Shake That House (Brian Sears) did just that as he set the track record for 3-year-old pacing colts in 1:47.4 at Vernon Downs (July 18).  It was during the $58,700 first of two divisions of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for 3-year-old colts and geldings.

Major March (Jason Bartlett) went to the front and led to a first quarter of :26.1 and the half in :54.0.  Shake that House ($2.30) went first-over just before the half and zoomed right by to take over as they headed around the final turn.  He hit three-quarters in 1:20.2.  It was a :26.2 third quarter.

Shake That House, who is is trained by Chris Oakes for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Alan Johnston, and Northfork Racing Stable, made... more...

With its rich purse and tradition, the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at The Meadows usually attracts a mix of top national performers and emerging local hopefuls. Such is the case with the 53rd edition of the Adios this year. The 26-horse field loaded with prominent talent includes two locally connected contenders, Wild Wild Western and Volley Ball Beach, each trained by The Meadows-based Norm Parker.

“I’ve been pretty lucky over the years to come up with horses for the Adios,” Parker says. “We’re here, it’s our home track, and it’s nice to take the shot.”

The $475,000 Adios kicks off Saturday at The Meadows with three $25,000 eliminations (races 7, 8, 10); the top... more...

Mike Napoli hit 267 home runs during his Major League Baseball (MLB) career, has 28 victories as a Thoroughbred racehorse owner, and now the 37-year-old is chasing his first win as a Standardbred owner in the claiming ranks at Yonkers Raceway.

A first baseman and catcher during a 12-year MLB run that included stints playing for the Los Angeles Angels, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, and Cleveland Indians, Napoli is also a lifelong horse racing fan. Growing up in South Florida, Napoli frequently attended the races at Calder Race Course with his grandfather as he chased his dreams of becoming a professional baseball player.

Napoli was drafted in 2000 at age 19 and played in the minor leagues unt... more...

Fillies of both the pacing and trotting persuasion invaded Woodbine Mohawk Park on Thursday night for six Grassroots and two Gold Series divisions and sophomore trotting filly Bright Eyes M delivered a standout performance in the first $105,600 Gold contest, romping to a four length victory in 1:53.

Sent off as the heavy favourites, regular reinsman Stephen Byron and Bright Eyes M went straight to the front from Post 7 and reached the quarter pole in :27.1. Byron eased off the accelerator in the second quarter, reaching the half in :57.2, which allowed Royal Esteem to catch Bright Eyes M and lead the field to a 1:25 three-quarters. Royal Esteem’s lead was short lived however, as Bright Eyes M powe... more...

Ohio Sires Stakes 2-year-old trotting fillies took center stage on a balmy and humid Thursday event at Scioto Downs, with a quartet of $40,000 divisions featured in round two action.

Kikimora—whose name means “a witch who leaves wet footprints in the kitchen—scored the first OSS division triumph in 1:58.1 as the 8-5 choice with Aaron Merriman at the lines.  Trained and co-owned by Chris Beaver for partner Sandra Burnett of Wilmington, Ohio, this Triumphant Caviar distaff had finished second in Leg One to Globetrotting.   She bested 4-5 rival Spend That Money (James MacDonald) at the wire by 2½ lengths after sitting in the two hole throughout the mile behind the Jason McGinnis-trainee, wi... more...

Six $20,000 divisions of the second preliminary leg of the Pennsylvania Stallion Series for two-year-old trotting fillies headed the card at Harrah’s Philadelphia Thursday. Intermittent rain caused three changes in track condition during the hot afternoon, but five of the six winners still produced lifetime marks.

The fastest winner in the freshman sextet was the Muscle Hill – Quite Possible miss Dune Hill, who posted a clocking of 1:56.2 over a “good” surface. The filly had been having some breaking difficulties, but here driver Yannick Gingras let her ramble down the road, keeping opponents three-wide to the quarter before they tucked, then powering off to win by five lengths for trainer R... more...

Bruce Ranger pieced together a remarkable performance on Thursday  as the veteran driver and “comeback kid” won six consecutive races at Scarborough Downs while completely dominating the nine race mid-week card.

The fans, apparently sensing an epic performance in the making, sent Ranger to the gate as the post time favorite in all nine of his appearances, but their faith in the state of Maine native pilot did not begin paying dividends until the Ranger rampage was set loose in the fourth, as he guided Smart Balance through a gate-to-wire victory march for trainer Nicole Hardy.

The juggernaut continued with a 1:57.2 score behind a headstrong Shrinkwrap (the second training win of the day... more...