Rosecroft, Pompano and Pocono offer solid Sunday cards
Harness racing enthusiasts are accustomed to seeing the sport's best horses and drivers compete in lucrative events on Saturday nights and perhaps many of them needed a brief reprieve following the stellar card at Yonkers Raceway this past Saturday, but the Sunday cards at Rosecroft Raceway, Pocono Downs and Pompano Park have proven to markedly appealing this spring.
In the second race on the Sunday card at Rosecroft, Artic Adventure (Frank Milby) easily lived up to his billing as the 3-5 favorite in a non-winners of three races lifetime class for younger pacers when he gained command before the opener, yielded briefly to 60-1 Whispering Witch (Wayne Long), immediately retook before the half in 56.2, sprinted to a clear lead by three quarters in 1:25 and cruised home four lengths clear in 1:53.2.
A sophomore son of Bettor's Delight trained and driven by Milby for his mother, Candy Milby, Artic Adventure rebounded from his fourth place effort at Harrah's Philadelphia, Artic Adventure notched his third win in four starts and pushed his career earnings past $8400 and lowered his lifetime mark by nearly two seconds in the process. Artic Adventure was bred by Winbak Farm and was an $80,000 purchase at the Lexington select sale.
Several races later in a non-winners of eight races or $20,000 lifetime class for younger pacers, Hail To The Master (Kim Vincent) left to secure good early position, sat a loose pocket trip behind Bro Hanover (Sean Bier) through honest fractions of 27.1, 56.4 and 1:25.3 for the first three calls, angled to the passing lane and just got up for a nose victory in 1:53.2 as the 4-5 favorite.
A five-year-old Rustler Hanover gelding owned and trained by Dorothy Ann Conner, Hail The The Master notched his second win from 11 starts this year and now owns an 8-5-3 slate and $131,500 banked from 32 career tries. Hail To The Master had been second in his local debut after several good outings at Dover Downs, including a 1:52.1 mark during the winter.
Two races later in the $11,000 Maryland Open, Abelard Hanover (Milby) lived up to his role as the 3-2 favorite when he gained command from post six in a wicked 26.1 opener, got a breather to the half in 55.1, met token pressure from JW Renegade down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:22.4 then edged clear from pocket-sitting Hickory Aloha to a three-length score in 1:51.
A 10-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding trained by John Hollingsworth for owners Suzanne Waskey and Four Maples Stables, Abelard Hanover recorded his second straight win and now owns four wins and $18,000 banked from 10 starts this year. An aged gelding blessed with tons of back class, Abelard Hanover sports a 52-29-32 slate and $757,000 banked from 207 career outings and sports a stellar 1:48 mark taken five years ago.
Several races later on the card in a non-winners of $2500 last five starts class for pacers, All The Cookies (Tyler Davis) left to gain command in a 27 flat opener, rebuffed an early bid from Brock N Brian (Timmy Offutt) past the half and three-quarters in 1:25 then outlasted the late bid of Ideal Legacy A (Sean Bier) in 1:53.4. A six-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding trained by Phil Mitchell for owner Jody Lee Cahall, All The Cookies recorded his second win in nine starts this year and now owns 14 wins and nearly $123,000 banked from 67 career outings.
Then two races later in the Sunday finale, another non-winners of $2500 last five starts class for older pacers, Adios Muchachos (Brian Burton) left to secure good position, got shuffled to third before the half then brushed to command down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:24.1 then held sway late to score in 1:54.3. A four-year-old Cam's Rocket gelding trained and driven by Burton, Adios Muchachos recorded his first win in seven starts this year and now owns a 6-12-10 slate and $102,000 banked from 43 career tries.
Then shortly thereafter at Pocono Downs in the opening division of the $15,000 Bobby Weiss Series fourth leg for younger trotters, Law Of Attraction (Jim Marohn, Jr.) prevailed as the 8-5 second choice from the rail when he gained command through the first turn and by the opener in 28 flat, got a breather by the half in 58.3, met token pressure from Vics Winner (Andrew McCarthy) down the backside and through the far turn then shook loose from that one and drew clear to a two-length score in 1:56.
