Miami Valley, Rosecroft and Pompano cards highlight Sunday
Owners, trainers, drivers and fans were granted a reprieve from the winter weather at Miami Valley and Rosecroft Raceway on Sunday, while daytime sunbathers still enjoyed ideal conditions at Pompano Park in Florida for the evening program.
Sunday afternoon at Miami Valley, Yonkers Raceway invader Andy Ray (Elliott Deaton) lived up to his billing as the 4-5 favorite in the $25,000 Open Handicap for trotters when he gained command in a 28-second opener, maintained an honest tempo by the half in 57.1 and three-quarters in 1:25.4 then held safe 11-1 shot Flight Of The Kiwi (Brett Miller) and two-time defending Open champion Pine Dream (Chris Page) to score in 1:55.2 for trainer Annette Lorentzon.
That same evening among the overnight races at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland, it was catch driver Tony Morgan who garnered center stage. With over 16,000 driving wins already to his credit, the perennial Hall of Fame candidate prevailed with Net Profit in a conditioned event for pacers in 1:53 for trainer Brian Wright, guided Bluebird Ideal to a handy 1:53.1 triumph in a bottom-level class for pacers for trainer Erica Wagner, steered Don Dorado to a 1:56.3 tally in an overnight event for trotters for Wagner then later guided Whambamthankumaam to a 1:54.4 triumph in the top trot one week after he had made an early break as the even-money choice in the top class.
In several of the other races not won by Morgan, Sawbuck Hanover (Sean Bier) captured the non-winners of $6,000 last four class for pacers over 29-1 outsider Manattack (Brian Burton) in 1:53.1, then Capital Builder (Jonathan Roberts) benefited from a pocket trip behind Hickory Aloha and overhauled that one late to capture the $11,000 Open Handicap in 1:53.1. It was his second win in three starts at the meet and he now sports 17 wins and over $110,000 banked from 66 career tries.
Later that evening at Pompano Park, Caviart Reagan overcame a first over journey to capture a conditioned event as the 1-5 favorite in 1:52.2 for his second win in 10 starts this year; Panocchio lived up to his role as the 3-5 favorite in another conditioned event when he carved out fractions of 26.4, 55.1 and 1:23.4 and scored in 1:51.3 for his first win in eight starts this year; American Hustle (Scott Zeron) just lived up to his role as the 3-5 choice in the $10,000 Open Handicap when he rallied inside late to score in 1:51.4 for his fourth win in seven starts this year and Major Starlight rallied from well off the pace to prevail in the finale in 1:52.3 for his fourth win in six seasonal outings.
Sunday afternoon at Miami Valley, Yonkers Raceway invader Andy Ray (Elliott Deaton) lived up to his billing as the 4-5 favorite in the $25,000 Open Handicap for trotters when he gained command in a 28-second opener, maintained an honest tempo by the half in 57.1 and three-quarters in 1:25.4 then held safe 11-1 shot Flight Of The Kiwi (Brett Miller) and two-time defending Open champion Pine Dream (Chris Page) to score in 1:55.2 for trainer Annette Lorentzon.
That same evening among the overnight races at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland, it was catch driver Tony Morgan who garnered center stage. With over 16,000 driving wins already to his credit, the perennial Hall of Fame candidate prevailed with Net Profit in a conditioned event for pacers in 1:53 for trainer Brian Wright, guided Bluebird Ideal to a handy 1:53.1 triumph in a bottom-level class for pacers for trainer Erica Wagner, steered Don Dorado to a 1:56.3 tally in an overnight event for trotters for Wagner then later guided Whambamthankumaam to a 1:54.4 triumph in the top trot one week after he had made an early break as the even-money choice in the top class.
In several of the other races not won by Morgan, Sawbuck Hanover (Sean Bier) captured the non-winners of $6,000 last four class for pacers over 29-1 outsider Manattack (Brian Burton) in 1:53.1, then Capital Builder (Jonathan Roberts) benefited from a pocket trip behind Hickory Aloha and overhauled that one late to capture the $11,000 Open Handicap in 1:53.1. It was his second win in three starts at the meet and he now sports 17 wins and over $110,000 banked from 66 career tries.
Later that evening at Pompano Park, Caviart Reagan overcame a first over journey to capture a conditioned event as the 1-5 favorite in 1:52.2 for his second win in 10 starts this year; Panocchio lived up to his role as the 3-5 favorite in another conditioned event when he carved out fractions of 26.4, 55.1 and 1:23.4 and scored in 1:51.3 for his first win in eight starts this year; American Hustle (Scott Zeron) just lived up to his role as the 3-5 choice in the $10,000 Open Handicap when he rallied inside late to score in 1:51.4 for his fourth win in seven starts this year and Major Starlight rallied from well off the pace to prevail in the finale in 1:52.3 for his fourth win in six seasonal outings.
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