Rosecroft offers overnights for older and younger pacers
The normal Sunday and Wednesday live racing schedule at Rosecroft Raceway was altered slightly by the Easter holiday on Sunday, so that evening's card was scheduled for Monday and provided onlookers with a good blend of solid efforts from older and younger pacers alike.
In the opening race on the card, Real Tough (Bret Brittingham) benefited from a pocket trip behind favored Arpeggio Hanover (Russell Foster) through the first three calls, angled to the passing lane and surged through late to score in 1:54.1. A durable, aptly named 13-year-old Real Artist gelding owned and trained by Lauren Allen, Real Tough recorded his third straight victory and now sports 50 victories from 214 career tries with lifetime earnings of over $340,000. He won the $120,000 Wayne Smullin Memorial for two-year-old colt pacers in his career debut in August, 2018.
Then one race later on the card, White Rolls (Richard Still) ended a modest drought to start the season when he lived up to his role as the 3-5 favorite in a non-winners of $4000 last five starts class for older pacers when he carved out the fractions and held safe Stakeout (Frank Milby) to score in 1:52.4. A five-year-old Roll With Joe gelding trained by Amanda Malone for owner Tammy Crescenze, White Rolls notched his first win in seven starts this year and now owns 19 wins and nearly $150,000 banked from 88 lifetime outings.
Two races later on the card, Bluejeansnredwings (Foster) made an immediate impression in his local debut when the sophomore son of Rusty's All In captured a non-winners of one race lifetime class in 1:54.4. Trained by Kyle Moore for owner Donald Marine, Bluejeansnredwings had managed to hit the board only once in his previous five lifetime tries, but on Monday evening he brushed to command before the half in 57.2 and drew clear late to garner his diploma in 1:54.4 as the 4-1 third choice.
Then one race later in a non-winners of two races lifetime class, Artic Adventure (Milby) maintained the perfect start to his career when he easily lived up to his role as the 1-2 favorite by making a sharp, brush bid to gain command before the half in 56.2, met token pressure from Three Hangovers (Timmy Offutt) down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:25.4 then edged clear in the lane to a two-length score in 1:55.1.
A sophomore son of Bettor's Delight trained and driven by Milby for owners Irwin & Wendy Samelman of Pilgrim's Fiery fame, Artic Adventure recorded his second victory in as many starts and lowered his lifetime mark by more than two fulls seconds in the process. Artic Adventure had a delayed start to his career because he was initially registered as a ridgling but he was actually a colt. Another Milby trainee, Romantic Interest, will make his belated career debut on the Wednesday card.
Then just past the midway point of the Monday card, Options Are Adream (Ross Wolfenden) benefited from his inside draw and gained command through the first turn while forcing several rivals to find seats, carved out wicked fractions of 26.1, 54.4 and 1:23.1 and held safe Rocktavius (Jonathan Roberts) and Baby Kitty (Jason Green) to score in 1:51 flat. A five-year-old If I Can Dream gelding trained and driven by Wolfenden for owner David Banks of Rookery fame, Options Are Adream scored in his local debut, notched his second win in four starts this year and established a new lifetime mark in the process.
Then one race later in a non-winners of seven races or $50,000 lifetime class for younger pacers, Bunkndunk (Foster) lived up to his role as the 4-5 favorite when he gained command just before the 27 flat opener, rebuffed a brush bid from Capital Builder (Roberts) by the half in 55 flat and by three-quarters in 1:22.3, shook loose from that foe and held safe Rock The Town (John Wagner) to score in 1:51.3.
It was the fourth straight win for Bunkndunk and fourth victory in six starts overall and he lowered his lifetime mark by more than a full second while attaining the eighth win in his 22-race career for trainer Brian Malone and owner Peter Paul Venturini. Bunkndunk got his first win of the campaign in his local debut on March 4 then returned to Dover Downs to win his next two starts before heading back to Rosecroft for Monday's sharp score as the odds-on choice.
Then one race later in a winners over class for older pacers, Diamondkeeper (Wagner) benefited from a hint of class relief and an honest early tempo and live cover and rallied widest of all in the lane top score in 1:52. A seven-year-old Pine Valley gelding owned and trained by Basil Sapienza, Diamondkeeper notched his first win in five starts this year and now owns 33 wins and $314,000 banked from 106 career outings and seems destined to head back to the Open Handicap next weekend.
