Down Under Winners from North America – 25th June

The Sportswriter gelding Big Skewy NZ tied the track record for aged harness racing pacing geldings when he clocked 1:49.4 winning the $20,000 Open Handicap at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (June 18). 

BIG SKEWY N REPLAY

Slip The Hundy, a New Zealand bred son of Sir Lincoln, led for the last three quarters and held on gamely to win by a length in 1:53.2 in a $14,000 race at Plainridge Park on Monday (June 17). 

Orlando Blue, a seven-year-old gelding by Heston Blue Chip, came from midfield to record an open lengths victory in 1:52 in the $18,000 feature at Oak Grove Raceway on Tuesday. He has now won 18 races and earned $US160,492. 

The Victorian bred Holi Starzzz notched her first success on American soil when she led throughout in 1:51.4 in a $21,200 Fillies and Mares Open at The Meadows on Thursday (June 20). The win lifted her bankroll to $US111,333. 

A quartet of NZ imports, Heaven On High, Rhythm N Blues (both by Rock N Roll Heaven), Nerve Of Steel (by Art Official) and Ashley Locaz (by Bettor’s Delight), won at Saratoga Raceway on Saturday night (June 22). 

Heaven On High extended his winning skein to four in the $15,000 Open in 1:52, while Ashley Locaz won for the 11th time this year, clocking 1:54.8. 

 

Monday, June 17 

Harrington Raceway, Delaware 

Willie Go West NZ (Auckland Reactor) 1:53 – $8,500 

Some Waratah (Somebeachsomewhere) 1:55 – $9,500 

Oak Grove Raceway, Kentucky 

Smooth Baht (Somebeachsomewhere) 1:52.6 – $23,000 

Chevron’s Bypass NZ (Captaintreacherous) 1:55.4 – $14,000 

Plainridge Park, Massachusetts 

Slip The Hundy NZ (Sir Lincoln) 1:53.2 – $14,000 

Saratoga Raceway, New York 

Dark Eclipse NZ (A Rocknroll Dance) 1:54 – $9,500 

Woodbine Mohawk Park, Ontario 

Typhoon Stride NZ (Bettor’s Delight) 1:51.2 – $15,000 

Yonkers Raceway, New York 

Hemsworth NZ (Sweet Lou) 1:51.2 – $39,000 

What’s Stanley Got (Heston Blue Chip) 1:51.4 – $21,000 

Rocknroll Runa (Rock N Roll Heaven) 1:52.8 – $24,000 

Leonidas (Mach Three) 1:53 – $21,000 

 

Tuesday, June 18 

Harrington Raceway, Delaware 

Majorca NZ (Art Major) 1:52.8 – $22,500 

Oak Grove Raceway, Kentucky 

Orlando Blue (Heston Blue Chip) 1:52 – $18,000 

Plainridge Park, Massachusetts 

Big Skewy NZ (Sportswriter) 1:49.4 – $20,000 

Scioto Downs, Ohio 

The Bus NZ (Art Major) 1:53.8 – $7,000 

Yonkers Raceway, New York 

Rock Diamonds NZ (Rocknroll Hanover) 1:52.8 – $30,000 

My Ultimate Byron (Somebeachsomewhere) 1:52.8 – $21,000 

 

Wednesday, June 19 

Buffalo Raceway, New York 

Oaxacan Dream NZ (Big Jim) 1:54.8 – $14,000 

Harrington Raceway, Delaware 

Tiger Thompson NZ (Big Jim) 1:55.2 – $5,500 

Ocean Downs, Maryland 

Team Kiwi NZ (Bettor’s Delight) 1:56.8 – $6,500 

 

Thursday, June 20 

Monticello Raceway, New York 

Foo Fighter NZ (American Ideal) 1:56.8 – $4,400 

Rideau Carleton Raceway, Ontario 

Darkershadeofpale NZ (Changeover) 1:56.4 – $6,200 

The Meadows, Pennsylvania 

Holi Starzzz (Four Starzzz Shark) 1:51.4 – $21,200 

 

Friday, June 21 

Harrah’s Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

Blood Moon (Pet Rock) 1:52.4 – $7,500 

Hoosier Park, Indiana 

Watching Our Coin NZ (He’s Watching) 1:50.2 – $15,200 

Scioto Downs, Ohio 

Captain Dolmio NZ (Grinfromeratoear) 1:52.4 – $9,000 

Vernon Downs, New York 

Onspeed NZ (Bettor’s Delight) 1:56 – $3,500 

Yonkers Raceway, New York 

Lucky Artist (Artistic Fella) 1:52.6 – $21,000 

Forgot The Wallet (Heston Blue Chip) 1:53.2 – $24,000 

 

Saturday, June 22 

Buffalo Raceway, New York 

Alta Engen (Alta Christiano) 1:55 – $12,200 

Cumberland Raceway, Maine 

Gardy’s Legacy (Bettor’s Delight) 1:57.4 – $4,800 

Premier Joy (Somebeachsomewhere) 1:57.8 – $4,400 

Hoosier Park, Indiana 

Knight’s Templar (Art Major) 1:50.8 – $11,800 

Major Crocker (Art Major) 1:52.4 – $9,000 

Meadowlands, New Jersey 

American Dealer NZ (American Ideal) 1:49 – $18,000 

Northfield Park, Ohio 

Navagio NZ (Bettor’s Delight) 1:55.2 – $8,400 

Pocono Downs, Pennsylvania 

Pat McGarry (Million Dollar Cam) 1:49.6 – $14,500 

Saratoga Raceway, New York 

Heaven On High NZ (Rock N Roll Heaven) 1:52 – $15,000 

Rhythm N Blues NZ (Rock N Roll Heaven) 1:54.4 – $9,000 

Nerve Of Steel NZ (Art Official) 1:54.4 – $6,000 

Ashley Locaz NZ (Bettor’s Delight) 1:54.8 – $10,500 

Scioto Downs, Ohio 

Magic Four NZ (Bettor’s Delight) 1:50 – $12,000 

Artatac (Art Major) 1:50.2 – $24,000 

The Meadows, Pennsylvania 

Markham Eyre NZ (Sportswriter) 1:52 – $8,000 

Yonkers Raceway, New York 

Maximus Red (American Ideal) 1:54.8 – $20,000 

Italian Delight NZ (Bettor’s Delight) 1:54.8 – $13,000 

 

Sunday, June 23 

Harrah’s Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

Nota Replica (Courage Under Fire) 1:53.8 – $8,000 

Pocono Downs, Pennsylvania 

Shoobee Doo (Shoobee’s Place) 1:49.2 – $16,500 

Running Aces, Minnesota 

Hoo Nien (Always A Virgin) 1:54.2 – $5,000 

Tioga Downs, New York 

Lip Reader (Sportswriter) 1:50.8 – $9,000 

Fess Up NZ (Bettor’s Delight) 1:52.6 – $8,500 

 

To view previous Down Under Winners articles, click here.

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink