MR - ROCK VINCI WINS THE GODFATHER PACE WITH SOUTHWIND MAIZE IN 2:00

Now the Italian Americans have someone to cheer for in Monticello Raceway’s Heritage  Drivers Series finale after Rock  Vinci  drove  Southwind to an easy 2:00 triumph in this year’s  Godfather Pace on Monday afternoon, August 27^th .

The race, which featured drivers of Italian extraction, was the seventh  leg of the year-long series and now Vinci e will join the winners of the previous preliminary legs in the series final, dubbed the All-America Cup, later in early December.

Sent off as the betting favorite from the pole position Southwind Maize bobbled before the start but Vince got him back to his rhythm and the pacer took command on the first turn. As they headed toward the quarter pole Vinci grabbed leather and allowed Dave Russo and Big Game to control the front end as the timer flashed  :28.4.  From there Russo’s pacer led the way past the half in :59.2 and as the field straightened on the backside Vinci moved Southwind Maize out from the two hole and they paced right on by the leader and opened up daylight on the rest of the field. On the final turn only the margin of victory was in doubt.

In the deep stretch Vinci hot-dogged it a bit waving his whip in the air as Southwind Maize drew off to a 12- length victory over Russo and his 25-1 shot, Big Game.  Third place went to Tidewater Moses  driven by  Johnny Desimone, Jr.

Vinci was joined in the winner’s circle by the horse’s  owner Elwood Funk, Jr. who was happy with his horse’s performance.

“Yeah, he looked like a world beater in against these today and I was certainly amazed by his margin of victory but  I wish he’d be more consistent,” Funk said of his pacer. “Lately he rarely puts two good races together.”

“He’s a lot better horse than he has been lately,” Vinci said referring to  Southwind Maize. “He’s a big, good looking  well-bred (altered) son  of Western Ideal and he won this year at Freehold in 56-and a piece (1:56.1), but he’s a cheater. He can go more but there are times he just refuses to (give his best).

It was the fourth seasonal victory  for Southwind Maize who went off as the odds-on favorite and paid $3.50 for win.

Strangely, after his driving victory  Rock Vinci received the trophy which was presented by Mike Vinci, (no relation) Monticello Casino & Raceway’s director of finance.

The final Heritage Drivers Series preliminary leg –the Maple Leaf Mile for drivers of Canadian descent--will be raced in mid-November. Then the winning drivers of each of the eight ethnic legs will battle in the series finale, the All America Cup, in early December

YR - FINALS FOR MESSENGER, LADY MAUD DRAWN

BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway

           

            YONKERS, NY, Tuesday, October 29, 2013--The gods of the open draw had their fun at the expense of  the eliminations winners, as Sunfire Blue Chip (1:52 a week ago) and Lucan Hanover (1:52.2 a week ago) drew post positions Nos. 7 and 8, respectively, for Saturday night's $450,000 final of the Messenger Stakes.

            The 58th Messenger, final jewel of the Pacing Triple Crown. goes as the eighth race (approximate post time 9:30) on Yonkers Raceway's 13-race extravaganza. It filtered out as such…

            1-Odds On Equuleus (Brian Sears), 2-Ronny Bugatti (Jason Bartlett), 3-Word Power (George Brennan), 4-Good  Day Mate (Tim Tetrick), 5-Twilight Bonfire (Tetrick also listed), 6-Lonewolf Currier (Brian Sears), 7-Sunfire Blue Chip (Yannick Gingras), 8-Lucan Hanover (Dave Miller).  Among the 3-year-olds are six colts and two (Ronny Bugatti and Lucan Hanover) geldings.

            Companion event, the $176,684 final of the Lady Maud for 3-year-old fillies, goes as the sixth race (approximate post time 8:50)...1-Certified Ideal (Jim Pantaleano), 2-Handsoffmycupcake (Dan Dube), 3-Antigua Hanover (Bartlett), 4-Charisma Hanover (Gingras), 5-Scandalous Hanover (Miler), 6-Live Entertainment (Sears), 7-Parlee Beach (Tetrick) 8-Jerseylicious (Corey Callahan). Note that "Scandalous" and "Parlee" race as a Casie Coleman trainer (and part-owner) entry.

            Charisma Hanover set a track record (1:51.4) for soph fillies in winning her elim, while the other was one by Scandalous Hanover (1:54.3). "Scandalous" was a $15,000 supplemental entrant into the Maud. 

            Drivers changes shall be made Wednesday morning.

CalX1 - Dave Brower joins Cal Expo handicapping team

By Mark Ratzky, publicity, Cal Expo Harness

Fans will be getting some extra insight into the popular Pick 4 here at Cal Expo as noted handicap and author Dave Brower will be lending his expertise beginning Friday night as he puts up sample tickets and interacts with track announcer Gary Seibel on the simulcast.

“I’ve been an avid harness racing fan since age 10 and I suppose I’ve worked in just about every aspect of the sport in the 34 years since,” Bower related. A 1991 journalism graduate of St. John's University, Brower has groomed and trained horses, operated the race teletimer, been a public relations intern, morning line oddsmaker and track handicapper for the Meadowlands Racetrack for 16 years from 1996 to 2011.

In the realm of television and radio work in racing, Brower served as a featured host and co-host of the nightly "Racing from the Meadowlands" television program on SNY, Fox Sports New York, and MSG Networks, including in-house duties of analysis and handicapping.

He also provided on-site analysis and interviews during TVG's Drive Time with Gary Seibel on race nights for three years. He’s joined Dave Johnson and Bill Finley on their eclipse award-winning program “Down The Stretch” on Sirius/XM satellite radio.

“I’ve really enjoyed co-hosting the Hambletonian live broadcast on CBS Sports Network the last two years, where I had the chance to re-unite with Gary Siebel,” Brower noted. Since leaving the Meadowlands in 2001, he has become a social media consultant.

In addition to the above work in the sport of horse racing, Brower also wrote “Harnessing Winners: The Complete Guide to Handicapping Harness Races,” which was published by Daily Racing Form’s press division in 2009.

 In the book, he featured an in-depth interview with the sport’s top driver, Brian Sears.  He also guided the reader through the excitement at some of harness racing’s major events, like the Hambletonian and Little Brown Jug, while providing useful handicapping hints and angles to help the everyday horseplayer.