A four-year-old Deweycheatumnhowe gelding trained by Rob Harmon, Law Of Attraction recorded his first win in four starts in the series after three second-place efforts, the last two against Archibald (Fern Paquet, Jr.) who broke as the choice on Sunday, and now owns a 3-4-0 slate and $32,500 banked from nine starts this year. Freehold invader Vics Winner was a good second in his first start in the series, with Photo Bomber (Tony Schadel) finishing third for the third time in four legs.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $3750 last five starts class at Pocono Downs, Stratocaster (Marohn) left alertly to protect the pocket behind even-money choice Phil Your Boots (Anthony Napolitano) through the first two, sat a tight pocket behind that one down the backside and through the far turn, angled to the passing lane and surged through late to edge 40-1 outsider Nox Vegas Bluechip (Eric Carlson) by a neck in 1:53.3. It was the first win in eight starts this year for the seven-year-old Rocknroll Hanover stallion trained by Allen Sisco.
Several races later in a non-winners of six races or $70,000 lifetime class for younger pacers, Art Scene (Simon Allard) took no prisoners as the 2-5 favorite from post five and carved out wicked fractions of 25.4, 53.2 and 1:20.4 and held sway through the lane to score in an eye-opening 1:49.3. A four-year-old American Ideal stallion trained by Rene Allard, Art Scene recorded his second win in four starts and lowered his lifetime mark in the process.
That same evening at Pompano Park, Music Is Art (Anthony Kerwood) bided his time past the half, brushed to command down the backside and cleared to command before three-quarters in 1:23 and held safe 4-5 choice Rebellious (James Meittinis) for a length score in 1:50.3 in the Open III. A four-year-old Art Major stallion owned and trained by Peter Blood, Music Is Art notched the second win in as many starts this year and lowered his lifetime mark by more than a full second. Rebellious was clearly second best and looms a huge factor at this level next out.
Then one race later in the featured Open II, Four Socks (Tyler Shehan) gained command from along the rail soon after the start and never surrendered the advantage en route to a two-length score as an overlooked 18-1 shot in 1:51.4. An eight-year-old I Scott Hanover gelding trained by Mike Murphy, Four Socks notched his second win in 11 starts this year and easily kept 3-5 favorite Doo Wop Hanover (Kerwood) at bay to complete the upset tally.
In the second race on the Sunday card at Rosecroft, Artic Adventure (Frank Milby) easily lived up to his billing as the 3-5 favorite in a non-winners of three races lifetime class for younger pacers when he gained command before the opener, yielded briefly to 60-1 Whispering Witch (Wayne Long), immediately retook before the half in 56.2, sprinted to a clear lead by three quarters in 1:25 and cruised home four lengths clear in 1:53.2.
A sophomore son of Bettor's Delight trained and driven by Milby for his mother, Candy Milby, Artic Adventure rebounded from his fourth place effort at Harrah's Philadelphia, Artic Adventure notched his third win in four starts and pushed his career earnings past $8400 and lowered his lifetime mark by nearly two seconds in the process. Artic Adventure was bred by Winbak Farm and was an $80,000 purchase at the Lexington select sale.
Several races later in a non-winners of eight races or $20,000 lifetime class for younger pacers, Hail To The Master (Kim Vincent) left to secure good early position, sat a loose pocket trip behind Bro Hanover (Sean Bier) through honest fractions of 27.1, 56.4 and 1:25.3 for the first three calls, angled to the passing lane and just got up for a nose victory in 1:53.2 as the 4-5 favorite.
A five-year-old Rustler Hanover gelding owned and trained by Dorothy Ann Conner, Hail The The Master notched his second win from 11 starts this year and now owns an 8-5-3 slate and $131,500 banked from 32 career tries. Hail To The Master had been second in his local debut after several good outings at Dover Downs, including a 1:52.1 mark during the winter.
Two races later in the $11,000 Maryland Open, Abelard Hanover (Milby) lived up to his role as the 3-2 favorite when he gained command from post six in a wicked 26.1 opener, got a breather to the half in 55.1, met token pressure from JW Renegade down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:22.4 then edged clear from pocket-sitting Hickory Aloha to a three-length score in 1:51.
