USHDC has three winners in two races

Woodstock, VA…September 29, 2024…After amateur driver Eugene Robinson kicked off the fall season for the United States Harness Driver’s Club (USHDC) last week by sweeping the early daily double at Shenandoah Down, the USHDC returned on Saturday (September 28) with  three harness racing winners crowned in their pair of races.

Yes, there was a dead-heat in the opener as Baltimore Beauty (American Ideal), driven by Matt Zuccarello, and and the Kiwi bred Bungalow Bill N (Bettor’s Delight), handled by Philip Kodak, could not be separated at a the wire.

Actor Hanover, driven by Adrian Wisher, Jr., was also in the photo but finished third, a neck back, while Etbauer and Stacey McLenaghan, teamed up to be fourth, just a length away. Amora Beach, with Kevin Altig in the sulky, picked up the nickel as these five finished in the blanker finish.

Actor Hanocer cut the panels—:28, :57.1 and 1:27.2 and even repelled a serious bid from KK’s Dream Girl before a miscue ended the threat with Baltimore Beauty sticking a nose in front with a late surging Bungalow Bill N surging to even terms on the wire in 1:59.

For the four-year-old mare Baltimore Beauty, it was her third win of the season and pushed her seasonal bankroll to $32,609. The American Ideal mare is trained by Scott Warnick for Deborah Warnick.

Bungalow Bill N, a gelded son of Bettor’s Delight now 13, earned his second win of the semester with his earnings vaulting to $21,241. He’s banked $404,319 lifetime—$312,716 here in the U.S.A. after arriving in 2017.

Baltimore Beauty paid $8.20 to win while Bungalow Bill N paid $4.20 in the “heater.”

Zuccarello, by the way, is one win shot of a milestone 50th career driving win.

Kozak, who rarely gets in the bike these days, is two wins away from 50.

If one goes on the internet and asks “Hey Siri, who won the second race at Shenandoah Downs,” she’s like to reply your same words, ‘Hey Siri.’

This seven-year-old daughter of Rockin Image had an easy time wiring together panels of :29.1, :59.1 and 1:28.2 before sealing the issue with a :28.4 finale stopping the timer in 1L57.2

Boondoggle was second for Adrian Wisher, Jr. while Pacific Stride rallied for third with Dylan Fagan handling the lines. Rollatime was next for Philip Kodak while So Take That, driven by Alexandra Golden was fifth.

The win produced a daily double sweep for trainer Scott Warnick and owner Deborah Warnick as Hey Siri nudged her scorecard to 2-2-3 in 24 starts and sent her lifetime bankroll to $73,905 with this win—her 10th career-wise.

In a post race interview, McLenaghan was humble saying, “All I did was f=give her a chance to win and she was the one that made me look good today!”

It was Stacey’s 13th win of the year and 55th lifetime.

The winner paid $8.00 as second choice in the betting.

The USHDC is one of several amateur driving clubs throughout the USA with members donating their drivings in their races for charitable distribution—to date, those donations over $325,000 since the USHDC inception.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting Results

by John Berry, for the USHDC