China Dream Ties Lifetime Mark In Buffalo Win

by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway

HAMBURG, N.Y. --- It was a trip that China Dream ($4.10) couldn't have drawn up any better as the 5-year-old gelding tied his lifetime mark of 1:54.0 in taking the $10,000 Open Pace at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday night (April 30).

With LA Camcharger setting the fractions 28.0, 56.3 and 1:25.2, Western Alumni took over command a quarter mile to pace. But the race was now ready to begin in earnest.

Knocking Around was first over and China Dream was in tow behind as both started to chase Western Alumni around the final turn. Knocking Around (David McNeight III) dropped into the passing lane and China Dream went wide to try and track down Western Alumni.

China Dream (Drew Monti) proved to be the best in the stretch, using a 28.2 final panel to take the half length victory over Knocking Around with Western Alumni (Todd Cummings) rolling into the show spot.

Co-owned by Jack and trainer Maria Rice, China Dream (If I Can Dream-China Art) has now won five times in 12 starts this season, earning $33,400 and $122,993 lifetime. 

Todd Cummings, Kevin Cummings and Monti all had doubles in the sulky while Buffalo Raceway's leading trainer JD Perrin had a triple while Chris Naedele and Rice scoring a pair of wins.

Racing will continue on Wednesday night with 11 races set to go to the post at 5 p.m. The card will include two finals of the Claiming Championship Series featuring the filly and mare pacers.

For more information including the latest news, race replays, results and upcoming promotions, go to www.buffaloraceway.com

BOB HECHKOFF WINS BILLINGS TROT AT FREEHOLD RACEWAY ON SAT. APRIL 30

By john manzi for the Billings Series

If there’s one thing that Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff learned since he became an amateur driver is that when you have the best horse in a race go the front, control the race, and make the others try to catch you.

And that’s precisely what the Executive Recruiter did with The Franchise in the Billings trot today (Sat. Apr. 30) at Freehold Raceway. After they gained control  nobody could catch them and they got first-call on every pole to go on and score a 2:00.2 victory in the six-horse race.

“We had to work a little to make the front from the five-hole but once we were on top we controlled the race,” Hechkoff offered after his victory."And my horse was strong all the way to the wire."

 Hechkoff and The Franchise had to hustle to get the lead from the five-hole but they cleared the other five horses coming off  the first turn and they had command by the first quarter which was trotted in a swift :28.4. Once on the lead they made every pole a winning one en route to a neck triumph over Hit The Hill and driver “Yankee Joe” Lee. Third place went to Sam’s Honeybee who was driven by his owner and Billings president, Tony “the Capo” Verruso.

It was the second seasonal victory for the Muscles Yankeee  6-year-old gelding who is co-owned by his driver and his trainer, Kyle Spagnola. Sent off at odds of 3-10 The Franchise paid $2.60 for win.

Coming off his best season as an amateur driver where he won 23 races durin 2015 it was “the Headhunter’s” third seasonal triumph and 80^th win since he joined the amateur ranks in 2000.

A second Billing trot was also on the Saturday card at Freehold Raceway. That contest saw Scott “the driving doctor” Woogen, with Peoplesayimnogood, rally from third at the top of the stretch to collar “Coach Paul” Minore and Wygant Prince at the wire for a  neck triumph in 2:01. Third place went to King’s Cavalier, driven by “King David” Offenberg.

It was the first seasonal victory for the 4-year old Lear Jetta  gelding owned by his driver  and trained by Gary Messenger.  Peoplesayimnogood returned a $14.20 win mutuel.  For Doc Woogen, a gastroenterologist, it was his 145^th lifetime driving victory 

Next up for the Billings amateurs will be a contest(s) on Saaturday May 7  again at Freehold Raceway.

JL Cruze and DW's NY Yank Sharpen Up for Elitlopp Playoff

ast Rutherford, NJ – The Meadowlands racetrack was abuzz this morning as some of the top older horses and three-year-olds were prepping for upcoming stakes. A dozen qualifiers began at 9:30 on a dry track under clear skies with little wind and the temperature in the 50’s.

