GRANTVILLE, Pa.--The Houghton family as breeder, owner and trainer won three races in a row and then finished second in the fourth at Penn National on July 15.

Seeking the Dream winning an allowance race (Photo by B & D PhotographyOwned and bred by Betsy Houghton's Sylmar Farm and trained by Bernie Houghton, the four brought in a total of $46,536 in purse money, not including Pa-bred awards, a big help towards recouping the losses incurred by the three month shutdown caused by Covid-19.

"Three in a row, in the fourth, fifth and sixth races, and then second in the seventh race," said Betsy Houghton. "And I bred them all and own them all. It was a good night, and it certainly helped after the shutdown."

"I think a lot of trainers just stopped with their horses during the shutdown because no one knew when racing would start again," said Betsy. "But Bernie said he was going to be careful but that he was going to keep his horses going. So when they ran, they were all really fit. Plus he gets good spots for them."

"I told Mom that she was going to have a good night," said Bernie. "Everything came together that night. I got the right races for those horses and the right post positions."

 

"I REALLY like the filly that won the Allowance, Seeking the Dream," said Bernie. "She's all race horse."

"It was only Seeking the Dream's second start, and now she's won both," said Betsy. "She's from a really good line. We bred her dam, Deanies Dancer, and she was a good race mare, too."

After winning her first start in a Maiden Special Weight on June 24, Seeking the Dream, a 3-year-old, won a $31,600, 6 furlong Allowance race for fillies and mares by 3/4 length.

Amigos Tune won the next race on July 15, a $17,587, 6 furlong Claiming race for fillies and mares by 2 1/4 lengths.

"Amigos Tune had a problem, and we gave her almost a year off," said Betsy. "Then she came back on June 26 to win and then won again on July 15."

Amigos Tune now has three wins, one second and two thirds from seven starts and earnings of $56.136.

"It was Midnight Hauler's second start, too," said Betsy of the 4-year-old gelding who won the sixth race, a $20,966, 6 furlong Maiden Claiming race.

Midnight Hauler, who was third in his first start on June 19, won by 7 3/4 lengths.

But Betsy Houghton isn't just involved in breeding and racing horses, she also runs a very busy farm.

"We're getting hay in now, so we're really busy," said Betsy. "We''re also getting a lot of horses in here now. We get a lot of lay-ups from trainers Mike Stidham and Mike Trompbetta."

During breeding season, Betsy also vans their mares to various stallions up and down the East coast.

 

JONATHAN SHEPPARD as trainer and owner had his homebred Bet the Pot win a $31,258, 1 mile and 70 yards Maiden Claiming race on the turf at Parx on July 14.

Bet the Pot settled off the pace and went to the lead in the stretch to win by 2 lengths.

RICKY HENRIKS saddled DAFFS Ic.'s Alfred to win a $21,000. 1 1/8 mile Claiming race on the turf at Parx on July 15.

Alfred was four wide on the turn and went on to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

GRAHAM MOTION saddled West Point Thoroughbreds and Albert Frassetto's Kid Mercury to win a $41,000, 1 3/8 mile Allowance turf race at Delaware Park on July 13.

Kid Mercury settled off thepace, was four wide on te last turn and drew clear to ein by 1 3/4 lengths.