Trotting filly notches 16th victory of the year

WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Crescent Fashion sophomore trotting filly Crescent Beauty became the winningest three-year-old and the winningest harness racing trotting female in North America during 2022, notching her sixteenth victory of the campaign and lowering her mark to 1:55.3 in a $15,000 conditioned race at The Downs Monday afternoon, November 7.

Anthony Napolitano made two moves to control the pace, then held the filly together over a wickedly closing Jaqen H’ghar by a nose. Trainer Lance Hudson and owner William Hartt acquired the three-year-old after her Indiana stakes season and now has four wins in five starts with her.

CRESCENT BEAUTY REPLAY

Fast Machine (Always B Miki) worked off of excellent cover, then closed strongly to win the $17,500 distaff feature harness racing pace during a warm-for-November afternoon.

After Dbldelitebrigade N took the field to a :26.4 quarter, favored Kat came out to take the lead passing the stands and reach the half in :56. Dresden started the outside tier flow, with Fast Machine right on her back though still fifth at the 1:24 three-quarters.

On the far turn, Braxten Boyd tipped Fast Machine three-wide, and she proved to have the most late, winning by a half-length over inside-shooting Techys Angel A, who photoed Kat for second.

After not racing at two and only once at three, Fast Machine has accumulated eight victories this year, with her earnings for the campaign now over $80,000. Nicholas Devita trains the late bloomer for owner John Cummins.

FAST MACHINE REPLAY

Going into the twelfth and last race, meet leader Matt Kakaley and Braxten Boyd had each driven four winners; Anthony Napolitano had rung up three and had the favorite in the finale, looking to make what would likely be a rare “three drivers sweep the card with four winners each” day. But Napolitano’s Bettorb Chevron N could not last in the stretch, and triumphing by a head over Major Battle (Kakaley, which still would have been a sweep for the threesome) was Georgie Martin N and driver Marcus Miller in 1:53. “Georgie” also paid $43.80 to win, while the eleven visitors to Victory Lane before her had *cumulatively* returned $47.60.

Tuesday’s 1:30 card at Pocono closes out the racing week and is the fifth-from-last card of the year, with closing day being Saturday, September 19. Program pages for all Pocono races are or will be available by clicking here.

For complete race results, click here.

From the PHHA / The Downs