A number of Mack Lobell Elitlopp Playoff eligibles used today's qualifiers to prep for next Sunday’s stake and JL Cruze made a strong case for his chances, sprinting clear of a good field by several lengths off the last turn then coasting late in 1:53/:27. Crazy Wow left for the lead, released JL Cruze approaching the half and was second best while Pinkman made late gains to be third. Eric Ell conditions the winner for owners Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar, Jr and Steve Iaquinta.

DW’s NY Yank is another eligible that impressed with an easy 1:53.2/:27.3 win for Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke. Canepa Hanover got another good work in on his return to the races and was a comfortable second while Jewels In Hock and Crazshana also went well and were together at the wire. Burke Racing owns the winner in partnership with Howard Taylor and Weaver Bruscemi.

Be advised that there will be no live racing at The Meadowlands on Friday, May 6. There will be a live card on Sunday, May 8 a Mother’s Day matinee card with post time at 12:40 p.m. The first race on that Mother’s Day card will be the $150,000e Mack Lobell Elitlopp Playoff.

Radiant Beam won the day’s opener for Andy and Julie Miller in 1:56/:28.2 after a pocket ride behind Dizzy Broad. Hollywood Hill split horses to gain the place while Dizzy Broad tired a bit though held third. Jason and Ronald Allen own the winner.

Several of 2015’s finest two-year-old trotting fillies gathered for the second race and Caprice Hill was the winner in 1:53/:28 for Tim Tetrick. She sat a pocket behind the anxious Black Broadway who rattled off fast fractions, went by quickly and finished willingly in the fast mile. Last season’s Dan Patch award winner All The Time made good gains late to be just a neck back in second, a useful first seasonal effort and Womans Will was a good third in her first go. Tony Alagna trains Caprice Hill for owner Tom Hill.

Southwind Flash (Y. Gingras/R. Burke) and Free Willy Hanover (T. Smedshammer) went under the wire together after a stretch-long duel finishing the 1:56.3 mile with a 27.4 final quarter in race four.

Lagerfeld won his second qualifier in 1:56/:28.1 with a strong rally from a stalking position for Gingras. He rode along in third as The Perfect Lindy set the fractions, fanned out and went by with no encouragement needed from the driver. Bar Hopping impressed in his first outing, closing strongly to be second for John Campbell and The Perfect Lindy held for third. Jimmy Takter trains Lagerfeld for his wife Christina, Herb Liverman and the Fieldings, John & Jim.

After the break sophomore colt trotters resumed the program with Make Or Miss looking very strong in his first outing of the season. Held in third by driver Joe Bongiorno early as Brooklyn Hill set a faster clip than David Miller would have liked, Make Or Miss was fanned wide in the stretch and went by under his own power in 1:54.2/:28. Brooklyn Hill held up well for second with Milligan’s School and Love Matters both making a good appearance in their seasonal bow. Division leader Southwind Frank was programmed for this qualifier but did not race due to what’s being reported as a quarter crack issue.

Pacers came up in race nine and a good group of sophomore colts and geldings finished across the track in a line with Voracity and Ideal Rocky together in advance of the six-pack. The mile was 1:52.3 with a 26.4 final quarter. Voracity is on his way to Ontario for trainer Alagna who owns the colt in partnership with Brad Grant and John Fodera while Ideal Rocky is prepping for the New Jersey Sires Stakes for trainer John Butenschoen and owners William Wiswell, Jean Goehlen and Eugene Schick.

Mindtrip went a good mile this morning, taking over near the half then winning as driver Yannick Gingras pleased in 1:52.4/:27.1. Tap Into Power closed nicely for second and Highlandbeachycove was an even third, while racing a bit greenly when shown racetrack. Mindtrip hails from the Alagna barn and is owned by the trainer in partnership with Crawford Racing, Sbrocco, Fodera and Massey.

American Ivy was a winner this morning in 1:52.4/:27.1 for Andy and Julie Miller. She sat second as Blue Moon Stride cut the mile then edged by that one late while staving off the rail rally by Three Dreams. Joe P Racing is the owner.

Mcwicked closed out the day with a 1:50.4/:26.2 win for Scott Zeron. Mcwicked zipped to the lead early, yielded to In The Arsenal for the middle half then took the rail route back by that rival for the win. In The Arsenal went well in his first qualifier, a solid second. Steve Elliott now trains Mcwicked for the SSG Stables.