Low Rider and driver Marvin Luna delivered a victory in the $42,857 Open Pace on opening day of the 2025 season at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Monday, March 24. 

Leaving from Post 6 as the 2-1 second favourite,  Low Rider showed early speed for Luna but was blocked off and taken back to sixth. Meanwhile, Later Dudes (Trace Tetrick), the even-money favourite, circled to take the lead through a :26.2 quarter, with Hezzz A Wise Sky (Cordarius Stewart), challenging from Post 8. Later Dudes carried his speed to a :54.3 half, parking Hezzz A Wise Sky out of contention, and continued powering down the backside, reaching three-quarters in 1:22.3.

As Later Dudes battled to maintain his lead, Luna angled Low Rider to the outside and began making gradual progress along the rim. Low Rider continued reeling in the tiring leader and, with a strong push in the stretch, landed the knockout blow to win by half a length in a 1:51.3 mile. Later Dudes settled for second and This Kit Rocks (Joey Putnam) closed for third.

 Winning for the first time this year in just his second start, Low Rider has now triumphed 17 times in 65 career starts while amassing $355,655 in earnings. The five-year-old gelding by Downbytheseaside out of Warrawee Kay is trained by Walter Haynes Jr. and owned by Jeff Fought Racing, Brian Carsey, and Adam Friedland. He paid $6.82 to win.

The opening day program ended with the first United States Harness Driving Club (USHDC) event of the year, a $15,714 conditioned/optional claiming pace. Terry Di Cicco drove Don Tiger’s homebred pacer Shane Falco ($3.74), a six-year-old Racing Hill-Stipple Hanover gelding, to a game win measuring 1-1/2 lengths in 1:56.4. It was the first win of the year for Shane Falco, as well as the first win for Di Cicco since a win in an amateur driving event with Elrama N at The Meadowlands on Nov. 26, 2021. 

Racing resumes at Oak Grove on Tuesday, March 25, with a 12-race card. The track will feature live harness racing on a Monday-Tuesday schedule, complemented by select Sunday programs and a special Kentucky Derby card during the 2025 meet. The first post time is set for 1:45 p.m. CDT.

(With files from Oak Grove Racing & USHDC)