Odds On Equuleus led the sophomore generation in qualifying action at the Meadowlands Saturday morning. With John Campbell along for the ride, Odds On Equuleus jogged to a 2 1/2-length victory in 1:50.3. The Art Major colt carved out fractions of :28, :55.3 (:27.3 second quarter) and 1:23.4 before sprinting home in :26.4 for trainer Robin Schadt and Odds On Racing Stable.

The 3-year-old pacing colt Word Power, trained by Larry Remmen, won by a head over Doctor Butch in 1:51.4, while Heston Blue Chip and Pet Rock, who battled in last year's classics for 3-year-old pacing colts, finished on the wire, a neck apart in 1:51 and Bettor's Edge, also... more...

Finding a late seam inside, Curtsy Hanover poured through the Lightning Lane to pull off a 21-1 upset victory in Friday's $236,320 Pennsylvania Sires Stake at The Meadows.

The event for 3-year-old filly trotters, known as the Stenographer, was contested over four divisions, with Frau Blucher, Mistery Woman and Drink The Wine also taking $59,080 splits. Jim Morrill, Jr. enjoyed a stake double behind Curtsy Hanover and Frau Blucher.

Curtsy Hanover had won four of five career starts but seemed up against it in her first PASS start. After Morrill saved ground with her and knifed inside late, the daughter of... more...

The first New Jersey Sires Stakes events of the year were the three year old colt & filly trots on Friday night at The Meadowlands.

Smilin Eli made his first career start a stakes winning endeavor by wearing down the Takter entry of Muscle Mountain and Corky to score in 1:54.4 in the $34,000 colt division. A homebred from Nick Cimino's multiple stakes winning mare Gerri's Joy, Smilin Eli showed promise enough in two qualifiers to be sent away as the second choice in the wagering. Tim Tetrick reserved the Muscles Yankee colt just off the sensible fractions before fanning wide in the stretch for the win. Deshawn Minor handles the winner, who... more...

Sawgrass Farms Fox Valley Norman returned ready to roll for his sophomore debut cruising to an easy 2 ¼ length triumph in 1:54.0 while knocking off eight other Illinois conceived and foaled three-year-old pacing colts in Friday night’s $12,000 Gosox Stake at Maywood Park.

Sent right to the front by driver John De Long, the gelded son of Yankee Skyscaper-Lake Hills Nan rattled off splits of 28.0, 57.0 & 1:24.3. After repelling a first over bid from Big Brad (Robert Smolin) as the field headed into the final turn the Perry Smith trainee confidently drew away from the rest of the field and was on cruise control through the lane as he opened his... more...

A quartet of $25,000 eliminations of the SBOA (Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association) highlighted the Friday evening program at Woodbine, featuring the province’s top sophomore filly pacers and trotters.


In the pacing division, Notalkingback and Pan Luis Obispo found the winner’s circle for their connections. Notalkingback, driven by Rick Zeron, went gate-to-wire in the opening dash on the card in 1:53.1. The daughter of Royal Mattjesty cruised through panels of :26.4, :56.3 and 1:25.4, before unleashing a :27.2 final quarter to seal the victory by two and a quarter lengths. Pocket sitter... more...

With an opening quarter of :26.4, it looked like the Fillies & Mares Open would be a fast mile but no one figured Betterluvnexttime would set a new track record. Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. guided the five-year-old American Ideal mare to a mile in 1:51.2, which also was her new lifetime best, and set the new track record for aged pacing mares.

Al Tomlinson trains Betterluvnexttime for Daniel Mitchell of Novi, Michigan. The mare has gone off as the race favorite her last four starts at Hoosier Park, winning three of those times and finishing second the other.

Betterluvnexttime... more...

Track record-holder Coraggioso cruised to a convincing victory in Friday’s $10,000 featured Open trot, while fellow high-stepper Hold On Tightly became the first five-time winner at the current 10-night Vernon Downs meeting.

With trainer Gates Brunet doing the teaming in Friday’s ninth race, the favorite Coraggioso raced like he was superior and proved it with a front-striding, score over five top-trot rivals. It was the second tally, coupled with a second-place finish, in three current appearances and the 13th lifetime triumph for the quick-striding New York Sires Stakes champion, who now sports career winnings of nearly $519,000. Joseph Spadaro and noted Throughbred announcer Tom Durkin own the 4-year-old son of... more...

Rachel L. Dancer, one of harness racing’s leading standardbred owners of champion horses during her marriage to the late Harness Racing Hall of Famer Stanley Dancer, died May 16 in Pompano Beach, Fla., at the age of 83. She would have been 84 on May 21.

Born in Paulsboro, NJ, in 1929, Rachel (Young) Dancer, lived most of her life in New Egypt, NJ, on the grounds of the Dancer Farm known as Egyptian Acres, until moving to Florida. She had been living in Lighthouse Point, Fla., until she moved... more...