He has returned in full on the $3,000 it cost to buy him in August, but Rompaway Brandon has now padded his bankroll and has an Open win to his record, to boot.

Open Handicap trotters were featured at Cal-Expo on a summer-like November 4 evening, a night in which Rompaway Brandon gamely won his fourth race in his last five outings.

After having started from Post 1 with trainer Tim Maier at his lines, Rompaway Brandon sat through first-half fractions of :28.2 and :58.

Having been chased after, the trotter was first-over past the five-eighths mile pole. Maier had his gelding moving nicely to the three-quarters (1:27), but with the 4-5 favourite Claudius Augustus (driven by Lemoyne Svendsen) right on his back.

"I knew he was right there behind me, but I was just concentrating on my horse with my attention being on the leader of the race -- Jam And Jelly (Luke Plano)," stated Maier.

Quickly trotting to a head advantage with just under three-sixteenths of a mile to go, the four-year-old maintained his lead at the seven-eighths-mile marker, but couldn't put any distance between himself and a three-wide-and-closing Claudius Augustus.

"Of course I was concerned that Claudius Augustus could beat me at that point, but my horse and I did our best to fend him off, and we did."

Having gamely held on under mostly hand urging, Rompaway Brandon won ($8.00) by a head in a lifetime-best equalling 1:56. Claudius Augustus had to settle for second, while Meringue (Scott Cisco) closed nicely to be just a head back, in third.

"My son Daniel picked this horse out for my daughter-in-law, Linda Magnusson, at the Delaware, Ohio sale, and he has been a helluva purchase," Maier explained.

Live racing will continue at Cal-Expo on Friday, November 5 and Saturday, November 6 at 5:40 p.m. (PDT).

On Saturdays, Cal-Expo offers a reduced 15 per cent takeout rate on both the Early and Late Pick-4 wagers, with both Pick-4s now having a $10,000 gross-guaranteed pool.

(Cal-Expo)