What’s happening in the USA Wednesday, June 14

The following harness racing articles will be updated per racing events Wednesday, June 14, 2023.

WALNER DAUGHTHERS TAKE CO-FEATURES

CHESTER, PA – The three-year-old fillies A Good Chardonnay and Walover, a pair of daughters of Walner, both took a lifetime mark in the $12,600 featured trots at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon.

Andy Miller reserved A Good Chardonay, a $180,000 yearling purchase, off an early dustup, then moved his filly to the top in front of the stands. A Good Chardonnay, the heavy favorite, enjoyed an open lead for most of the second half, then held off the late move of a good-closing Boudicca by a length in 1:55.1.

Julie Miller conditions the winner for Andy Miller Stable Inc., Michael Anderson, and Jean Goehlen.

A GOOD CHARDONNAY REPLAY

Precipitation caused the track to be downgraded to “sloppy” before Walover took to the track late in the card, but the $240,000 yearling now has a 2023 record of winning half her six starts after turning in a lifetime best of 1:56.1. Trainer/driver Trond Smedshammer sent the trotter right to the front and remained in control to the wire, holding off the quickly developing Bur Bun by a length for Purple Haze Stables LLC.

WALOVER REPLAY

Racing continues on Thursday at 12:25 at Harrah’s. The weekend features at Philly are solid: Friday’s $20,000 Open handicap mares pacing has the last two Betsy Ross winners, Max Contract and Majorca N, facing off against the classy Boudoir Hanover. The $20,000 Open handicap pace on Sunday’s 12:40 card finds the return of Southwind Gendry, who briefly had the all-age track record at Philly, 1:47.2, before it was shattered later on Super Sunday by Ruthless Hanover and his all-time best 1:46.3.

Program pages for all races at Harrah’s Philadelphia are or will be available by clicking here.

For complete race results, click here.

From the PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia

MAINE SIRE STAKES HELD AT BANGOR

BANGOR, ME – Maine’s leading money-winning freshman pacer of 2022, Luke McGook (Rock N’ Roll World), returned to his winning ways at Bangor on Wednesday (June 14), taking the fastest of two $15,376 divisions of the season’s opening round of Maine Sires Stakes for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers.

Driven by Kevin Switzer Jr. for trainer Marc Tardif in the second non-betting race, the son of Rock N’ Roll World grabbed the lead just past the 27.2 opening panel, following little front-end fisticuffs by Wicked Scorchah and Drew Campbell.

From that point forward it was all over but the shouting as the pair coasted home in dominant fashion, tripping the timer in 1:57.  Coming off of two preps at Gil Crest Training Center in April and a final tune-up last week at Cumberland, the Leighton Property-owned sophomore never had an anxious moment, dashing home with a 28.3 final quarter while winning by 3-1/4 lengths.

Bred by Erika Saucier, Luke McGook was never worse than second during his freshman campaign, winning 8 of 13 and earning a hefty $140,457 for his efforts.  Following the stakes races, his regular driver Kevin Switzer Jr. won an additional three overnight races on the regular program at Bangor, which brought his current lifetime dash win total to 2,996.

So Rock N’ Roll (Walter Case Jr.) finished second and was also trained by Marc Tardif.  Wicked Scorchah was third.

Last season’s Maine Sire Stakes freshman final winner, Two Towns Over (Aaron Hall), finished a hard-charging second to the faster-closing Colt Bennett (Bruce Ranger), who ultimately won the first $15,376 non-betting event.

Also, a son of Rock N’ Roll World, Colt Bennett had to score from the outermost post seven, and was forced to come second over and catch the pack from off the pace.

Someones Hero (Andrew Harrington) grabbed the lead and controlled the tempo with modest fractions of 30, 1:00.3 and 1:29.1 before being overtaken down the stretch by the David Crochere-trained Colt Bennett.  Throwing in a 28.3 final quarter was all it took to make up nearly three lengths in final goings to win by a neck for owner Nancy Longobardi in 1:58.2.

It was the second win of the year for Colt Bennett, who was bred by Steve O’Toole.  Two Towns Over finished second; Someones Hero was third.

The Maine Sires stakes resumes on Saturday’s (June 17) Cumberland Raceway program, which has two $14,684 divisions for 3-year-old pacing fillies.  Slated as races one and nine on the regular card, first post is 3:15 pm.  For complete race entries, click here.