In the opening race on the card, Real Tough (Bret Brittingham) benefited from a pocket trip behind favored Arpeggio Hanover (Russell Foster) through the first three calls, angled to the passing lane and surged through late to score in 1:54.1. A durable, aptly named 13-year-old Real Artist gelding owned and trained by Lauren Allen, Real Tough recorded his third straight victory and now sports 50 victories from 214 career tries with lifetime earnings of over $340,000. He won the $120,000 Wayne Smullin Memorial for two-year-old colt pacers in his career debut in August, 2018.
Then one race later on the card, White Rolls (Richard Still) ended a modest drought to start the season when he lived up to his role as the 3-5 favorite in a non-winners of $4000 last five starts class for older pacers when he carved out the fractions and held safe Stakeout (Frank Milby) to score in 1:52.4. A five-year-old Roll With Joe gelding trained by Amanda Malone for owner Tammy Crescenze, White Rolls notched his first win in seven starts this year and now owns 19 wins and nearly $150,000 banked from 88 lifetime outings.
Two races later on the card, Bluejeansnredwings (Foster) made an immediate impression in his local debut when the sophomore son of Rusty's All In captured a non-winners of one race lifetime class in 1:54.4. Trained by Kyle Moore for owner Donald Marine, Bluejeansnredwings had managed to hit the board only once in his previous five lifetime tries, but on Monday evening he brushed to command before the half in 57.2 and drew clear late to garner his diploma in 1:54.4 as the 4-1 third choice.
Then one race later in a non-winners of two races lifetime class, Artic Adventure (Milby) maintained the perfect start to his career when he easily lived up to his role as the 1-2 favorite by making a sharp, brush bid to gain command before the half in 56.2, met token pressure from Three Hangovers (Timmy Offutt) down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:25.4 then edged clear in the lane to a two-length score in 1:55.1.
A sophomore son of Bettor's Delight trained and driven by Milby for owners Irwin & Wendy Samelman of Pilgrim's Fiery fame, Artic Adventure recorded his second victory in as many starts and lowered his lifetime mark by more than two fulls seconds in the process. Artic Adventure had a delayed start to his career because he was initially registered as a ridgling but he was actually a colt. Another Milby trainee, Romantic Interest, will make his belated career debut on the Wednesday card.
Then just past the midway point of the Monday card, Options Are Adream (Ross Wolfenden) benefited from his inside draw and gained command through the first turn while forcing several rivals to find seats, carved out wicked fractions of 26.1, 54.4 and 1:23.1 and held safe Rocktavius (Jonathan Roberts) and Baby Kitty (Jason Green) to score in 1:51 flat. A five-year-old If I Can Dream gelding trained and driven by Wolfenden for owner David Banks of Rookery fame, Options Are Adream scored in his local debut, notched his second win in four starts this year and established a new lifetime mark in the process.
Then one race later in a non-winners of seven races or $50,000 lifetime class for younger pacers, Bunkndunk (Foster) lived up to his role as the 4-5 favorite when he gained command just before the 27 flat opener, rebuffed a brush bid from Capital Builder (Roberts) by the half in 55 flat and by three-quarters in 1:22.3, shook loose from that foe and held safe Rock The Town (John Wagner) to score in 1:51.3.
It was the fourth straight win for Bunkndunk and fourth victory in six starts overall and he lowered his lifetime mark by more than a full second while attaining the eighth win in his 22-race career for trainer Brian Malone and owner Peter Paul Venturini. Bunkndunk got his first win of the campaign in his local debut on March 4 then returned to Dover Downs to win his next two starts before heading back to Rosecroft for Monday's sharp score as the odds-on choice.
Then one race later in a winners over class for older pacers, Diamondkeeper (Wagner) benefited from a hint of class relief and an honest early tempo and live cover and rallied widest of all in the lane top score in 1:52. A seven-year-old Pine Valley gelding owned and trained by Basil Sapienza, Diamondkeeper notched his first win in five starts this year and now owns 33 wins and $314,000 banked from 106 career outings and seems destined to head back to the Open Handicap next weekend.
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