Rosecroft offers solid Sunday card
While many Americans will still focused on the last group of Elite Eight contests in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, Rosecroft Raceway offered a solid program on Sunday afternoon amid cool, windy conditions in southern Prince George's County Maryland.
In the opening race on the card, Intheblinkofaneye (Roger Plante, Jr.) lived up to his role as the 3-5 favorite in the non-winners of $6000 last five starts class when he left to secure the pocket behind Extreme Machine N (Allan Davis), sat a loose two-hole by the half and three-quarters then angled off the pylons midway on the far turn, surged to command and outlasted the late bid of co-5-2 second choice Mr Ham Sandwich (Russell Foster) in 1:54.1.
A 13-year-old Cole Muffler gelding owned and trained by Megan Roberts, daughter of local trainer William "Bib" Roberts of Trapeze and Yankee Co-Ed fame, Intheblinkofaneye notched his second win in four starts at the meet and now owns 42 wins and nearly $400,000 banked from 153 lifetime tries. Mr Ham Sandwich rallied boldly for the place spot but still remains winless on the campaign for trainer Judy Welty and owner-breeder Brian Emerson.
One race later on the card, Real Tough (Foster) completed a rare daily double when he posted a mild 7-2 upset in the $7500/10,000 claiming handicap for aged pacers. A 13-year-old Real Artist gelding owned and trained by Lauren Allen, Real Tough notched his second straight score and now owns a 49-35-24 slate and roughly $337,500 banked from 213 career outings. Real Tough had won the $120,000 Wayne Smullin Memorial for two-year-old pacing colts in his career debut in 2007 and completed a daily double comprised of 13-year-olds.
Then three races in a non-winners of one parimutuel race lifetime class for younger pacers, Artic Adventure (Frank Milby) lived up to his billing as the 4-5 favorite in his belated career debut when he led throughout and drew clear late to a four-length score in 1:57.3. A three-year-old Bettor's Delight colt - originally thought to be a ridgling - trained and driven by Milby for owner Irvin Samelman of Pilgrim's Fiery fame, Artic Adventure had qualified twice at age two but did not debut until after a recent qualifier at Rosecroft that he won by 11 lengths in 1:57.2.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $4500 last five starts class for older pacers, Big Secret (Allan Davis) posted a mild upset as the 5-2 second choice when he quarter moved to command, maintained an honest tempo by the half in 55.2, shook off brief pressure down the backside and through the far turn, maintained a clear lead through the lane and held sway late for a two-length score in 1:53.4.
A seven-year-old Mister Big gelding owned and trained by Jeff Clark of Centreville, Big Secret notched his second straight win since arriving from Dover Downs and now owns 15 wins and nearly $126,000 banked from 109 lifetime outings. BP Burner (Wayne Long) rallied from well off the pace to finish second at 50-1, edging 3-1 third choice J W Renegade (John Mackinnon) for the runner-up honors.
Then just past the midway point of the 13-race card on Sunday, Rock N Roll Jet (Kim Vincent) left and gained command just past the opener in 27.2, got a breather by the half in 55.2, met token pressure down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:24.1, opened a clear lead at the head of the lane then held safe the stout late bid of Kiss A Dragon (Foster) to score by a neck in 1:52.3.
A nine-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding owned and trained by William "Buddy" Bright, Rock N Roll Jet notched his second win in five starts at the meet and now owns a 39-24-23 slate and career earnings of nearly $295,000 from 215 lifetime tries. Kiss A Dragon finished second for the third time in five starts at the meet and continues to thrive in the top class despite being assigned the outside post each week. The top two finishers will both be contenders for champion horse of the meet for the spring meet ending just after Memorial Day.
Then two races later in a non-winners of $3000 last five starts class for older pacers, Concert Artist (Chris Offutt) launched a three-wide bid down the backside and brushed to command before three-quarters then held safe the late bid of P L Hoofhearted (Milby) to score in 1:55.1. A seven-year-old Artistic Fella gelding owned and trained by Brian Tomlinson, Concert Artist notched his first win in five starts at the meet and now owns 20 wins and $165,000 from 126 lifetime outings.
Then two races later in the penultimate race on the card, a non-winners of five races or $40,000 lifetime class for younger pacers, Capital Builder (Roger Plante, Jr.) lived up to his role as the 3-10 favorite when he raced parked to gain command from Boot Leg (Milby) past the opener in 27 flat, maintained an honest tempo by the half in 56.3, met token pressure from Jacob's Money (John Wagner) early backside, then just outlasted the inside bid of Boot Leg to score by a neck in 1:53.2.
A five-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding trained by Megan Roberts for owner William "Bib" Roberts, Capital Builder recorded his third win in six starts at the meet and lowered his lifetime mark by one-fifth of a second on a night when clockings were not particularly quick. After starting the meet racing free-legged, Capital Builder was sporting 62-inch hobbles for the second straight week and displayed early speed and late grit to notch his sixth win from 33 career outings.
