Harrington, Rosecroft offer competitive cards
Over the past two evenings much of the best harness racing has been conducted at a pair of ovals in the Mid-Atlantic region as Harrington Raceway in Delaware presented its card of the week on Monday, one day after Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland hosted a program on Mother's Day.
In the opening race on the Monday card at Harrington, Evolution Tour (Victor Kirby) continued to tune up for the upcoming Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund eliminations that get under way over the Harrington half-mile oval on Monday, June 11 when he benefited from an inside draw and led throughout to score by two lengths in 1:54.4.
A sophomore son of Roddy's Bags Again trained by Jim King, Jr. for owner and wife, Jo Ann Lonney-King, Evolution Tour recorded his third win in five starts this year and now owns a solid 7-5-1 slate and $132,000 banked from 13 lifetime tries. He had easily won his two DSBF elims at Dover Downs in March before settling for third after a first over trip in the $100,000 final won by Slick Tony in 1:50.4.
Speaking of Slick Tony, the George "Ronnie" Leager trainee has been idle since that handy score but last week he took the first steps toward his bid in the DSBF elims when he prevailed by eight lengths in 1:56 in a qualifier at Harrington. Slick Tony has won all three DSBF finals in which he has partaken and he will also look to capture a fourth when he starts in the first round of elims on June 11.
Then two races later on the Harrington card on Monday in the $11,000 Open II, Machamillion N (Mike Cole) also benefited from an inside draw when he led throughout to score by nearly a length over Remember Me VK (Montrell Teague) in 1:52.3. A six-year-old Mach Three gelding trained by Mike Hall and co-owned by Hall and David Hamm, Machamillion N has won his last three outings over the oval and owns a 3-3-1 slate and $33,000 banked from 15 starts overall this year.
Then two races later in the $15,000 Delaware Special, Little Ben (Kirby) also benefited from his inside draw and lived up to his billing as the 6-5 favorite when he led throughout to score by a length over Silver Fox J (Cole) in 1:52. A seven-year-old Jereme's Jet gelding trained by King for his wife, Little Ben recorded his second win in three starts over the track this meet and now owns a 5-2-0 slate and $70,000 banked from 12 seasonal outings.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $8801 last five starts class for older pacers, Wichita Lineman (Allan Davis) overcame post position eight and his 13-1 status to benefit from a pocket trip behind McKenry (Bret Brittingham) and then outlasted the gritty bid of Bad Gamer (Kirby) to score by a neck in 1:54.2. It was the second straight win for the five-year-old Bettor's Delight gelding owned and trained by Gary Simpson and his 10th tally in 62 career outings.
Then one race later in a $25,000 claiming event for older pacers, Hi Sir (Russell Foster) rallied from just off the pace to score by three lengths as the 3-2 second choice in 1:53.4. A 10-year-old Sir Luck gelding owned and trained by Foster, Hi Sir now owns a 5-2-1 slate and $44,000 banked from 18 starts this year and a solid 48-36-36 slate and over $461,000 earned in 247 career tries. He had been horse of the meet at Rosecroft Raceway on several occasions, honored by both track management and the local scribes.
One night earlier at Rosecroft Raceway, the Mother's Day card was highlighted by several Maryland Sire Stakes preliminary events for three-year-olds of both gaits and genders and several overnight events for older horses.
In the opening event on the card, Cool Toy (Jason Green) benefited from a pocket trip behind HS Shauna (Roger Plante, Jr.) and prevailed by a length in the MDSS prelim for three-year-old filly pacers. A sophomore daughter of Cool Flying Fun trained by Elwood Tignor, Cool Toy notched her second straight win and now owns a 4-4-1 slate and $28,000 banked from 13 lifetime starts. Favored Princess Rusty (Frank Milby) saw the perfect start to her sophomore campaign come to an end when she settled four fourth after being shuffled and locked in.
Then one race later in the MDSS prelim for three-year-old colt trotters, What That Is (Brian Burton) overcame an extended parked out journey to clear just before the half in 57.2 and held safe Uncle Ike (Sean Bier) to score by nearly two lengths in 1:56 as the 3-5 favorite. A sophomore son of Cam's Rocket - a pacing sire - trained by Judy Welty for owner-breeder Brian Emerson of Mr Ham Sandwich fame, What That Is continued his dominance of his group in his seasonal debut and now owns seven wins and $68,000 banked from 11 career tries.
Then one race later in the second MDSS prelim for three-year-old filly pacers, Miss Choptank (Kirby) easily lived up to her role as the 1-9 favorite when she rallied second over and three-wide in the lane to score by three lengths in 1:55. A sophomore daughter of Total Truth trained by Wayne Givens, Miss Choptank recorded her first win in three starts this year and now owns a 6-7-1 slate and nearly $60,000 banked from 17 lifetime tries.
Then several races later in the featured $11,000 Open Handicap for older pacers, Hickory Aloha (Timmy Offutt) benefited from a pocket trip behind Kiss A Dragon (Foster) and just found room enough late along the inside to prevail by a nose in 1:50.2. A six-year-old Village Jolt gelding trained by Joe Offutt of Big Town Express fame, Hickory Aloha recorded his third win in 13 stats this year and now owns an 18-31-26 slate and over $192,000 banked from 133 career tries.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $4000 last five starts class for pacers, Rocktavius (Jonathan Roberts) benefited from some serious class relief and patient handling to score as the 3-10 choice in 1:53.3. A former fixture in the Open, Rocktavius notched his second win in nine starts this year for trainer Megan Roberts, daughter of owner William "Bib" Roberts of Trapeze and Yankee Co-Ed fame.
