 3-year-old filly trotters. The race drew 10 entries and was split into the ticket for $50,000 at two divisions of five. the Blooded Horse Sale on READ MORE Tuesday, Aug. 24. One of the sport’s more Winbak Farm Goshen Yearling Sale videos now posted prominent owners, Luther was pleased to get the filly Winbak Farm is excited to be a partner in the Goshen Yearling that will be trained by his Dasdsadsadr Sale, which will be held September 13th at the Mark Ford Training Todd (left) and Greg Luther came brother Todd. Consigned Center in Middletown, New York. The Winbak Farm lineup selling away with a Helpisontheway half- by Ruddick Stables as at the Goshen Sale includes New York and Pennsylvania-sired year- sister to Hambletonian winner agent, Stacey Ruddick lings. Market Share. complimented the summer The Goshen Yearling Sale videos for Winbak Farm’s lineup are now sale venue saying, “This posted. Please visit www.winbakfarm.com and click on an individual filly was sold in an early sale because the owner had two fillies yearling’s hip number to watch yearling videos. they wanted entered in the same sale. Having a yearling sale in late READ MORE November is just too late, so this was a much better fit. The staff at the Blooded Horse Sale have always been pleasant and accommodating, Ontario rewards program proving best in class so we were happy to offer her in their summer yearling auction. Every year, the quality here gets better and better, attracting more buyers. Grand Circuit action gets underway in Ontario this week and the It takes place in a good location and in a good spot on the calendar.” province’s Standardbred breeders stand to profit if their Ontario- READ MORE bred progeny achieve success against the best trotters and pacers in North America. New purchase hopes to shine in PASS at The Meadows All breeders who enrolled their broodmares in the 2018 and 2019 Ontario Resident Mare Program (ORMP) will be eligible for the True Blue Lindy is an Always B Miki gelding out of the Yankee rewards associated with the designated open stake events, and those Cruiser mare Think Pink. That makes him Pennsylvania bred, yet that bred their mares to Ontario Sires are also eligible for rewards he’s never set foot on a Pennsylvania track. That will change Friday connected to the Ontario Sires Stakes program. In total, the 2021 when he contests a $159,745 Pennsylvania Sires stake for 2-year-old Ontario Bred rewards program is worth upwards of C$2.6 million. colt and gelding pacers -- the final preliminary leg in the series -- at READ MORE The Meadows in one stab to qualify for the championship. True Blue Lindy goes from the rail in race 10 with Tim Tetrick piloting STA named official aftercare partner of USTA for trainer Jeff Cullipher, who owns the youngster with Pollack Racing LLC. Friday’s program also features a $60,000 PA Stallion Series event During a board meeting of the Standardbred Transition Alliance for freshman colt and gelding pacers. First post is 12:45 PM. on Thursday (Aug. 12), an agreement was reached with the U.S. Trot- READ MORE ting Association for the STA to become the official aftercare partner of the USTA. Ponda Adventure, Dover In Motion stay undefeated “Through our resources at the U.S. Trotting Association, we can provide the Standardbred Transition Alliance with valuable tools Ponda Adventure and Dover In Motion improved their records to to help them in promoting their mission as well as assisting them five-for-five and four-for-four, respectively, after winning in Indiana with their fundraising efforts,” said USTA Executive Vice President Sires Stakes competition for 2-year-old trotters on Wednesday night and CEO Mike Tanner in making the announcement. “The USTA at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. can utilize our staff and communications vehicles to create greater Racing in the first $44,500 test for colts and geldings, Ponda Adven- awareness for the STA and amplify their message.” ture (Trace Tetrick) took the lead past the 28 second opening quarter. READ MORE

DRF Harness Digest | 12 | August 26, 2021 Visit us online at drf.com/harness