What’s happening in the USA Tuesday, June 13

The following harness racing articles will be updated per racing events Tuesday, June 13, 2023.

KILLER STRIPES REMAINS UNBEATEN

HARRINGTON, DE – Andrew Stafford, Thomas Ireland and Bonnie Benson’s Killer Stripes (Badlands Hanover) and driver Art Stafford Jr. were the fastest of two $20,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) 3-year-old harness racing pacing filly winners Tuesday (June 13) at Harrington Raceway and remained unbeaten in her young career.

Killer Stripes overcame post seven early to make a comfortable lead, where she would stay throughout as Hold My Wine gained first over and pressed the leader gamely in the stretch but would come up a head short at the wire. Killer Stripes notched her 4th straight win for trainer and co-owner Andrew Stafford.

The filly has banked $80,000 lifetime and was 3-for-3 in her freshman campaign last season. She paid $3.20 to win.

KILLER STRIPES REPLAY

Stephen Messick’s Misty Coast (Powerful Mist) and driver Art Stafford Jr. prevailed in the 2nd split, off an overland trip where she surged on the final turn and was a 3-length winner over Kims Secret Search and No Gel Nikki for her 9th career win. The filly was a 1:56.4 winner for trainer Les Givens. She paid $2.20 to win.

MISTY COAST REPLAY

In the overnight feature, the $20,000 Mares Open, James Magno and Joseph Fonte’s Incaseyoudidn’tknow ($5.40, Jim Morand) was a 1:51.4 winner over Divine Deo and Feeling Sweet. It was the 5th win of the season for the 5-year-old Always B Miki mare trained by Les Givens.

Pat Berry, Allan Davis and Art Stafford Jr. each had 3 wins on the card.

Four divisions of 3-year-old trotters will complete the first leg of DSBF action Wednesday June 14. The 2nd leg of DSBF stakes will take place June 19-21 with the $100,000 finals on July 27.

For complete race results, click here.

by Matt Sparacino, for Harrington Raceway

NO LUCK NEEDED FOR OUT TO GET LUCKY

Plainville, MA — After hitting the board in three consecutive harness racing starts, Out To Get Lucky (Luck Be Withyou) claimed his first win of the year in the $15,000 feature pace at Plainridge Park on Tuesday afternoon (June 13).

Drew Campbell dropped in third with Out To Get Lucky while Beau’s Best (Bruce Ranger) and Rodman (Matty Athearn) battled for the front through stiff quarters of :26.1 and :54.3.

As they made their way up the backstretch, Rodman faded through the field and Out To Get Lucky left the pocket and paced past Beau’s Best before three-quarters. Out to get lucky then opened up a five-length lead as they rounded the last turn and held on in deep stretch to win by a length over the fast-closing A Deal’s A Deal (Shawn Gray) in 1:52.2, which was a new seasonal mark.

Out To Get Lucky ($4.00) is owned by Bill and Kim Beechy and is trained by Randy Bickmore.

OUT TO GET LUCKY REPLAY

Campbell and Bickmore both ended the day with two wins apiece.

Earlier in the card, Sandpiper N (Nick Graffam) won the $12,500 condition pace on the strength of a first-over move from fifth that saw him advance to match strides with the leading Sneak A Drink (Brett Beckwith) before pulling away to a three-length advantage at the wire, where he won in 1:52.2. It was the third straight win and a new lifetime mark for Sandpiper N ($7.60) who is owned and trained by Kathleen Brewer.

Drivers Shawn Gray and Bruce Ranger also had two wins each on Tuesday.

Live racing will resume at Plainridge Park on Thursday (June 15) at 4 p.m. and there will be a $14,368 carryover in the Jackpot Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta in race six and a $351 carryover in the Pick-6 in race four.

For complete race results, click here.

by Tim Bojarski, for the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts

CLAIMERS REPEAT FOR NEW OWNER/TRAINER

WILKES-BARRE, PA – Owner/trainer Mark Akins last Tuesday claimed both Nasey (Pilgrim’s Chuckie) and Crazycat (Crazed) out of the top-level claiming handicap trots at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, then got immediate returns as he teamed with regular driver Simon Allard to win both of the $15,500 top trots at the northeast Pennsylvania track on Tuesday (June 13) afternoon.

The surprise of the pair was Crazycat, a ten-year-old gelding who had been doing well but not dominating these ranks – until Tuesday. Allard sent the veteran right to the top and posting amazing splits of :26.3, :56, and 1:23 (backstretch tailwind), then stayed strong to win by 5½ lengths in 1:52 – not too many horses with a double-digit age lower their lifetime marks by two seconds.

