Rosecroft, Pocono Downs, Pompano offer Sunday cards
Sunday's harness racing centered on a trio of five-eighths mile ovals in three different states and several trotters and pacers delivered solid efforts amid much, much warmer conditions as the tracks conducted a 'Trotting For Charity' promotion throughout the weekend.
In the opening race on the Sunday card at Rosecroft, HS Shauna (Roger Plante, Jr.) lived up to her role as the 3-5 favorite in the first Maryland Sire Stakes second round split for three-year-old filly pacers when she gained command in a 27.1 opener, rebuffed a bid by Miss Choptank (Gene Long) by the half and three-quarters and held safe the late bid of longshot Rissy's All In (John Wagner) to score by three lengths in 1:53.
A sophomore daughter of Up Front Charlie trained by Joe Carroll for owner Cary Grady, HS Shauna rebounded from a second-place finish behind Cool Toy in the opening round and notched her second win from three starts this year and she now owns an 8-4-4 slate and $60,000 banked from 17 lifetime outings. HS Shauna won one MDSS final last year at age two and finished third in another and is on target to be a serious contender in the May 30 final here.
Then one race later in the MDSS prelim for three-year-old trotting colts, Uncle Ike (Frank Milby) benefited from a pocket trip behind even-money choice What That Is (Brian Burton), stalked that one through the first three calls then angled to the passing lane and got up to late to edge the choice - who suffered from a flat tire late - and got through along the inside to score by a neck in 1:56.2.
A sophomore son of Charlie de Vie trained by Betsy Brown and co-owned by Brown and Kibler, Uncle Ike notched his first win in four starts this year and now owns two wins and nearly $22,000 banked from 15 lifetime tries. What That Is suffered his first defeat in eight months and still looms a huge factor in next week's final, while Iron Mine Bro finished third after a prolonged first over journey and could be an upset possibility in the final.
Then one race later in the second MDSS prelim for three-year-old filly pacers, Princess Rusty (Jonathan Roberts) lived up to her billing as the 3-5 favorite when she gained command in a 26.2 opener, got a breather by the half in 56.3, raced unpressed by three-quarters in 1:24.2 then easily held safe the late bid of Cool Toy (Jason Green) to score in 1:53. Fourth as the 4-5 choice in the opening split, Princess Rusty rebounded for her fourth win in five starts this year and she now owns seven wins and $45,000 banked from 16 lifetime outings.
Then several races later in the featured $11,000 Maryland Open Handicap for older pacers, Hi Sir (Russell Foster) overcame an extended first over bid to wear down Capital Builder (Roberts) down the backside and through the far turn then held safe the late bid of JW Renegade (John Mackinnon) to score in 1:51.2. A durable and classy 10-year-old Sir Luck gelding owned, trained and driven by Foster, Hi Sir recorded his second straight victory and notched his third win in his last four starts and now owns a 6-2-1 slate and nearly $50,000 banked from 19 seasonal starts. He owns 49 wins and over $467,000 banked from 248 lifetime outings.
In the opening race on the Sunday card at Pompano, Rockntouch (Mickey McNichol) benefited from a pocket trip behind even-money choice Spirit Shadow (Wally Hennessey) through the first three splits of 27.3, 56 and 1:25.1 then angled out of the pocket to gain command just outlasted the late surge of Blueberry Heaven (David Ingraham) to score by a neck in 1:54 in the the $5500 Isle Mile IV. A six-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven gelding trained by McNichol, Rockntouch now owns a 3-3-4 slate and $20,000 banked from 18 seasonal outings.
One race later in the $6500 Isle Mile III at Pompano, Team Captain (McNichol) lived up to his role as 1-5 favorite when he brushed to command in a 28.1 opener, got a breather to the half in 57.3, met modest pressure from F Twenty Two (Corey Braden) down the backside and through the far turn and just lasted for a neck score in 1:53.1. A six-year-old Cam's Card Shark gelding trained by NcNichol, Team Captain notched his fifth win from 18 seasonal outings.
Then one race later in the featured $7000 Isle Mile II, Dees Rocketman (James Hysell) gave McNichol a trainee triple to start the card when he rallied from well off the pace and closed willingly in the lane to score by a length in 1:52.4 as the 3-5 choice. A six-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven ridgling trained by McNichol for owner Joe Martinelli, Dees Rocketman recorded his eighth win in 16 starts on the season and pushed his earnings past $60,000 with his late surge.
That same evening at Pocono Downs, Heartbeat Hill (Brett Miller) brushed to command before reaching the half in 55.2, raced unpressed down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:23.3 then drew clear in the lane to score by four lengths in 1:51.3 in the first division of The Stallion Series for three-year-old colts and geldings. A sophomore son of Somebeachsomewhere trained by Bruce Clarke, Heartbeat Hill recorded his third win in eight starts this year and going winless in eight starts last year.
Then one race later in the second TSS division for this group, Return Of The Sith (James Pantaleano) overcame an extended first over bid and wore down favored Bobby K Hill (George Napolitano, Jr.) to score by a neck in 1:53.1. Return Of The Sith notched his third win from nine starts this year and now owns five wins from 21 career tries for trainer Norm Parker.
Then one race later in the third division of TSS for sophomore pacing colts and geldings, Daddyofemall (Mike Wilder) rallied from well off the pace to forge a 21-1 upset in 1:52. Reserved well off the tempo as 1-5 choice Fashiononthebeach ((David Miller) carved out the early fractions of 27, 55.1 and 1:23.2, Daddyofemall uncorked a stellar late kick to notch his second straight score and record his fifth win in nine starts this year and push his seasonal earnings past $33,000 for trainer Dan Altmeyer.