With up to ten legs for each division throughout the summer and autumn months, and purses on the rise, the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes has been promoting and providing a venue for Pine Tree State Standardbreds since the legislative establishment of the program in 1972.

For more information about the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes, follow our facebook page @MaineBreedersAssociation, or go to their new website by clicking here.

For complete race results, click here.

by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes

KEVIN SWITZER SCORES GRAND SLAM AT BANGOR

Driver Kevin Switzer, Jr moved the needle closer toward a milestone on Wednesday (6-14) as the 35-year-old state of Maine native posted a powerful four-win performance at Bangor Raceway. The impressive outing left him just four wins removed from his 3000th career driving victory.

Switzer kicked off his grand slam day with a “never in doubt” sort of journey as he confidently steered the well-regarded Luke McGook (Rock N’ Roll World-Madonna Hanover) to his ninth career victory in a $15,376 split of Maine Sire Stakes action. Touring the oval in an in-hand 1:57, the dual-staked duo gave due notice that they would once again be major players in both the Maine-and-Massachusetts-bred programs after finishing as runner-up in both championships as freshmen.

The going proved not quite so easy as the overnight portion of the program commenced when Switzer found himself grinding first over with Plus One (1:56.4-$3.20) against a determined, front-running, Pillage And Burn (Shawn Thayer). Seemingly dispatched by his rival after a spirited battle, Plus One found a new gear while rounding the final turn before digging in gamely to overcome in deep stretch. The win was the first of two on the program for trainer Robert Marston.

Switzer and Marston wasted little time in reclaiming winner’s circle glory as Rockadella (Bettor’s Delight) 1:59-$70.80) self-propelled from post-eight en route to a gate-to-wire long shot romp in the very next contest. The developing three-year-old filly took a new lifetime mark while claiming her third career win; keying a $5,054.20 trifecta return in the process.

Choosing the pike route once again, Switzer capped his four-win day with a relative walk through the park with Ranaldi (1:54.4-$8.60). The four-year-old Maine-bred son of Western Maverick overpowered his competition, jogging to the wire 5-3/4 lengths the best, while recording his 10th career win for trainer Cain Mackenzie.

In other non-Switzer news at Bangor, driver Andrew Harrington and trainer Sara Harrington teamed up to send two winners to post with Racing for Rick (1:57-$9.40) and Fern Hill Flight (1:55.3-$7.20) sharing stable bragging rights.

Driver Nick Graffam also claimed victory twice on the card including a 1:53.1 score with The Bird Dance N ($3.40) in the $6,500 Winners Over feature. The win was the third in-a-row for the Karl Butterfield trainee and the fastest of the meeting at Bangor Raceway this season.

Bangor Raceway proudly presents live harness racing every Wednesday with post time at 3:00 p.m. (EDT) with the popular Sunday matinees getting underway at 12:15 p.m.

by Mike Sweeney, for Bangor Raceway

FIRST TWO-YEAR-OLD WINNER AT THE MEADOWS

WASHINGTON, PA, June 14, 2023 — Liberty Rose N (Mach Three-Lyse Doucet) had little trouble overcoming post 9 with a strong front-end performance to win Wednesday’s feature at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, a $12,500 Filly & Mare Claiming Handicap Pace.

Once on top, Liberty Rose N turned back the first-over challenge of Delilah De Vie and defeated her by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:54 for Aaron Merriman. Colorful Sky completed the ticket. Justin Lloyd owns and trains the 9-year-old mare, who now boasts a career bankroll of $289,972. It was one of three victories for Merriman on the 12-race card.

LIBERTY ROSE REPLAY

Elsewhere on Wednesday’s card, The Meadows staged its first race of the season for 2-year-olds. Eight freshman filly pacers faced the starter in a $9,000 event, and the win went to Darey Queen (Sweet Lou-Soft Ideal), who reasserted after being passed near the three-quarters.

Darey Queen triumphed in 1:59 for Jeremy Indof and owner/trainer Mitchell York. Dry Ridge Ellen (If I Can Dream-Sanctity Hanover) outperformed her 90-1 odds by finishing second, 1/2 length back, with Paper Heart (Heston Blue Chip-Paper Cut) third.

DAREY QUEEN REPLAY

Live racing at The Meadows continues Thursday, first post 12:45 PM.

For complete race results, click here.

by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association