Rosecroft and Pocono Downs offer solid Sunday cards
One day after many thoroughbred enthusiasts may have narrowed down their Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks hopefuls after numerous preps were contested at three different ovals, harness racing fans were treated to a bevy of solid overnight events at a pair of five eighths-mile ovals in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Sunday's card at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland began with a stunner as Wake Up And Go (Allan Davis) rallied third over and benefited from a late miscue by 3-5 favorite Bodega Bay (Tony Morgan) on the far turn, rallied between horses and just edged the favorite late for a nose victory in 1:53.3. Overlooked at 21-1 despite winning his previous start, Wake Up And Go lowered his lifetime mark while recording his sixth victory from 36 career outings and pushing his bankroll past $88,000 for trainer Morte Bedford IV.
One race later in a non-winners of $4000 last five starts class for older pacers, Dancing Rusty (John Wagner) benefited from patient handling throughout and a pocket trip to forge a mild 3-1 upset. A 10-year-old Ponder gelding owned and trained by Basil Sapienza, Dancing Rusty rallied along the passing lane to post a nose victory in 1:54.4 for his first win in six starts this year and he now owns 30 wins and earnings of just over $220,000 from 208 career outings.
Two races later on the card, Madefromlucky (Frank Milby) rallied along the inside to capture a non-winners of one race lifetime event for pacers named in honor of one of the track's oldest, most loyal fans. Sherman Merrick celebrated his 89th birthday at the Fort Washington oval on Sunday amid a large gathering of family and friends and the longtime local fan was treated to a thriller in the maiden affair as Madefromlucky surged through along the passing lane to notch his first win in nine lifetime tries for trainer Shaun Callahan by getting the distance in 1:57.1.
Three races later on the card, JK Onaroll (Declan Donoway) easily lived up to his role as the 4-5 favorite in a non-winners of four races lifetime event when he gained command before reaching the half in 56 flat, shook off serious pressure from Cinderlane Quin (Roger Plante, Jr.) down the backside, opened a clear lead on the far turn and drew clear late to a three-length score in 1:53.2. A five-year-old Roll With Joe gelding owned and trained by Brian Malone, JK Onaroll now owns a 2-3-2 slate and $15,000 banked from 11 seasonal outings.
Then one race later in the $10,000 Open Handicap for older pacers, Tip It On Back (Bret Brittingham) lived up to his billing as the 7-5 favorite when he left alertly from post five to gain the lead initially, yielded to Rock N Roll Jet (Kim Vincent) before a swift 26.2 opener, sat a tight pocket to the half and three-quarters, angled to the passing lane at the top of the lane and surged through to score in 1:50.2.
A six-year-old Rockin Image gelding trained by Don Brittingham for owner Elizabeth Brittingham, Tip It On My Back notched his first win in six starts this year and equaled his lifetime mark while pushing his career earnings past $145,000. Rock N Roll Jet held the place spot, a length better than Options Are Adream (Ross Wolfenden), who won the Open one week earlier from the rail but was assigned the outside nine hole in his title defense.
Two races later on the card, Hickory Aloha (Timmy Offutt) lived up to his role as the even-money favorite in a non-winners of $6000 last five starts class for older pacers when he left to secure good early position, yielded to Legion Of Boom (Russell Foster), sat a loose pocket to the half and three-quarters and angled to the passing lane and just got up late to score by a nose in 1:53.2. A six-year-old Village Jolt gelding owned and trained by Joe Offutt, Hickory Aloha notched his second win in eight starts this year and has now earned over $182,000 in his career.
