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DiSalvo Trophy race tightens
Thursday, August 02, 2012
By Rich Murawski Assistant Sports Editor
Chris Shaw won two races, Roger Hammer and Dave Brickell each took one, and the chase for the Buster DiSalvo Trophy got pretty interesting after Day 3 of harness racing at the Clearfield County Fair on Wednesday afternoon.
Hammer's win gave him five for the week as he pursues his 11th DiSalvo Trophy. Brickell sits just one behind Hammer with four wins, and Shaw and Eric Neal are still in contention with three victories apiece.
Brickell and Hammer face off three times during today's eight-race finale, but Hammer is slated to compete in a total of six heats, compared to just four for Brickell.
Hammer could have had a bit more breathing room entering today's action, but he was displaced to second after crossing the finish line first in the Hallstrom Family 2-year-old colt PA Sire Stakes Trot.
After a judges inquiry into the finish, it was determined that Hammer, who sat in the sulky behind Albany House, interfered with Wayne Long and Prince Lauxmont coming down the stretch, impeding his ability to pass.
Albany House crossed the line in 2:08, a neck in front of Prince Lauxmont, but had to settle for second place.
It was Prince Lauxmont's third win in six 2012 starts, and Long's second victory of the week.
Hammer's other top finish was hardly a race.
He guided Lindyofalifetime to the front of the field out of the gate and cruised to a 25-length lead by the ¼-mile mark as the other three horses in the race all went offstride on the first turn.
Lindyofalifetime set a new lifetime mark, coasting to her third win in six races in a time of 2:05.2, which was the day's fastest.
Brickell closed the gap on Hammer on Wednesday's final race, directing BSMaximummoondream to a wire-to-wire win in the Legends Sports Bar 2-year-old Colt PA Sire Stakes Trot.
Brickell set a sizzling pace, running the opening ¼ mile in 31.1 seconds.
William Daugherty Jr. and Broadway Vino made a late charge, but Brickell and BSMaximummoondream held their ground for the 1¼ length win in 2:06.1.
Shaw picked up his two victories early on in the program, taking the Backstage Crew 2-year-old Quaker State Trot in a time of 2:12.4 and the Brooke Erin Yeager Memorial 2-year-old Filly PA Sire Stakes Trot in 2:09.2.
Shaw piloted Order By Road to the front immediately for a wire-to-wire win in the race sponsored by the Backstage Crew of the Clearfield County Fair, holding off Steve Schoeffel and Paragon Winner by a length at the line. Paragon Winner was able to make it a race despite going off stride at the ¼-mile mark early on.
The second win was a little easier for Shaw, who grabbed the lead at the ¼-mile mark and guided Bellagio Bay to her maiden victory in the Brooke Erin Yeager Memorial Trot, crossing the line 2¼ lengths in front of Neal and Classical Love.
Robert Rougeaux III got Wednesday's racing started with a wire-to-wire win aboard RT Let Her Rip. The maiden victory for the bay filly in the Rodan & Fields Dermatologist 2-year-old Quaker State Trot took 2:19.
It was Rougeaux's second win of the week.
Daugherty Jr. picked up his first win of the week in the Jeffrey "Niter" Hamilton Memorial 2-year-old Filly PA Sire Stakes Trot, waiting until the top of the stretch to make his move.
After sitting in third much of the race, Daugherty Jr. revved up MM's Miss Tess at the top of the stretch, easily moved into second and then had enough to catch Hammer and Solicitation at the wire for a 1-length victory. The win was MM's Miss Tess' third in six starts.
Neal pulled back into contention for the DiSalvo Trophy by piloting Roe Is Me to a 2¾-length win in the Betty Mae Waroquier Memorial 2-year-old PA Sire Stakes Trot.
Roe is Me's maiden victory came as she caught race leader Rougeaux III and RT Left Hook from behind, while holding off a hard-charging Spicey Victor, driven by Schoeffel.
Bryce Truitt earned his first driver victory of the week in the next to the last race of that day, directing Montour County to a comfortable 7-length win in the Walter Jackson Sr. Memorial 2-year-old Colt PA Sire Stakes Trot.
Montour County charged to the front immediately for the wire-to-wire win, his fifth on eight starts.
Today's eight-race program featuring 3-year-old pacers begins at noon with the presentation of the DiSalvo Trophy to follow immediately after the final race.
NOTE: A total of $27,307 was up for grabs in Wednesday's action.
2-year-old Quaker State Trot
Rodan & Fields Dermatologist
1. RT Let Her Rip (Robert Rougeaux III), 2:19.0; 2. Glider's Girl (Wayne Long); 3. Boo's Party Girl (Chris Shaw); 4. Zolena (Kent McGee).
Backstage Crew
1. Order by Road (Shaw), 2:12.4; 2. Paragon Winner (Steve Schoeffel); 3. Perfect Tententen (Elam Petersheim); 4. Barons Mighty Mite (Brady Brown); 5. Holy Warrior (Charles Flickinger).
2-year-old Filly PA Sire Stakes Trot
Jeffrey "Niter" Hamilton Memorial
1. MM's Miss Tess (William Daugherty), 2:08.1; 2. Solicitation (Roger Hammer); 3. Fame and Fortunate (Shaw); 4. Certain Destiny (Petersheim); 5. Lyuba (Rougeaux III).
Brooke Erin Yeager Memorial
1. Bellagio Bay (Shaw), 2:09.2; 2. Classical Love (Eric Neal); 3. Troublebeginsnow (Fred Uber Jr.); 4. Rolling Star (Daugherty Jr.); 5. Lexie Fishman (Randy Neal).
Chester D. Bailey Memorial
1. Lindyofalifetime (Hammer), 2:05.2; 2. Lady Broadway (Bryce Truitt); 3. Classical Hooray (Schoeffel); 4. Tommy's Cover Girl (James Dodson).
Betty Mae Waroquier Memorial
1. Roe Is Me (E. Neal), 2:10.4; 2. Spicey Victor (Schoeffel); 3. RT Left Hook (Rougeaux III); 4. Downhill Racer (Shaw); 5. Regrets Only (David Swaney); 6. Polamalu (Hammer).
2-year-old Colt PA Sire Stakes Trot
Hallstrom Family
1. Prince Lauxmont (Long), 2:08; 2. Albany House (Hammer); 3. Well Spiced (Shaw); 4. Tuscarora Action (Cory Kreiser); 5. Regal Glide (Daugherty Jr.); 6. RT War Machine (Rougeaux III).
Walter Jackson Sr. Memorial
1. Montour County (Truitt), 2:08.3; 2. Birthday Deville (Schoeffel); 3. Be A Shark (Hammer); 4. Well Suited (Chaw); 5. Trader (E. Neal).
Legends Sports Bar
1. BSMaximummoondream (Dave Brickell), 2:06.1; 2. Broadway Vino (Daugherty Jr.); 3. More Proof (Shaw); 4. MM's Mad Boy (Jeff Kirkbride); 5. Unoriginal (Truitt).
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