With the absence of No Recess, the $2,500 Rosecroft Raceway leg of the RUS MidAtlantic series looked like a two-horse race between Atout De Fontaine and perennial favourite Hyway Marcus.

Well, a two-horse race it was, but it was another Sofia Zingale-trained horse, Egosnattitudes, who crashed the party to win a thrilling duel in his maiden RUS start with a mile in 2:00. The field was reduced to four with the defection of One True Friend, who was scratched Saturday.

When the gate opened, Hyway Marcus (who was ridden by Sasha Moczulski) quickly left to get the first call while Egosnattitudes (Sofia Zingales) raced two-wide around the first turn. By the time Hyway Marcus reached the first quarter, he had a four-length lead over Egosnattitudes in a :28.3 split. As the duo hit the stretch for the first time, ‘Ego’ quickly closed on the race leader, racing on the outside to be only a head behind Marcus as the tandem reached the half in :58.3.

Determined to protect his rail advantage, Hyway Marcus continued to park his opponent. At one point, Egosnattitudes got the lead, but by the time the two horses reached the third station in 1:28.1 Hyway Marcus still had a nose advantage. ‘Marcus’ attempted to put some more distance between the two, managing a lead of a head over Ego as the duo reached the top of the stretch. As much as Marcus dug in, Egosnattitudes was not to be denied, and by the time the pair reached the wire, it was Egosnattitudes out-grinding Hyway Marcus to score a three-quarter-length victory over the RUS veteran. The other Zingale-trained horse, French trotter Atout De Fontaine (Maria Buchanan), was three lengths further back in third. Puddin N Pie (Stephanie Jacobs) finished fourth.

The race concluded the 2018 RUS MidAtlantic series. Plans are already being made for next year’s series. Any new tracks (fair or pari-mutuel) wishing to be part of the 2019 RUS MidAtlantic series may contact RUS MidAtlantic at [email protected].

(RUS MidAtlantic)