In the opening race on the card, Intheblinkofaneye (Roger Plante, Jr.) lived up to his role as the 3-5 favorite in the non-winners of $6000 last five starts class when he left to secure the pocket behind Extreme Machine N (Allan Davis), sat a loose two-hole by the half and three-quarters then angled off the pylons midway on the far turn, surged to command and outlasted the late bid of co-5-2 second choice Mr Ham Sandwich (Russell Foster) in 1:54.1.
A 13-year-old Cole Muffler gelding owned and trained by Megan Roberts, daughter of local trainer William "Bib" Roberts of Trapeze and Yankee Co-Ed fame, Intheblinkofaneye notched his second win in four starts at the meet and now owns 42 wins and nearly $400,000 banked from 153 lifetime tries. Mr Ham Sandwich rallied boldly for the place spot but still remains winless on the campaign for trainer Judy Welty and owner-breeder Brian Emerson.
One race later on the card, Real Tough (Foster) completed a rare daily double when he posted a mild 7-2 upset in the $7500/10,000 claiming handicap for aged pacers. A 13-year-old Real Artist gelding owned and trained by Lauren Allen, Real Tough notched his second straight score and now owns a 49-35-24 slate and roughly $337,500 banked from 213 career outings. Real Tough had won the $120,000 Wayne Smullin Memorial for two-year-old pacing colts in his career debut in 2007 and completed a daily double comprised of 13-year-olds.
Then three races in a non-winners of one parimutuel race lifetime class for younger pacers, Artic Adventure (Frank Milby) lived up to his billing as the 4-5 favorite in his belated career debut when he led throughout and drew clear late to a four-length score in 1:57.3. A three-year-old Bettor's Delight colt - originally thought to be a ridgling - trained and driven by Milby for owner Irvin Samelman of Pilgrim's Fiery fame, Artic Adventure had qualified twice at age two but did not debut until after a recent qualifier at Rosecroft that he won by 11 lengths in 1:57.2.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $4500 last five starts class for older pacers, Big Secret (Allan Davis) posted a mild upset as the 5-2 second choice when he quarter moved to command, maintained an honest tempo by the half in 55.2, shook off brief pressure down the backside and through the far turn, maintained a clear lead through the lane and held sway late for a two-length score in 1:53.4.
A seven-year-old Mister Big gelding owned and trained by Jeff Clark of Centreville, Big Secret notched his second straight win since arriving from Dover Downs and now owns 15 wins and nearly $126,000 banked from 109 lifetime outings. BP Burner (Wayne Long) rallied from well off the pace to finish second at 50-1, edging 3-1 third choice J W Renegade (John Mackinnon) for the runner-up honors.
Then just past the midway point of the 13-race card on Sunday, Rock N Roll Jet (Kim Vincent) left and gained command just past the opener in 27.2, got a breather by the half in 55.2, met token pressure down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:24.1, opened a clear lead at the head of the lane then held safe the stout late bid of Kiss A Dragon (Foster) to score by a neck in 1:52.3.
A nine-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding owned and trained by William "Buddy" Bright, Rock N Roll Jet notched his second win in five starts at the meet and now owns a 39-24-23 slate and career earnings of nearly $295,000 from 215 lifetime tries. Kiss A Dragon finished second for the third time in five starts at the meet and continues to thrive in the top class despite being assigned the outside post each week. The top two finishers will both be contenders for champion horse of the meet for the spring meet ending just after Memorial Day.
Then two races later in a non-winners of $3000 last five starts class for older pacers, Concert Artist (Chris Offutt) launched a three-wide bid down the backside and brushed to command before three-quarters then held safe the late bid of P L Hoofhearted (Milby) to score in 1:55.1. A seven-year-old Artistic Fella gelding owned and trained by Brian Tomlinson, Concert Artist notched his first win in five starts at the meet and now owns 20 wins and $165,000 from 126 lifetime outings.
Then two races later in the penultimate race on the card, a non-winners of five races or $40,000 lifetime class for younger pacers, Capital Builder (Roger Plante, Jr.) lived up to his role as the 3-10 favorite when he raced parked to gain command from Boot Leg (Milby) past the opener in 27 flat, maintained an honest tempo by the half in 56.3, met token pressure from Jacob's Money (John Wagner) early backside, then just outlasted the inside bid of Boot Leg to score by a neck in 1:53.2.
A five-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding trained by Megan Roberts for owner William "Bib" Roberts, Capital Builder recorded his third win in six starts at the meet and lowered his lifetime mark by one-fifth of a second on a night when clockings were not particularly quick. After starting the meet racing free-legged, Capital Builder was sporting 62-inch hobbles for the second straight week and displayed early speed and late grit to notch his sixth win from 33 career outings.
ADVERTISEMENT
