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Trainer Paula Wellwood doesn’t mind Smart As Hill’s playful streak. His speed more than makes up for it. That speed has gotten Smart As Hill into Saturday’s $600,000 Breeders Crown final for 2-year-old male trotters, where he drew post No. 4 at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Curtis Salonick photo.
About seven weeks ago, an evening or so after Brian Sears won the 10,000th race of his career, there was George Brennan, sitting next to him inside Yonkers Raceway’s drivers’ room.
George Napolitano Jr., the leading driver at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, combined with Carmen Auciello, the leading trainer at Woodbine Mohawk Park who also campaigns a string at Pocono, to account for the Tuesday night (Oct. 23) $17,500 distaff pacing feature with Kay’s Delight in a lifetime best 1:52.2.
Nanticoke Racing, Josh Parker and Barry Spedden's Kaitlyn N ($5.20) notched her fourth straight win Tuesday (Oct. 23) in the $17,500 Mares Open at Harrington Raceway.
Weather was a factor as the $163,000 second leg of the Massachusetts Sire Stakes (MASS) for 3-year-olds assembled at Plainridge Park on Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 23). Rain that started after the early non-betting race continued to increase and the track became sloppy after the first race of the card. But conditions did not stop Ithinkthatsmine and I’m A Clown from remaining undefeated in the series this year, nor keep Gonna Hear Me Rohr, Kinda Lucky Lindy and Latent Print from scoring their first 2018 wins in the stake.
McDazzle repelled the challenge of newcomer Touchamatic and went on to a facile victory in Tuesday’s (Oct. 23) $18,000 Fillies and Mares Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows.
Only once in history has a horse won a second Breeders Crown trophy four years after winning his first. Two horses, though, could accomplish the feat Saturday at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Seven-year-old pacer McWicked and 6-year-old trotter Pinkman will try to join Wesgate Crown as the only multiple Breeders Crown champions with a gap of more than three years between their first and second titles. USTA/Mark Hall photo.
McWicked, harness racing’s richest horse this year, drew post No. 3 for Saturday’s $430,000 Breeders Crown Open Pace and was made the 5-2 morning-line favorite while Cruzado Dela Noche drew post No. 6 for Saturday’s $500,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot and was also tabbed as the 5-2 morning-line choice. Draws for the Open Pace and Open Trot were conducted Tuesday at Wisecrackers at Mohegan Sun Pocono. The draws for the remaining 10 championship events were held last weekend following the eliminations. USTA/Mark Hall photo.
Two-year-old female trotter Woodside Charm moved into the Top 10 in this week’s Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll while the top-three spots were unchanged ahead of Saturday’s Breeders Crown finals at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
Turns out Brian Sears’ 30-1 upset with Cruzado Dela Noche in the million-dollar Yonkers International Trot was puny pari-mutuel potatoes. Monday night (Oct. 22), Sears and 82-1 A Oliveinmymartini became Yonkers Raceway’s largest win mutuel of the season, to the tune of $167.50 for ever correct couple of bucks.
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