The Sunday July 3rd harness racing card at Ocean Downs opened with a non-wagering event for trotting colts/geldings with a purse of $27,400.
Hybrid Henry another Cam's Rocket trotter out of the mare Give Em The Boot circled the field out of the gate and never looked back. Driver Brian Burton, in a stakes record time of 2:01.1 for two-year-old trotting geldings, crossed the wire 9¼ lengths in front of Midnight Zette (Credit Winner-Your Word Is Good). Richard Hans owns, trains and bred the winner.
The first division for pacing colts/geldings opened the wagering card. A light rain didn't stop the big crowd from cheering on the multiple lead changes, with Toms Tarzan (Cam's Rocket-Radiant Breeze) gaining the lead at the ¾ pole and charging to an 8 length victory in 1:56.3. Brian Burton was in the bike for his second stakes win of the night with a purse of $14,650. Thomas Cooke owns and bred the colt and Roger Hans trains. Im The Director held off Giddy On Down for place.
Reinsman Frank Milby gave May River (RC Royalty-Darby's Delight) the perfect pocket trip behind Spoonful and Les Givens, waiting til the head of the stretch to challenge and take a ¾ length lead in 2:02.4 in race 3. John Roach trains for owner/breeder William E. Miller II. The purse for the 2 yo trotting fillies was $ 28,100. Spoonful held on for second.
Race 5 was the first division for pacing fillies going for a purse of $16,500. Miss Valerie (Allie's Western-Flannel Yankee) was content to follow Cheap Aint Fast until the head of the stretch. The loud crowd cheered the stretch drive with Miss Valerie getting the ½ length victory, stopping the clock in 2:00 for owners Leblanc Racing Inc., Count De Money Stable and William Lutz. Roger Plant Jr drove the Steve LeBlanc trainee. Tom and Linda Winebrener are the breedrs.
Corey Callahan and Richard Hans teamed up in race 6, the second division of filly paces going for $16,500 as co-owners, driver and trainer. It was an explosive combination when Gigi From Fiji (Ponder-Odds On Arttoheart) made her first lifetime start. Corey sent her out of the gate and just blew away the rest of the field in the 1:56.3 winning by 10½ lengths over Liberty School.
The final stake of the night was the second division for pacing colt/geldings going as race 9 with the purse of $14,650. The favorite Almost Cut My Hair (Barber Pole-Sally Pansen) didn't disappoint her followers increasing her lead at every pole over the field for owners/breeder KDK Standardbreds and trainer Kevin Switzer. Victor Kirby was in the bike for the 1:59.1 mile. Evolution Rise Up came back from a break in the first turn to take the place position.
Maryland Standardbred Fund stakes for 3 year olds will be contested on Thursday night July 7th starting at 7:20 at Ocean Downs
By Cheri Stambaugh