Richard Poillucci's Nike Franco N won her North American debut Tuesday with a 1:53 effort in the featured $17,700 Fillies and Mares Open at Harrington Raceway.
The six-year-old Mcardle mare came to the states with an impressive resume “down under” and did not disappoint in her local debut with a powerful second-over surge that saw her grab the lead near the top of the stretch before drawing off from her rivals. Miss Me Yet was second, while Mcarma finished third.
Nike Franco N ($4, Tim Tetrick) is trained by Jo Ann Looney-King, who was in the winner's circle approximately an hour earlier for the exploits of another mare in her stable.
After the third race, King's Purrfect Bags was awarded Horse of the Meet by the United States Harness Writers Association's Delaware Valley Chapter. The Roddys Bags Again mare is trained by the husband/wife team of Jim King, Jr. and Looney-King and was the highest overnight money earner at the Harrington meet with nearly $65,000. She won six races at the meet. King also won the ninth race with End To End Hanover ($4) in 1:54.2.
In the third and fourth races, trainer and co-owner Vincent Bradley had consecutive mares win while establishing new lifetime marks. In The Shadows ($3, Tony Morgan, 1:53.3) and Matinee Dragon ($6, Allan Davis, 1:52.1) both authored new personal bests for Bradley and co-owner Louis Catana.
(Harrington Raceway)