Then one race later on the card, Toms Titan (Foster) continued his solid start to the spring meet when he led throughout and held safe 6-5 favorite Get Outta Eyre N (Morgan) to score by a neck in 1:53.2. A seven-year-old Nuclear Breeze stallion trained by Ken Schlotzhauer for owner-breeder Thomas Cooke, Toms Titan notched his second win from six starts this year and pushed his career earnings to nearly $196,000.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $2500 last five starts class for older pacers, Talking Blues (Milby) rallied from well off the pace and widest of all in the lane to post a mild 7-2 upset in 1:55.3. An eight-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding trained by John Hollingsworth for Twin Ponds Stable, Talking Blues recorded his first win in six starts this year and pushed his lifetime bankroll closer to $350,000.
That same evening at Pocono Downs, the five-eighths mile oval in Pennsylvania presented a trio of $15,000 divisions for three- and four-year-old trotters competing in the Robert Weiss Series contested as consecutive races early on the card.
In the third race, Archibald (Fern Paquet, Jr.) saved ground through the first five-eighths, angled out first over before three-quarters to get the jump on 2-5 favorite Law Of Attraction (Jim Marohn, Jr.) then held safe that one in the lane to score by two lengths in 1:55.3. A four-year-old Archangel gelding trained and driven by Paquet for owner Michael Sherman, Archibald notched his fourth win from 10 starts this year and he now owns eight wins and nearly $35,000 banked from 22 lifetime outings.
One race later in the second Weiss split, Meadowbranch Ricky (George Napolitano, Jr.) lived up to his billing as the 1-5 favorite when he gained command soon after the start, got a breather to the half in 58.4, raced unpressed down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:27 then held sway late to score by two lengths in 1:56.2. A sophomore son of Muscle Massive trained by Jenny Melander, Meadowbranch Ricky notched his second straight win to start the year and now owns three wins and nearly $65,000 banked from 15 career outings.
Then one race later in the last Weiss division, Chas Hanover (Napolitano) lived up to his role as the 3-2 favorite when he overcame post six to gain command from post six, got a breather by the half in 58.4 and by three-quarters in 1:27.4 then just outlasted the late bid of Golden Attitude (Marcus Miller) to score by a nose in 1:56.4. A sophomore son of Cantab Hall owned and trained by Gilberto Garcia-Herrera, Chas Hanover remained perfect in three starts this year and now owns four wins and $30,000 banked from 13 lifetime tries.
Sunday's card at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland began with a stunner as Wake Up And Go (Allan Davis) rallied third over and benefited from a late miscue by 3-5 favorite Bodega Bay (Tony Morgan) on the far turn, rallied between horses and just edged the favorite late for a nose victory in 1:53.3. Overlooked at 21-1 despite winning his previous start, Wake Up And Go lowered his lifetime mark while recording his sixth victory from 36 career outings and pushing his bankroll past $88,000 for trainer Morte Bedford IV.
One race later in a non-winners of $4000 last five starts class for older pacers, Dancing Rusty (John Wagner) benefited from patient handling throughout and a pocket trip to forge a mild 3-1 upset. A 10-year-old Ponder gelding owned and trained by Basil Sapienza, Dancing Rusty rallied along the passing lane to post a nose victory in 1:54.4 for his first win in six starts this year and he now owns 30 wins and earnings of just over $220,000 from 208 career outings.
Two races later on the card, Madefromlucky (Frank Milby) rallied along the inside to capture a non-winners of one race lifetime event for pacers named in honor of one of the track's oldest, most loyal fans. Sherman Merrick celebrated his 89th birthday at the Fort Washington oval on Sunday amid a large gathering of family and friends and the longtime local fan was treated to a thriller in the maiden affair as Madefromlucky surged through along the passing lane to notch his first win in nine lifetime tries for trainer Shaun Callahan by getting the distance in 1:57.1.
Three races later on the card, JK Onaroll (Declan Donoway) easily lived up to his role as the 4-5 favorite in a non-winners of four races lifetime event when he gained command before reaching the half in 56 flat, shook off serious pressure from Cinderlane Quin (Roger Plante, Jr.) down the backside, opened a clear lead on the far turn and drew clear late to a three-length score in 1:53.2. A five-year-old Roll With Joe gelding owned and trained by Brian Malone, JK Onaroll now owns a 2-3-2 slate and $15,000 banked from 11 seasonal outings.
