Tuesday Card at Rosecroft Raceway Solid
Harness racing fans may have already circled the Saturday, October 15 afternoon card at Yonkers Raceway featuring the $1 million International and a pair of $250,000 Invitationals for certain viewing, but there is plenty of action in the weeks leading up to that outing.
Tuesday evening Rosecroft Raceway will offer four Maryland Sire Stakes final for two-year-olds of both gaits and genders - albeit as early, non-wagering events - then will present a solid card of overnight races that features the best older pacers and trotters on the grounds.
Tuesday's four MDSS finals for freshmen, each worth roughly $40,000, will allow several talented juveniles to put the finishing touches on their initial campaigns. Three of the four finals feature a standout that would have likely been the 1-9 favorite if wagering were permitted on these events, while the other is a virtual match race. At one time all eight MDSS finals were contested on one "Showcase of Champions" card each fall at Rosecroft, a tradition that ended several years ago but could be revived at some point.
The first of the quartet is the MDSS final for two-year-old filly trotters and Holy Trout (Roger Plante, Jr.) is clearly the horse to beat. This juvenile daughter of Holy Guacamole trained by Steve Le Blanc for owner-breeder William Solomon, has won seven of 11 starts and banked nearly $40,000 and will leave from post two. Alongside her is Camita (Les Givens) who sports a solid 2-5-3 slate and $42,750 bankroll from 10 starts. The other four finalists have yet to reach the winner's circle.
Then one race later the MDSS final for two-year-old colt trotters should be another showcase opportunity for Hybrid Henry. The oddly-bred homebred trotting colt - his sire is Cam's Rocket, a pacer - has won eight of nine starts for owner-trainer-breeder Richard Hans. His lone setback came at an inopportune time when he broke stride before the start of the $40,000 MDSS final at Ocean Downs in late August as the 1-20 favorite. Redneck Cowboy won that event and will be hoping for similar good fortune Tuesday.
Tuesday evening Rosecroft Raceway will offer four Maryland Sire Stakes final for two-year-olds of both gaits and genders - albeit as early, non-wagering events - then will present a solid card of overnight races that features the best older pacers and trotters on the grounds.
Tuesday's four MDSS finals for freshmen, each worth roughly $40,000, will allow several talented juveniles to put the finishing touches on their initial campaigns. Three of the four finals feature a standout that would have likely been the 1-9 favorite if wagering were permitted on these events, while the other is a virtual match race. At one time all eight MDSS finals were contested on one "Showcase of Champions" card each fall at Rosecroft, a tradition that ended several years ago but could be revived at some point.
The first of the quartet is the MDSS final for two-year-old filly trotters and Holy Trout (Roger Plante, Jr.) is clearly the horse to beat. This juvenile daughter of Holy Guacamole trained by Steve Le Blanc for owner-breeder William Solomon, has won seven of 11 starts and banked nearly $40,000 and will leave from post two. Alongside her is Camita (Les Givens) who sports a solid 2-5-3 slate and $42,750 bankroll from 10 starts. The other four finalists have yet to reach the winner's circle.
Then one race later the MDSS final for two-year-old colt trotters should be another showcase opportunity for Hybrid Henry. The oddly-bred homebred trotting colt - his sire is Cam's Rocket, a pacer - has won eight of nine starts for owner-trainer-breeder Richard Hans. His lone setback came at an inopportune time when he broke stride before the start of the $40,000 MDSS final at Ocean Downs in late August as the 1-20 favorite. Redneck Cowboy won that event and will be hoping for similar good fortune Tuesday.
Then one race later the MDSS final for two-year-old colt pacers, named in honor of the late, great Wayne Smullin, the track's leading driver until his untimely death in 1983, features a trio of talented colts. Toms Tarzan, Mr Ham Sandwich and Adios Muchachos would have vied for favoritism in a parimutuel event. Mr Ham Sandwich has won four straight and five of seven for trainer Judith Welty, while Adios Muchachos owns a 3-4-1 slate from nine starts and Toms Tarzan sports a 2-4-3 slate from nine tries.
Then in the last MDSS final for freshman on Tuesday evening, Miss Valerie (Plante) will be looking to complete a perfect campaign when she leaves from post four for LeBlanc. This juvenile daughter of Allie's Western has won all nine of her starts and banked nearly $58,000 and sports a 1:57.3 mark. Evergreen Marla, Cheap Aint Fast and Mia Love each own one win apiece while the other three starters are still maidens and will be in quest of minor spoils.
Tuesday's fourth race is a non-winners of $2500 last five starts conditioned event for trotters and two horses look poised to settle the issue in the lane. Accokeek Mercury (Frank Milby) gets some serious class help after competing against non-winners of $5000 last five company in his two recent outings and gets the rail, while Whitesville Dixon (David Hill, III) has been second in each of his last two tries at this level for owner-breeder-trainer Gary White and looms a serious player again in this spot.
Three races later in a non-winners of $4000 last five starts class for older pacers, Rebel Soldier (Milby) should be able to handle this group for owner-breeder-trainer Steve Warrington of Sanabelle Island fame, while Main A Dieu Too makes his local debut for owner-trainer Gary Ewing of Ge's Romanero fame and Action Brad (Russell Foster) should be in ideal position throughout from post nine in the second tier.
Then one race later in the featured $12,500 Open, Handsome Henry K (Jonathan Roberts) will look to repeat and overcome post position eight here, while the speedy Bandolito (Sean Bier) will certainly make his presence known. Rock On Precious (Foster) won this event two weeks ago and skipped last week, while the rapidly improving three-year-old JW Renegade (John Mackinnon) seeks his third straight victory over the local oval while making the quantum jump into the top class.
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