In the opening race on the Sunday card at Rosecroft, HS Shauna (Roger Plante, Jr.) lived up to her role as the 3-5 favorite in the first Maryland Sire Stakes second round split for three-year-old filly pacers when she gained command in a 27.1 opener, rebuffed a bid by Miss Choptank (Gene Long) by the half and three-quarters and held safe the late bid of longshot Rissy's All In (John Wagner) to score by three lengths in 1:53.
A sophomore daughter of Up Front Charlie trained by Joe Carroll for owner Cary Grady, HS Shauna rebounded from a second-place finish behind Cool Toy in the opening round and notched her second win from three starts this year and she now owns an 8-4-4 slate and $60,000 banked from 17 lifetime outings. HS Shauna won one MDSS final last year at age two and finished third in another and is on target to be a serious contender in the May 30 final here.
Then one race later in the MDSS prelim for three-year-old trotting colts, Uncle Ike (Frank Milby) benefited from a pocket trip behind even-money choice What That Is (Brian Burton), stalked that one through the first three calls then angled to the passing lane and got up to late to edge the choice - who suffered from a flat tire late - and got through along the inside to score by a neck in 1:56.2.
A sophomore son of Charlie de Vie trained by Betsy Brown and co-owned by Brown and Kibler, Uncle Ike notched his first win in four starts this year and now owns two wins and nearly $22,000 banked from 15 lifetime tries. What That Is suffered his first defeat in eight months and still looms a huge factor in next week's final, while Iron Mine Bro finished third after a prolonged first over journey and could be an upset possibility in the final.
Then one race later in the second MDSS prelim for three-year-old filly pacers, Princess Rusty (Jonathan Roberts) lived up to her billing as the 3-5 favorite when she gained command in a 26.2 opener, got a breather by the half in 56.3, raced unpressed by three-quarters in 1:24.2 then easily held safe the late bid of Cool Toy (Jason Green) to score in 1:53. Fourth as the 4-5 choice in the opening split, Princess Rusty rebounded for her fourth win in five starts this year and she now owns seven wins and $45,000 banked from 16 lifetime outings.
Then several races later in the featured $11,000 Maryland Open Handicap for older pacers, Hi Sir (Russell Foster) overcame an extended first over bid to wear down Capital Builder (Roberts) down the backside and through the far turn then held safe the late bid of JW Renegade (John Mackinnon) to score in 1:51.2. A durable and classy 10-year-old Sir Luck gelding owned, trained and driven by Foster, Hi Sir recorded his second straight victory and notched his third win in his last four starts and now owns a 6-2-1 slate and nearly $50,000 banked from 19 seasonal starts. He owns 49 wins and over $467,000 banked from 248 lifetime outings.
In the opening race on the Sunday card at Pompano, Rockntouch (Mickey McNichol) benefited from a pocket trip behind even-money choice Spirit Shadow (Wally Hennessey) through the first three splits of 27.3, 56 and 1:25.1 then angled out of the pocket to gain command just outlasted the late surge of Blueberry Heaven (David Ingraham) to score by a neck in 1:54 in the the $5500 Isle Mile IV. A six-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven gelding trained by McNichol, Rockntouch now owns a 3-3-4 slate and $20,000 banked from 18 seasonal outings.
One race later in the $6500 Isle Mile III at Pompano, Team Captain (McNichol) lived up to his role as 1-5 favorite when he brushed to command in a 28.1 opener, got a breather to the half in 57.3, met modest pressure from F Twenty Two (Corey Braden) down the backside and through the far turn and just lasted for a neck score in 1:53.1. A six-year-old Cam's Card Shark gelding trained by NcNichol, Team Captain notched his fifth win from 18 seasonal outings.
Then one race later in the featured $7000 Isle Mile II, Dees Rocketman (James Hysell) gave McNichol a trainee triple to start the card when he rallied from well off the pace and closed willingly in the lane to score by a length in 1:52.4 as the 3-5 choice. A six-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven ridgling trained by McNichol for owner Joe Martinelli, Dees Rocketman recorded his eighth win in 16 starts on the season and pushed his earnings past $60,000 with his late surge.
That same evening at Pocono Downs, Heartbeat Hill (Brett Miller) brushed to command before reaching the half in 55.2, raced unpressed down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:23.3 then drew clear in the lane to score by four lengths in 1:51.3 in the first division of The Stallion Series for three-year-old colts and geldings. A sophomore son of Somebeachsomewhere trained by Bruce Clarke, Heartbeat Hill recorded his third win in eight starts this year and going winless in eight starts last year.
Then one race later in the second TSS division for this group, Return Of The Sith (James Pantaleano) overcame an extended first over bid and wore down favored Bobby K Hill (George Napolitano, Jr.) to score by a neck in 1:53.1. Return Of The Sith notched his third win from nine starts this year and now owns five wins from 21 career tries for trainer Norm Parker.
Then one race later in the third division of TSS for sophomore pacing colts and geldings, Daddyofemall (Mike Wilder) rallied from well off the pace to forge a 21-1 upset in 1:52. Reserved well off the tempo as 1-5 choice Fashiononthebeach ((David Miller) carved out the early fractions of 27, 55.1 and 1:23.2, Daddyofemall uncorked a stellar late kick to notch his second straight score and record his fifth win in nine starts this year and push his seasonal earnings past $33,000 for trainer Dan Altmeyer.
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