Last month Rosecroft Raceway kicked off its 75th anniversary fall meet with a quartet of solid cards as harness racing enthusiasts quickly took notice of the modest change to the live racing schedule which now comprises every Monday and Wednesday.
In the final Wednesday card of the month on Sept. 25, Got The Gold (Johnathan Ahle) just lived up to her billing as the 1-5 favorite in the $10,000 Filly-Mare Open Handicap when she overcame an extended first over bid to finally wear down Fancy Like That and Phoenix Rising in the final strides for a gritty neck score in 1:52.4.
A 5-year-old Bettor’s Delight mare trained by Mike Hall for Let It Ride Stable and Odds On Racing, Got The Gold recorded her ninth win from 31 seasonal tries and now owns a 24-13-5 slate and just over $300,000 banked from 86 career tries. One week earlier she had settled for second as the overwhelming 1-20 favorite when Dice Dice Baby forged a 29-1 shocker.
Last Wednesday’s card also kicked off the Maryland Sire Stakes eliminations for 2-year-olds of both gaits and genders with their respective $87,500 finals all being contested on Oct.9.
Among the impressive opening round elim winners were Yall Keep Dreaming (Johnathan Ahle) who remained unbeaten in five career outings for owner-breeder-trainer Richard Hans in the juvenile trotting colt division and Ragtime Red (Trae Porter) who looks dominant in the two-year-old filly pacer ranks for trainer Mike Hall.
“This is the type of filly you wake up every morning hoping that you get a chance to drive,” Porter said of Ragtime Red, a handy 1:53.1 round one elim winner. “Ever since Mike Hall got her, she’s just gotten so much better. She’s learned so much.”
Two nights earlier, Island Of The Sea (Jason Thompson) continued his prolonged fondness for the five-eighths mile oval when overcame post seven to lead throughout and capture the $12,000 Maryland Open for a second consecutive week. A seven-year-old Always A Virgin gelding owned and trained by Eric Ell, Island Of The Sea recorded his fourth win from 21 seasonal outings and now owns 39 wins and nearly $475,000 banked from 139 lifetime tries.
On the first Wednesday card of the season, Dice Dice Baby (Roger Plante, Jr.) delivered a 29-1 shocker in the $10,000 Filly-Mare Open when she benefited from a pocket journey behind Fancy Like That through the first three calls, angled to the passing lane then edged clear late to a two-length in 1:53 for trainer William “Rusty” Cox of Waldorf.
Then two races earlier on the same program, Coventry Hall (Trae Porter) easily lived up to his role as the 3-5 favorite in the $9,000 Junior Open Trot when he gained command before the opener, carved out honest fractions on an uncontested lead then drew clear in the lane to a three-length score while stopping the timer in 1:54.3 for trainer Mike Hall.
In the featured $10,000 Open on the opening night card on September 16, Island Of The Sea (Jason Thompson) benefited from a pocket trip behind 2-5 favorite Ammo (Jonathan Roberts) through the first three calls then wore down the odds-on choice late for a neck score in 1:51.4. A 7-year-old Always A Virgin gelding owned and trained by Eric Ell, Island Of The Sea notched his third win in 20 seasonal tries.
In the opening race of the fall meet, Z’S Dream (Russell Foster) easily lived up to his role as the 7-5 favorite in a non-winners of $3,001 last four starts conditioned event for older pacers when he gained command before the opening quarter then carved out honest fractions on an uncontested lead en route to a four-length score.
A 6-year-old Dream Away gelding owned and trained by Kristyann Rash of Delaware, Z’S Dream recorded his third win from 29 seasonal tries and now sports a 16-12-11 slate and just over $150,000 banked from 116 lifetime outings courtesy of his victory in the meet opener and his latest tally provided Rash with her first career triumph as a trainer.
Rosecroft will race every Monday and Wednesday through mid-December with the lone exception being Sunday, Nov.17 when the track will host the ninth edition of the $125,000 Potomac Pace Invitational for older free-for-all pacers. Post time for that card has been set at 3 p.m., with the Potomac likely being contested as the eighth race on the program.
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