A 10-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding trained by John Hollingsworth for owners Suzanne Waskey and Four Maples Stables, Abelard Hanover recorded his second straight win and now owns four wins and $18,000 banked from 10 starts this year. An aged gelding blessed with tons of back class, Abelard Hanover sports a 52-29-32 slate and $757,000 banked from 207 career outings and sports a stellar 1:48 mark taken five years ago.
Several races later on the card in a non-winners of $2500 last five starts class for pacers, All The Cookies (Tyler Davis) left to gain command in a 27 flat opener, rebuffed an early bid from Brock N Brian (Timmy Offutt) past the half and three-quarters in 1:25 then outlasted the late bid of Ideal Legacy A (Sean Bier) in 1:53.4. A six-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding trained by Phil Mitchell for owner Jody Lee Cahall, All The Cookies recorded his second win in nine starts this year and now owns 14 wins and nearly $123,000 banked from 67 career outings.
Then two races later in the Sunday finale, another non-winners of $2500 last five starts class for older pacers, Adios Muchachos (Brian Burton) left to secure good position, got shuffled to third before the half then brushed to command down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:24.1 then held sway late to score in 1:54.3. A four-year-old Cam's Rocket gelding trained and driven by Burton, Adios Muchachos recorded his first win in seven starts this year and now owns a 6-12-10 slate and $102,000 banked from 43 career tries.
Then shortly thereafter at Pocono Downs in the opening division of the $15,000 Bobby Weiss Series fourth leg for younger trotters, Law Of Attraction (Jim Marohn, Jr.) prevailed as the 8-5 second choice from the rail when he gained command through the first turn and by the opener in 28 flat, got a breather by the half in 58.3, met token pressure from Vics Winner (Andrew McCarthy) down the backside and through the far turn then shook loose from that one and drew clear to a two-length score in 1:56.
A four-year-old Deweycheatumnhowe gelding trained by Rob Harmon, Law Of Attraction recorded his first win in four starts in the series after three second-place efforts, the last two against Archibald (Fern Paquet, Jr.) who broke as the choice on Sunday, and now owns a 3-4-0 slate and $32,500 banked from nine starts this year. Freehold invader Vics Winner was a good second in his first start in the series, with Photo Bomber (Tony Schadel) finishing third for the third time in four legs.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $3750 last five starts class at Pocono Downs, Stratocaster (Marohn) left alertly to protect the pocket behind even-money choice Phil Your Boots (Anthony Napolitano) through the first two, sat a tight pocket behind that one down the backside and through the far turn, angled to the passing lane and surged through late to edge 40-1 outsider Nox Vegas Bluechip (Eric Carlson) by a neck in 1:53.3. It was the first win in eight starts this year for the seven-year-old Rocknroll Hanover stallion trained by Allen Sisco.
Several races later in a non-winners of six races or $70,000 lifetime class for younger pacers, Art Scene (Simon Allard) took no prisoners as the 2-5 favorite from post five and carved out wicked fractions of 25.4, 53.2 and 1:20.4 and held sway through the lane to score in an eye-opening 1:49.3. A four-year-old American Ideal stallion trained by Rene Allard, Art Scene recorded his second win in four starts and lowered his lifetime mark in the process.
That same evening at Pompano Park, Music Is Art (Anthony Kerwood) bided his time past the half, brushed to command down the backside and cleared to command before three-quarters in 1:23 and held safe 4-5 choice Rebellious (James Meittinis) for a length score in 1:50.3 in the Open III. A four-year-old Art Major stallion owned and trained by Peter Blood, Music Is Art notched the second win in as many starts this year and lowered his lifetime mark by more than a full second. Rebellious was clearly second best and looms a huge factor at this level next out.
Then one race later in the featured Open II, Four Socks (Tyler Shehan) gained command from along the rail soon after the start and never surrendered the advantage en route to a two-length score as an overlooked 18-1 shot in 1:51.4. An eight-year-old I Scott Hanover gelding trained by Mike Murphy, Four Socks notched his second win in 11 starts this year and easily kept 3-5 favorite Doo Wop Hanover (Kerwood) at bay to complete the upset tally.
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