CRAZYCAT REPLAY

There was little doubt that Akins was getting a speedy horse in Nasey – he had won five times this year, but the gelding has had behavioral problems, usually heading frontward in the first quarter.

The trotter held together in a tough journey, getting parked well past a :27.4 opener, yielding to regaining favorite Justlikehim before a :57 half. sitting patiently in the pocket past a 1:25.1 three-quarters and to the Pocono Pike, then bursting up the inside to handle the favorite by three-quarters of a length in 1:54.3.

NASEY REPLAY

In all Allard won five races on Tuesday – matching the figure he had put up this past Saturday. He has sixteen wins at Pocono in June so far.

Racing resumes at Pocono on Saturday at 1 p.m., with the usual assortment of fast-class performers. Sunday’s 6 p.m. will feature a rematch between sophomore trotting misses Bond and Railee Something in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes competition, in addition to a $30,000 Open trot which contains Hillexotic, who tied the all-time Philly track record of 1:50.2 in winning the Maxie Lee Trot at the end of May. Program pages for all Pocono races are or will be available by clicking here.

For complete race results, click here.

From the PHHA / Pocono Downs

MAINE SIRE STAKES GETS UNDERWAY WEDNESDAY

BANGOR, ME – Two full fields of eight 3-year-old pacers highlight the first round of Maine Sire Stakes action at Bangor on Wednesday (June 14), which marks the start of the 18-week season of New England’s premier harness racing showcase.

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.

While the series has evolved over the last fifty years…so has the speed and durability of the Maine-bred harness horse.  While it is not uncommon to see horses by Maine sires competing throughout North America, New England drivers and trainers are also making a name for themselves on the National stage.

Bruce Ranger, who recently eclipsed 10,000 lifetime driving victories, is a regular on the Maine Sire Stakes circuit, and will make his presence known when the wings fold at historic Bass Park for the opener.

Last year’s Champion freshmen pacer, Two Towns Over, makes his debut in the first of two non-betting events.  Owned and trained by Valerie Grondin and driven by Aaron Hall, the son of Deuce Seelster won six of nine last season, including the $61,067 final at Cumberland in a track record 1:57.

Sure to be one of the ‘glamour boys’ to keep an eye on this season, Two Town Over is right at home at Bangor, having just put in a couple of impressive qualifying preps over the last several weeks.

“He was real sharp,” noted his regular pilot Hall.  “He’s a handy horse to drive.  You can put him in a spot and ask him to go whenever you need to.”

Hall continued, “I am very excited for the upcoming season.  Val [Grondin] and Heath [Campbell] did a great job bringing him back.  He’s strong and we think he will be as good as he was last year.”

Although Two Towns Over earned $80,374 last year for owner/trainer Grondin, he was not richest freshman of the bunch.  That distinction goes to Luke McGook, who hails from the Tardif ‘Taskforce.’  The 3-year-old son of Rock N’ Roll World competed in both the Maine Sire Stakes and the Massachusetts program at Plainridge.

Finishing second in the Maine final to Two Towns Over on October 1, two days later Luke McGook finished second in a Mass. Stake and then won the next $65,000 event on Oct. 16.  He finished the season with a second place finish in the $125,000 Mass. final at Plainridge, making him one of the richest Maine-bred and sired freshmen pacers of all time.  Bred by Erika Saucier, last year he earned a whopping $140,457 for his Leighton Property owners.

While it’s widely known that the Tardif clan arrives at each venue loaded for bear, this week’s bow is no exception.  Marc and Peggy have six entries in the first two events, and their horses always arrive ‘ready to race.’

Two Towns Over scores from post seven in the first non-betting race on Wednesday’s (June 14) card at Bangor, post time 2:15 pm, while Luke McGook has post two in the second event.

