USA Harness Racing News for Friday, June 16, 2023

There are some of the leading USA harness racing news stories for Friday, June 16, 2023.

ARTIST CUT MAKES THE CUT IN OPEN PACE

Artistic Cut (Artspeak – Paper Cut) was a pocket rocket winner Friday (June 16) at Northville Downs in the featured $10,800 Mares Open with driver Jason Merriman in tow.

When the wings folded, Cousin Margie and Lindsay Moen left for the lead but went off-stride which left Delightful Summer and driver Marc St. Louis, Jr. inheriting the front as Artistic Cut looked on in the pocket. The mares went to the quarter in :28.1.

As they went to the half, Coqui Coqui and Justin Irvine challenged Delightful Summer for the lead passed the half in 57.3 and three-quarters in 1:26.2. As they turned for home Delightful Summer succumbed to the pressure and Artistic Cut slid up the pegs for the ¾ length victory. Delightful Summer settled for second and Rocks StormyD closed well for third.

This was the 11th career victory for Artistic Cut who is owned and trained by Techia Lohmann and the win pushed her career earnings to $82,804.

ARTISTIC CUT REPLAY

The night also yielded a plethora of driving doubles as Skip DeMull, Kim Pluta, Art McIlmurray, and Drew Neill all had two winners each.

Racing at The Ville resumes Saturday, June 17, 2023, at 7pm. Northville Downs races every Friday and Saturday night from now until September 30th with a 7:00 pm post time. For live racing dining reservations, be sure to call Northville Downs in advance at 248-924-2073.

For complete race results, click here.

by Ken Terpenning, for Northville Downs

JOYGO GETS LIGHTNING LANE WIN IN MEADOWS FEATURE

WASHINGTON, PA, June 16, 2023 — Joygo (Nuncio-Eleventeen) waited patiently while his rivals dueled for the lead, then poured through the Lightning Lane to capture Friday’s feature at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, a $12,100 Conditioned Trot.

While Favorite Aunt and Crazy Supersport took turns on the point, Joygo saved ground in third. When Mike Wilder pressed the button, the 4-year-old gelding brushed inside and scored in 1:54.2, a neck better than Crazy Supersport. Bigly rallied for show.

JOYGO REPLAY

Lance Barber trains Joygo and owns with Sonya Barber.

Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. and Wilder each piloted three winners on the 12-race card.

Saturday’s program at The Meadows features the $95,790 Currier & Ives for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters. Heading the field is Rumble Strips, whose win in 1:53.2 last year at the Delaware Fair made him the fastest freshman trotter ever on a half-mile track. The Currier & Ives goes as races eight and 10, with first post at 12:45 PM.

For complete race results, click here.

by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association

HOMECOMING IS GREAT FOR CALL ME MAVERICK

CUMBERLAND, ME – Call Me Maverick (Western Maverick) returned home to Cumberland and returned back to his winning ways, as driver Mike Stevenson gave the Maine Sire Stakes 3-year-old male pacing champion of 2021 a coast-to-coast victory for his trainer Alison Hynes and her partner Gordon Corey.

The 5-year-old picked up the 24^th victory of his career and pushed his lifetime earnings to $247,162 for his Upland Farm owners.  Just the third start of the year for the former local hero, the wagering favorite tripped the timer in 1:56.1 to win the opener and pay $2.80 to his many backers.  The Bush Man N (Kevin Switzer Jr.) finished second; Drinka Beer (Andy Harrington) was third in the $6,000 featured conditioned pace.

CALL ME MAVERICK REPLAY

The $5,500 featured trot was another wire-to-wire romp for Mouthpiece (Noble Venture) and driver Mark Athearn.

Repeating his ‘go to the front and don’t look back’ routine from last week, the 8-year-old never had an anxious moment as the pair strolled home a winner in 2:01.  Owned and trained by Gretchen Athearn, he paid $7.60 to win.  Muscle Gene (Aaron Hall) finished second; L Dees Yoyo Ma (Mike Stevenson) was third.

MOUTHPIECE REPLAY

Four drivers enjoyed doubles on the 13-race program, including Walter Case Jr., Dan Deslandes, Aaron Hall and Kevin Switzer Jr.  The first three listed all won back-to-back races, but Switzer Jr. won the 4^th and the 13^th which put him at just one victory away from reaching the 3,000th career dash win threshold.   Switzer Jr. is loaded for bear tomorrow (Saturday) with 8 programmed drives.

Saturday’s (June 17) program carries 12 races and features two $14,684 divisions of the Maine Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing fillies, carded as races one and nine.

The wagering menu always includes a 50-cent trifecta in every race, as well as the standard collection of lucrative wagers with low 16% takeouts scattered throughout the card.

Cumberland will offer Belmont viewing and programs, as well as all the pertinent wagering options every Saturday.

Live harness racing continues at Cumberland throughout the Spring and early Summer months with regular racing on Friday and Saturday each weekend.  First post is slated for 3:15 pm (EDT) during the extended pari-mutuel meeting, which runs through August 5.

For complete race results, click here.

by Chris Tully, for First Tracks Cumberland

TRIPLE FOR MIKE MERTON AT TIOGA

Mike Merton drove three winners on the card including the featured $10,500 fillies and mares’ pace with Rosey Time at Tioga Downs on Friday (June 16).

Rosey Time (Time To Roll) was first to the quarter in :27.1.  She used a :29.1 second quarter to be first to the half in :56.2.  She cruised to three-quarters in 1:24.2.

As they reached the stretch So Diva (Tom Merton) came flying after Rosey Time.  Rosey Time dug in as So Diva kept coming.  Rosey Time hung on to win in 1:53.1.  So Diva had to settle for second.  Elegant Noelle (Aaron Byron) finished third.

ROSEY TIME REPLAY

Rosey Time is a 6-year-old mare owned by Emily Speron and trained by Tom Speron.  It was her third win this season.  She now has 16 career victories and paid $6.50 to win.

Merton’s other wins came with Narina Hanover ($13.00), and Jeannies Terror ($11.00).

Live racing returns on Saturday (June 17) with an eight-race card starting at 6:15 p.m.

For more information click here.

For complete race results, click here.

by John Horne, for Tioga Downs