HORSE RACING ROUNDUP : Packett’s Landing Uses a Late Surge for Aqueduct Win

Packett’s Landing, ridden by Craig Perret, finished strongly to register a half-length victory in the $119,400 Gen. Douglas MacArthur Handicap Saturday at Aqueduct.

Whodam, with Angel Cordero up, was second in the field of 10, two lengths ahead of Whiz Along.

The win was the sixth in 13 starts this year for Packett’s Landing.

Packett’s Landing returned $7.40, $3.80 and $2.60. Whodam paid $3 and $2.20, and Whiz Along paid $2.80.

Beach Towel, a 1-9 favorite, broke a track record set earlier in the day at Garden State Park at Cherry Hill, N.J., in winning one of three Governor’s Cup elimination races for 2-year-old pacers. The winner, driven by Ray Remmen, was the fastest of 12 horses to qualify for next Saturday’s $700,000 Governor’s Cup with a time of 1:53 3/5.

The other three qualifiers in the third race were Too Good, Cleverlator and San Francisco Ben.

In The Pocket, a 4-5 choice driven by John Campbell, set a track record in the first race at 1:53 4/5 with a three-quarter length victory over Raven Lunatic.

Righthand Man won the second elimination race and equaled In The Pocket’s short-lived track record in the process with an identical 1:53 4/5 mark and a 2 1/4-length victory over Shipps Expectation.