RACE 1 – Bangor Raceway – ME – June 14, 2023

Conditions: MAINE BRED 3 YEAR OLD COLTS AND GELDINGS

Gait: Pace; Purse: $15,376; Post Time: 2:15 PM

(Post, Horse, Age, Sire-Dam, Driver, Trainer)

1, Pembroke Danny Boy, 3, Baron Biltmore-Migraine, Heath Campbell, Valerie Grondin

2, Someones Hero, 3, Rock N` Roll World– Wolf Creek Cupid, Andrew Harrington, Marc Tardif

3, Two Points, 3, Deuce Seelster-Tally Ho, Drew Campbell, Eric Bickmore

4, Ill Rock The World, 3, Rock N` Roll World- Fire Can Fly, Ron Cushing, Heidi Gibbs

5, Rockaroundsam, 3, Rock N` Roll World- Swingnsway Sammy K, Kevin Switzer Jr, Marc Tardif

6, Facemaskrequired, 3, Deuce Seelster– Sally Pansen, Walter Case Jr, Marc Tardif

7, Two Towns Over, 3, Deuce Seelster– City Girl Hanover,  Aaron Hall, Valerie Grondin

8, Colt Bennett 3, Rock N` Roll World- Unbeachable, Bruce Ranger, David Crochere

RACE 2 – Bangor Raceway – ME – June 14, 2023

Conditions: MAINE BRED 3 YEAR OLD COLTS AND GELDINGS

Gait: Pace, Purse: $15,376, Post Time: 2:32 PM

(Post, Horse, Age, Sire-Dam, Driver, Trainer)

1, Anithingforyoudear, 3, Rock N` Roll World– Anianne Hanover, Andrew Harrington, Marc Tardif

2, Luke McGook, 3, Rock N` Roll World- Madonna Hanover, Kevin Switzer Jr, Marc Tardif

3, Race Me Maverick, 3, Western Maverick– Race Me Android, William Childs, William Childs

4, Wicked Scorchah, 3, Western Maverick– Hurricane Emily, Drew Campbell, David Crochere

5, Mattucci, 3, Western Maverick-Paxxie, Aaron Hall, Valerie Grondin

6, Pembroke Revenge, 3, Baron Biltmore– Pembroke Oasis, Heath Campbell, Valerie Grondin

7, World Wide Express, 3, Rock N` Roll World– Express Ball N, Ron Cushing, Heidi Gibbs

8, So Rock N` Roll, 3, Western Maverick– So So Sweet, Walter Case Jr, Marc Tardif

Saturday’s Cumberland program has two $13,500-plus divisions for 3-year-old pacing fillies, which are slated as races one and nine on the regular card.  First post is 3:15 pm.

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

For complete race entries, click here.

by Chris Tully, for the Maine Sire Stakes

TWO-YEAR-OLDS DOMINATE PHILLY QUALIFIERS 

CHESTER, PA – Hundred Dollar Man, a harness racing pacing colt from the first crop of sire Lather Up, paced in 1:55 for driver Montrell Teague, who was the regular pilot of Lather Up, and sister/trainer/owner Brenda Teague during the Tuesday morning two-year-old qualifiers at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Out of the dam Whirl The Girl, Hundred Dollar Man led at every pole, coming home in :55.2 to win the faster of two events for his division. His time bettered the season’s record that stood at the start of the day; this race went off at 11:05 a.m.

Team Teague also won the other pacing colt section, with Hustle Up, another son of Lather Up out of Hustle Hard, who paced his own back half in :57.2 in hanging up a 1:59.1 final time.

In the companion filly ranks, a familiar combination behind a fast distaff – driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Jim King Jr. – sent out Lyons Legend, a daughter of Stay Hungry – Skinny Dip who came from behind with individual back fractions of :55.4 – :27.3 to win in 1:57 for Threelyonsracing. A mention also goes Blue Point (1:57.2, Huntsville – Amber Blue Chip), who now has two successful baby starts under her girth.

Fastest of the two-year-old trotters was Tandem Hanover, a daughter of Walner-Think Twice and thus a full sister to the top stakes colt performer Temporal Hanover ($972,166). She won on the engine in 1:58.3, last half :57.3, for owners William Pollock, Bruce Areman, and A Harris Racing LLC. Driver Andrew McCarthy had four victories with the babies, three of them including this one for trainer Andrew Harris.

The trotting males were led by the Walner-Religuous colt Legal Scholar, another McCarthy-Harris teamup who was victorious in 2:01.1, last half :58.2 for the Pollock / Areman / Harris team which sent out Tandem Hanover; that combine also clicked with pacing filly Donegal Spirit (Captaintreacherous – Lu’s Illusion), a 1:58.4 winner.

Also worth a mention in the trotting colt division are the Bar Hopping – Southwind Angel gelding Rise, whose 2:02.3 time would be a season’s mark if not beaten before 11:40 a.m., and Greenspan, from the first crop of Greenshoe out of Firm To Stay, a winner in 2:02.2.

Replays can be seen on the PHHA website, www.phha,org; a mention that drivers may not be wearing their racing colors during these morning events.

For complete qualifier results, click here.

From PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia