April 15, 2018 – Sunday’s top harness racing action was at Torino, Italy on their 1004 meter oval. The PR Costa Azzurra (purse €154,000, 1600 meters autostart, ten starters) went to Tamure Roc (6f Explot Caf-Ema Roc-Lemon Dra) timed in 1.14.1kr and reined by Santo Mollo.
This one gained the advantage mid-stretch when leading Dijon went off stride and was taken off course by driver Romain Derieux.
Tamure Roc now has 16 wins in 59 starts in Italy good for €311,726 earned.
Timone EK (6m Mr. Vic-Gemona-Lemon Dra) gained the second spot for Roberto Andreghetti.
Third was Turno di Azzurra (6m Love You-Foga di Azzurra-Lemon Dra) with Fed Esposito at the lines.
All three top finishing dams were sired by the exceptional Lemon Dra (1986 male by Sharif di Iesolo-Danea-Acero-Babele-Winter Park) that produced registered foals from 1993-2007 (kidnapped) and from 1997-2006 those foals numbered from 111-150 each year.
The other top Torino event was the PR Citta’ di Torino (purse €88,000, 2060 meters, 12 starters) with the 1.12.6kr timed score earned by Vitruvio (4m Adrian Chip-Tigre OM-Zebu) reined by Alessandro Gocciadoro, who also campaigned the dam.
This one now has eight wins in 23 starts in Italy for €332,377 earned.
Second was Vivid Wise As (4m Yankee Glide-Temple Blue Chip-Cantab Hall) with Ed. Loccisano up, ahead of Vaprio (4m Adrian Chip-Namibia-Cantab Hall).
Jean Pierre Dubois’ Classic Connection was eighth after being parked three wide past the quarter mile mark and then parked in the death seat until tiring.
Thomas H. Hicks