Kasey Bendix and Virginia Marvel's homebred Fancy Like That remained undefeated in Maryland Sire Stakes events this season after delivering a 15-1/2-length drubbing to her four foes in the $13,699 first-round preliminary event for three-year-old pacing fillies on Wednesday, July 3 at Ocean Downs. Only I Exist likewise kept her seasonal stakes record intact with a similarly decisive win in the three-year-old filly trot.

After coasting to a sweep of the spring Sire Stakes series at Rosecroft Raceway, the daughter of Rustys For Real-Scootin Woody worked her way into upper-level classes at Ocean Downs and won two of her first three starts on the half-mile oval. On Wednesday, she rolled unopposed through splits of :28.3, :57.4 and 1:27.1 in line to Johnathan Ahle before sprinting away from pocket rival Yourgracefound Me (Eric Davis) through a :28.2 final quarter to cap a 1:55.3 mile. Covid For Real (Corey Braden) finished third.

Fancy Like That, whom Bendix also trains, has now won 14 times in 23 career starts and has banked $172,453.

In the trotting split, spring series champion Only I Exist and driver Russell Foster defeated Emilys Locket by 12-1/4 lengths in 1:57.4. The daughter of Yall Beneath Me-Get Rich Quick is now a perfect four-for-four as a sophomore and has won 10 of 11 career starts and $227,283 for owner, trainer and breeder Richard Hans.

Following the pair of non-wagering stakes events, two $16,438 Opens highlighted the 13-race pari-mutuel program.

In the Open Handicap Trot, Sinatra De Vie ($3.40) vaulted off three-wide cover to again defeat pacesetter Coventry Hall by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:56.3. Ahle drove the four-year-old Southwind Frank gelding to his 15th career win and third of the meet for owner/trainer Eric Foster.

The Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace ended a dead heat between favourites Square Deal (Tony Morgan) and Got The Gold (Ahle), both of whom paced in 1:53.3 and paid $2.10 to win in their joint defeat of Sharkine N. The former is trained by Willard Reynolds for owner Mark Howard and the latter races for trainer Michael Hall and owners Let It Ride Stables and Odds On Racing.

In total, Ahle drove seven winners on the evening, giving him 42 through the first six weeks of the meet. Trae Porter is second with 23 and William Carter is third with 18.

Live harness racing returns to Ocean Downs on Sunday, July 7. The 12-race card features a $25,500 USD Maryland Sire Stakes event for four- and five-year-old pacers and a $12,000 USD Open Handicap Pace. First post is 7:05 p.m.

(With files from Ocean Downs)