Slick Tony (Russell Foster) leaves the winners’ circle after capturing an overnight race at Rosecroft Raceway last Thursday in 1:52.2 for owner-trainer Nola Leager.
St. Mary's Ryken High School graduate Jonathan Roberts guides Can't Beach That from the winners' circle at Rosecroft Raceway after steering the Mike Hall trainee to his first of two consecutive victories in the Maryland Exclusive Open.
Leonard's Legacy (Trae Porter) leaves the winners' circle after capturing the $17,500 Maryland Open last Thursday in 1:51 for owner-trainer Basil Sapienza.
Diehard Seelster and catch driver Johnathan Ahle leave the winners' circle after capturing an overnight event for trotters last month. Diehard Seelster is among the more promising young trotters on the circuit for trainer George Lange and Ahle is making his presence known.
Slick Tony (Russell Foster) leaves the winners’ circle after capturing an overnight race at Rosecroft Raceway last Thursday in 1:52.2 for owner-trainer Nola Leager.
Staff photo by Ted Black
St. Mary's Ryken High School graduate Jonathan Roberts guides Can't Beach That from the winners' circle at Rosecroft Raceway after steering the Mike Hall trainee to his first of two consecutive victories in the Maryland Exclusive Open.
Staff photo by Ted Black
Sea Of Life (Corey Braden) captured the opener on the Thursday, February 23 card at Rosecroft Raceway in 1:50.4 for trainer Brian Tomlinson.
Staff photo by Ted Black
Leonard's Legacy (Trae Porter) leaves the winners' circle after capturing the $17,500 Maryland Open last Thursday in 1:51 for owner-trainer Basil Sapienza.
Staff photo by Ted Black
Diehard Seelster and catch driver Johnathan Ahle leave the winners' circle after capturing an overnight event for trotters last month. Diehard Seelster is among the more promising young trotters on the circuit for trainer George Lange and Ahle is making his presence known.
Owners, trainers, drivers and spectators were treated to a bevy of competitive events and warmer climes throughout the month of February at Rosecroft Raceway as a blend of proven commodities and rising stars, equine and human alike, garnered considerable attention.
Last Thursday evening in the $17,500 Maryland Open, Leonard’s Legacy (Trae Porter) benefited from a pocket trip behind favored Stag Party (Jonathan Roberts) through the far turn, angled out late and overhauled the leader late for a head score in 1:51. A six-year-old Tobago Cays gelding owned and trained by Basil Sapienza, Leonard’s Legacy notched his third win from seven starts this year and now owns 17 wins and nearly $240,000 banked from 84 career tries.
Then several races earlier on the card, Sea Of Life (Corey Braden) kicked off the program by leading throughout to capture a conditioned event in 1:50.4 as the 2-1 second choice. A six-year-old Captaintrecherous gelding trained by Brian Tomlinson for owner Steve Wetzel, Sea Of Life recorded his second win in six starts this year and now owns an 11-15-5 slate and $265,000 banked from 63 career outings.
One week earlier the penultimate race on the card, Can’t Beach That (Jonathan Roberts) lived up to his role as the even-money favorite in the $17,500 Maryland Exclusive when he overcame post eight to tuck fifth initially, angled out second over past the half, rallied three-wide on the far turn and edged past Leonard’s Legacy and Trip Hammer in the final 100 yards for a length score in 1:51.3.
A seven-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding trained by Mike Hall for owner Surprise Pic LLC, Can’t Beach That recorded his second straight victory in the weekly feature and a 30-16-14 slate and $425,000 banked from 96 career tries. Can’t Beach That has been the top aged pacer on the grounds the last two meets and looks poised to maintain that status this spring.
“I was able to work out a good trip,” Roberts said. “They were going pretty good early and I was able to get out and follow good cover. He’s really sharp right now.”
“He doesn’t know that he’s seven,” Hall said. “He’s such a neat horse. He just knows where the wire is. He’s not one of those horses that’s going to win off by open lengths. But when he sees the wire he knows what to do.”
One race earlier in the $15,500 Maryland Open for older pacers, Summer Trader (Jonathan Roberts) lived up to his role as the 3-5 favorite when he rallied third over and four-wide on the far turn and through the lane for a two-length score over Walden Woods in 1:52.3. A four-year-old Sweet Lou gelding trained by Michael Hall, Summer Trader notched his third win in seven starts this year.
One race earlier in the tough non-winners of $6,000 last four starts class for older pacers, Starship (Jonathan Roberts) overcame post seven to gain command in an honest 26.4 opener, maintained an honest tempo by the half and three-quarters and held sway late for a two-length score in 1:52 flat for his first win in four starts this year.
A six-year-old Captaintrecherous gelding owned and trained by William “Bib” Roberts of Brandywine, Starship ended a three-month drought and notched his 26th victory from 108 career outings and pushed his lifetime earnings past $270,000. Starship had been a fixture in the top two Open events since last fall, but the class drop enabled him to regain his winning ways.
“I gave him a little too much time off over the break,” said Roberts, well known locally for his work decades earlier with Trapeze and Yankee Co-Ed. “It probably took him a few races to get fit. He should be good now the rest of the meet. He just needed a few starts to get his fitness back.”
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Then one race earlier in a non-winners of eight races lifetime class for younger pacers, Setting Sun (Russell Foster) forged a mild upset when he overcame post eight to gain command in a modest 28 flat, got a breather to the half in 57.3 then rebuffed a first over bid from Lucky Ramsey and held safe even-money favorite It’s Above Me Now for a length score in 1:52.4.
While Thursday cards often highlighted the older pacers, the Tuesday programs proved to be an unveiling for a promising youthful trotter. Diehard Seelster, trained by George Lange and driven by Johnathan Ahle, emerged on the scene with a pair of sharp scores. He appeared hopelessly buried entering the far turn of his latest outing, but slipped out late and exploded late for a two-length score in 1:55.2.
On the most recent Tuesday card, Yall Beneath Me (Russell Foster) easily lived up to his role as the 3-5 favorite in the Open Trot when he rallied third over and rolled by the leader in the lane to a three-length score in 1:54 flat. A six-year-old Goo Goo Gaa Gaa stallion owned, bred and trained by Richard Hans, Yall Beneath Me prevailed smartly in his seasonal debut and looks poised for a stellar campaign.
Rosecroft will continue to offer live racing two nights each week through May 20. The bulk of the live action will take place each Tuesday and Thursday evenings beginning at 7:15 p.m., with the two lone exceptions being Kentucky Derby Day, Saturday May 6, and Preakness Stakes Day, Saturday May 20.