Then one race later in the $10,000 Open Handicap for older pacers, Tip It On Back (Bret Brittingham) lived up to his billing as the 7-5 favorite when he left alertly from post five to gain the lead initially, yielded to Rock N Roll Jet (Kim Vincent) before a swift 26.2 opener, sat a tight pocket to the half and three-quarters, angled to the passing lane at the top of the lane and surged through to score in 1:50.2.
A six-year-old Rockin Image gelding trained by Don Brittingham for owner Elizabeth Brittingham, Tip It On My Back notched his first win in six starts this year and equaled his lifetime mark while pushing his career earnings past $145,000. Rock N Roll Jet held the place spot, a length better than Options Are Adream (Ross Wolfenden), who won the Open one week earlier from the rail but was assigned the outside nine hole in his title defense.
Two races later on the card, Hickory Aloha (Timmy Offutt) lived up to his role as the even-money favorite in a non-winners of $6000 last five starts class for older pacers when he left to secure good early position, yielded to Legion Of Boom (Russell Foster), sat a loose pocket to the half and three-quarters and angled to the passing lane and just got up late to score by a nose in 1:53.2. A six-year-old Village Jolt gelding owned and trained by Joe Offutt, Hickory Aloha notched his second win in eight starts this year and has now earned over $182,000 in his career.
Then one race later on the card, Toms Titan (Foster) continued his solid start to the spring meet when he led throughout and held safe 6-5 favorite Get Outta Eyre N (Morgan) to score by a neck in 1:53.2. A seven-year-old Nuclear Breeze stallion trained by Ken Schlotzhauer for owner-breeder Thomas Cooke, Toms Titan notched his second win from six starts this year and pushed his career earnings to nearly $196,000.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $2500 last five starts class for older pacers, Talking Blues (Milby) rallied from well off the pace and widest of all in the lane to post a mild 7-2 upset in 1:55.3. An eight-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding trained by John Hollingsworth for Twin Ponds Stable, Talking Blues recorded his first win in six starts this year and pushed his lifetime bankroll closer to $350,000.
That same evening at Pocono Downs, the five-eighths mile oval in Pennsylvania presented a trio of $15,000 divisions for three- and four-year-old trotters competing in the Robert Weiss Series contested as consecutive races early on the card.
In the third race, Archibald (Fern Paquet, Jr.) saved ground through the first five-eighths, angled out first over before three-quarters to get the jump on 2-5 favorite Law Of Attraction (Jim Marohn, Jr.) then held safe that one in the lane to score by two lengths in 1:55.3. A four-year-old Archangel gelding trained and driven by Paquet for owner Michael Sherman, Archibald notched his fourth win from 10 starts this year and he now owns eight wins and nearly $35,000 banked from 22 lifetime outings.
One race later in the second Weiss split, Meadowbranch Ricky (George Napolitano, Jr.) lived up to his billing as the 1-5 favorite when he gained command soon after the start, got a breather to the half in 58.4, raced unpressed down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:27 then held sway late to score by two lengths in 1:56.2. A sophomore son of Muscle Massive trained by Jenny Melander, Meadowbranch Ricky notched his second straight win to start the year and now owns three wins and nearly $65,000 banked from 15 career outings.
Then one race later in the last Weiss division, Chas Hanover (Napolitano) lived up to his role as the 3-2 favorite when he overcame post six to gain command from post six, got a breather by the half in 58.4 and by three-quarters in 1:27.4 then just outlasted the late bid of Golden Attitude (Marcus Miller) to score by a nose in 1:56.4. A sophomore son of Cantab Hall owned and trained by Gilberto Garcia-Herrera, Chas Hanover remained perfect in three starts this year and now owns four wins and $30,000 banked from 13 lifetime tries.
ADVERTISEMENT