In the opening race on the Monday card at Harrington, Evolution Tour (Victor Kirby) continued to tune up for the upcoming Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund eliminations that get under way over the Harrington half-mile oval on Monday, June 11 when he benefited from an inside draw and led throughout to score by two lengths in 1:54.4.
A sophomore son of Roddy's Bags Again trained by Jim King, Jr. for owner and wife, Jo Ann Lonney-King, Evolution Tour recorded his third win in five starts this year and now owns a solid 7-5-1 slate and $132,000 banked from 13 lifetime tries. He had easily won his two DSBF elims at Dover Downs in March before settling for third after a first over trip in the $100,000 final won by Slick Tony in 1:50.4.
Speaking of Slick Tony, the George "Ronnie" Leager trainee has been idle since that handy score but last week he took the first steps toward his bid in the DSBF elims when he prevailed by eight lengths in 1:56 in a qualifier at Harrington. Slick Tony has won all three DSBF finals in which he has partaken and he will also look to capture a fourth when he starts in the first round of elims on June 11.
Then two races later on the Harrington card on Monday in the $11,000 Open II, Machamillion N (Mike Cole) also benefited from an inside draw when he led throughout to score by nearly a length over Remember Me VK (Montrell Teague) in 1:52.3. A six-year-old Mach Three gelding trained by Mike Hall and co-owned by Hall and David Hamm, Machamillion N has won his last three outings over the oval and owns a 3-3-1 slate and $33,000 banked from 15 starts overall this year.
Then two races later in the $15,000 Delaware Special, Little Ben (Kirby) also benefited from his inside draw and lived up to his billing as the 6-5 favorite when he led throughout to score by a length over Silver Fox J (Cole) in 1:52. A seven-year-old Jereme's Jet gelding trained by King for his wife, Little Ben recorded his second win in three starts over the track this meet and now owns a 5-2-0 slate and $70,000 banked from 12 seasonal outings.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $8801 last five starts class for older pacers, Wichita Lineman (Allan Davis) overcame post position eight and his 13-1 status to benefit from a pocket trip behind McKenry (Bret Brittingham) and then outlasted the gritty bid of Bad Gamer (Kirby) to score by a neck in 1:54.2. It was the second straight win for the five-year-old Bettor's Delight gelding owned and trained by Gary Simpson and his 10th tally in 62 career outings.
Then one race later in a $25,000 claiming event for older pacers, Hi Sir (Russell Foster) rallied from just off the pace to score by three lengths as the 3-2 second choice in 1:53.4. A 10-year-old Sir Luck gelding owned and trained by Foster, Hi Sir now owns a 5-2-1 slate and $44,000 banked from 18 starts this year and a solid 48-36-36 slate and over $461,000 earned in 247 career tries. He had been horse of the meet at Rosecroft Raceway on several occasions, honored by both track management and the local scribes.
One night earlier at Rosecroft Raceway, the Mother's Day card was highlighted by several Maryland Sire Stakes preliminary events for three-year-olds of both gaits and genders and several overnight events for older horses.
In the opening event on the card, Cool Toy (Jason Green) benefited from a pocket trip behind HS Shauna (Roger Plante, Jr.) and prevailed by a length in the MDSS prelim for three-year-old filly pacers. A sophomore daughter of Cool Flying Fun trained by Elwood Tignor, Cool Toy notched her second straight win and now owns a 4-4-1 slate and $28,000 banked from 13 lifetime starts. Favored Princess Rusty (Frank Milby) saw the perfect start to her sophomore campaign come to an end when she settled four fourth after being shuffled and locked in.
Then one race later in the MDSS prelim for three-year-old colt trotters, What That Is (Brian Burton) overcame an extended parked out journey to clear just before the half in 57.2 and held safe Uncle Ike (Sean Bier) to score by nearly two lengths in 1:56 as the 3-5 favorite. A sophomore son of Cam's Rocket - a pacing sire - trained by Judy Welty for owner-breeder Brian Emerson of Mr Ham Sandwich fame, What That Is continued his dominance of his group in his seasonal debut and now owns seven wins and $68,000 banked from 11 career tries.
Then one race later in the second MDSS prelim for three-year-old filly pacers, Miss Choptank (Kirby) easily lived up to her role as the 1-9 favorite when she rallied second over and three-wide in the lane to score by three lengths in 1:55. A sophomore daughter of Total Truth trained by Wayne Givens, Miss Choptank recorded her first win in three starts this year and now owns a 6-7-1 slate and nearly $60,000 banked from 17 lifetime tries.
Then several races later in the featured $11,000 Open Handicap for older pacers, Hickory Aloha (Timmy Offutt) benefited from a pocket trip behind Kiss A Dragon (Foster) and just found room enough late along the inside to prevail by a nose in 1:50.2. A six-year-old Village Jolt gelding trained by Joe Offutt of Big Town Express fame, Hickory Aloha recorded his third win in 13 stats this year and now owns an 18-31-26 slate and over $192,000 banked from 133 career tries.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $4000 last five starts class for pacers, Rocktavius (Jonathan Roberts) benefited from some serious class relief and patient handling to score as the 3-10 choice in 1:53.3. A former fixture in the Open, Rocktavius notched his second win in nine starts this year for trainer Megan Roberts, daughter of owner William "Bib" Roberts of Trapeze and Yankee Co-Ed fame.
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