Riddle…How can there be 15 winners on a 14-race program without a “dead-heat?”
Shenandoah Downs Director of Racing Dee Lineweaver made it happen on Saturday, Oct. 28 with the other “winner” being the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame with the track and U.S. Harness Driver’s Club (USHDC) teaming up to make a contribution to the sport's iconic museum located in Goshen, New York.
As for the racing, the USHDC was featured in four races at Shenandoah Downs on Saturday and stardom was shared between a quartet of amateur drivers as Scott Woogen, Mark Sheridan, Stacey McLenaghan and John McNeil III all reached the winner’s circle.
Doc Woogen kicked off the festivities by guiding the favoured Moneyorroses to victory in a sharp 1:54.4, holding off the fastest-closing Need Arocket, piloted by McNeil, by three parts of a length. Arts Beach, with Sheridan in the sulky, was third while a “bottled-up” Art Nukem finished fourth for McLenaghan, Infinite Warrior picked up the nickel just another nose back in fifth for Sierra Seidner.
Woogen sent the 4-5 toteboard choice winging from the get-go but it took a full opening quarter in :28.1 to take the lead. From there, a :27.4 second panel brought the leader halfway home in a sizzling :56 with a :29.1 third panel enabling the leader to stretch out to a 3-1/2-length advantage. That lead began to melt a bit as Need Arocket was reaching his best stride but he ran out of racetrack enabling Moneyorroses to reach the winner’s circle for owner/trainer Eric Davis.
The win was the fourth in 37 starts for Moneyorroses -- all within the last month at Shenandoah Downs -- with the winning time a seasonal best for the five-year-old Cougar Hall gelding, sending his 2023 earnings to $26,690 and lifetime bankroll to $115,683.
The winner paid $3.80 to his multitude of faithful.
Sheridan reached the winner’s next after an all-out brawl during much of the mile as six-year-old mare Dandy Idea had to slug it out every stride to score a tight photo finish win over Hulou, driven by McLenaghan, with the final time 1:54.4. The time of the mile was a season's best for Dandy Idea. Cole On The Beach was third for Kubi Erzene while Adeles Big Party finished fourth for Wyatt Long. Brydown Chase earned the final award with Seidner.
This was a classic duel that developed shortly after the wings opened as Dandy Idea and Hulou were one-two leaving the gate and were that way through an opening panel in :28.1 Shortly thereafter, Hulou was out looking for the top spot with these two slugging it out, trading noses and necks on the lead through a half in :58 with the duel continuing through hot :27.3 third quarter. In the lane, neither would concede an inch but the photo finish showed Dandy Idea winning by a head.
Trained by Bryson Dunning for Mykashemydiamondmyariel, Dandy Idea pushed her seasonal scorecard to 5-5-4 in 31 starts, good for $36,084 this semester and $121,281 lifetime.
Off at odds of 16-1, Dandy Idea rewarded her fandom with a $34.40 mutuel.
McLenaghan was next to visit the charmed circle after giving picture perfect, patient handling to Jackies Express to score a half-length victory in 1:55.3 over the pacesetting Antaeus, driven by Robert McNeight. Ive Got Hootspa, threatening on the outside much of the way, finished third for McNeil while Lenda Hand Man was next for Doc Woogen. Righthererightnow was able to manage the final award for Long.
Away alertly from the inside post, Jackies Express fought off Antaeus through that :28.3 opening quarter before finally yielding to let Ive Got Hootspa put the pressure on the leader through subsequent panels of :57.2 and 1:26.2. When the leader finally put that threat to rest, it opened the door for Jackies Express, who found room to roam and get up in the final few strides.
Owned and trained by Colby Hubble, Jackies Express won for the third time third time in 33 starts this season with earnings for the year vaulting to $37,747 and her lifetime bankroll to $151,455.
The six-year-old Roll With Joe mare paid $5.60 as second choice in the betting.
Finally, Mister Miami, driven by McNeill, scored a popular victory in the USHDC finale, fighting off continual pressure the final five-eighths of the mile before rolling on to a 2-1/4-length win, sealing the issue with a :28.1 finale in 1:56. Team Captain, with Long handling the lines, was next in a brave performance, while Hey Siri was third for McLenaghan. Allieverdreamedof was fourth for Sheridan while Pacific Stride was fifth for Seidner.
The winner, alert from when the wings folded, took charge immediately and took the field to the quarter in :28.2. While looking for a breather, company arrived in the form of Team Captain at the half in :58.3 with the pace accelerating past the third station in 1:27.4 with Mister Miami and Team Captain looking each other in the eye. Turning for home, Mister Miami edged clear, justifying his 1-5 toteboard number.
Trained by McNeill for Joseph Harrington, Mister Miami paid $2.60 to win in winning his second race of the year in 14 starts. The eight-year-old So Surreal gelding now has 17 career wins and $81,030 in earnings.
Among the amateur drivers, Woogen is the USHDC leader at Shenandoah with 13 wins.
The USHDC has been active with the track in making donations to many charitable organizations with the club total well in excess of $300,000.
(With files from USHDC)