On a powerful Thursday (1/11) harness racing card, Cajon Lightning took the lead early on the way to his fifth win of the meet romping to a1:51.2 success in the $25,000 Open pace while three drivers dominated on the 13-race card; Tim Tetrick won four, Tony Morgan and Art Stafford Jr. had three win apiece.— Red hot Tony Morgan provided the driving for Hypothetical to secure a 1:51 lifetime best clocking in an $18,000 Winners pace. —In a $16,000 Winners pace, Eddie Davis Jr. left fast from post 8 driving American Sportsman, and never looked back fashioning a 1:52.1 mark—There were two $25,000-$30,000-$35,000Claiming paces. In the first, Tetrick directed Sometimes Said to victory in 1:50.2, the fastest time of the Thursday program. Cyclone Kiwi N won and was claimed for $35,000 in the other expensive claimer. Tetrick drove the win, the third in-a-row and fifth in his last six starts—Corey Callahan steered Sawbuck Hanover to the winner's circle for third time in his last four race notching a 1:52 triumph in a $14,000 Winners-Over pace.— Little Ben, with Tetrick, won for the third time in-a-row taking a $13,000 Winners-Over pace in 1:51.4.
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DURING THE WEEK: Mister Virgin proved too much for the $17,500 Claiming ranks while Filled Donut romped in the $12,000 feature trot IN 1:51.4with a steady drizzle on a harness racing Monday. Tony Morgan, who reached the 16,000 win plateau the week before, continued with a hot hand driving Mister Virgin to his fourth consecutive visit to the winner's circle scoring a victory in the day's top pace.—- In the $12,000 feature trot, Filled Donut gained the lead early fo Art Stafford Jr., and led seven rivals home in 1:54.1 for his second win in his last three. Drivers Morgan, Vic Kirby, Art Stafford Jr., Eddie Davis Jr., trainers Eric Ell and Brooks Gray, and owners Ron Davis, Wood, Dittmar and Iaquinta, all had double wins on the card.
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On Tuesday; In the top two trots on the cards, all you had to know – driver Jack Parker Jr., trainer Carol Parker, and owner Jim Moore II – the winning connections for both Royal Becca J winner of the $25,000 Open/Handicap trot in 1:53 and NF Happenstance in a $13,000 sub-feature on Tuesday, Jan.9 on a balmy Tuesday. One race earlier, NF Happenstance, after giving birth to a filly last spring, returned to the races in the fall, and now has won three-in-row, in the $13,000 Winners-Over trot in 1:54.1.—Vic Kirby guided Murmur Hanover home in 1:55.2 to win the other $13,000 trot. —-Miami, one of Kirby's four wins and the first of two for trainer Ed Gannon Jr. posting a 1:54.4success in a $16,000 Winners trot.—. Pass Line Bluechip notched his third straight triumph soring a 1:53.4 lifetime best clocking in the $13,000 Filly and Mare pace—-Kirby drove four winners, Art Stafford Jr., Tim Tetrick, Jack Parker and trainers Ed Gannon Jr., and Carol Parker and owners Jim Moore II and Frank Canzone had two wins each.
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It's getting to be a habit for Divas Image, winning her third consecutive $25,000 Mare Open pace on Wednesday, Jan.10 .Teamed with recent 16,000 winning-driver Tony Morgan, the five-year-old moved into the lead in mid- backstretch on the way to a 1:52.1clocking for Jenn Bongiorno who trains the winner for Our Hrs Cents, Stable 45 and J&T Silva stables.— In a $17,000 distaff pace, Art Stafford Jr. piloted Bad Lightning to his second win of the meet edging race favorite OK Jasmine, second, and Shesarocker, third.—Magicinthemoonlite with Ross Wolfenden won the 1:57.1 photo in the $16,000 female pace.—Tony Morgan and Corey Callahan had three winners each, Art Stafford Jr. had a double..
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Cyclone Kiwi N is the highest claim of the current meet. The 8-year-old gelding enjoyed an outstanding recent record which after he was taken on Thursday for a $35,000 tag in the 6th race now stands at three wins-in-a-row and five of his last six races is expected to join the trainer Dylan Davis barn.
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Montrell Teague is back driving horses. As last year, the Teague family were away for a week'-long vacation.
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Tim Tetrick holds a seven-win lead in first place among winning drivers at the track. Tetrick has 69 wins. Defending champion Corey Callahan, is second with 62 wins in the standings. Art Stafford Jr. is third with 52 winners, Tony Morgan has won 50 times while Vic Kirby completes the top 5 piloting 43 wins.
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Jim King leads the trainer statistics haltering 20 winners. Eric Ell's 19 is good for second-place. Kevin Lare is third with 17. Wayne Givens has 16 wins for fourth place and Defending champ Dylan Davis and Josh Green are tied for fifth with 16 winners each.
Marv Bachrad