Muskateer Hanover made the front again and made it to the finish first in the $45,206 Open Handicap Pace at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Sunday, May 25 to score a repeat win in the top class for trainer Wayne Oke.

Leaving from post six, Muskateer Hanover and driver Tony Hall cleared favourite Saulsbrook Victor (Brett MacDonald) for control past the first quarter in :26.2 over the sloppy surface. The top two peeled clear of the field moving through a :54.2 half while Coach Stefanos (Marcus Miller) flushed first-over to recoup ground on the loose duo.

Coach Stefanos pushed forward up the backstretch to challenge Muskateer Hanover for the lead. The two locked in battle to three-quarters in 1:23.1 while Saulsbrook Victor stayed steady in the pocket. Muskateer Hanover easily rebuffed Coach Stefanos's push spinning for home and reached for the line while MacDonald angled outside with Saulsbrook Victor to take one last lunge for the lead. He had to settle for second through, beaten a neck, in a 1:50.2 mile while Coach Stefanos held third from Rush In (Marvin Luna) in fourth.

A five-year-old gelding by Sweet Lou out of Marinade Hanover, Muskateer Hanover has now won 16 times from 60 starts and went over $500,000 in earnings. He races for owners Mulligan Stables and Calcutta Stables. 

For the second week in a row, Muskateer Hanover paid double digits for the win, but this time only returned $21.60 for the victory at 9-1.

Lyin Eyes uncorked a perfectly timed rally to land in front of the matching Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace earlier on the card. 

Driver Joey Putnam settled Lyin Eyes last of seven while Dandys Mercy (Marcus Miller) grabbed control to a :26.1 first quarter and attempted to rate through the middle half with Yankee B Something (Tony Hall) pushing first-over. Lyin Eyes found cover to race third-over after a :55.1 half and readied for a wide charge on the move to three-quarters in 1:23.1.

Dandys Mercy spun for home on the ropes as Putnam sent his mare to the wide side of the field to gather momentum and blast forward in the stretch to win by a head in 1:52.4. Yankee B Something dug in from the uncovered grind for second while Pressure Cooker (Marvin Luna) rallied from a pocket trip to take third via placing and Dandys Mercy faded for fourth. 

Hunting Hula (Mike Simons), the third-place finisher, was disqualified to seventh for interference to slight 5-2 favourite High Flyin Filly (Trace Tetrick) moving to the half.

Lyin Eyes, who improved to three-for-four on the year, now has nine wins overall from 31 starts and just shy of $480,000 in earnings. The four-year-old Odds On Equueleus-Miswave Hanover mare is owned by her driver along with J P Racing and Crazy Parrot Farm. Joe Putnam handles the training duties. 

Lyin Eyes returned $7.66 to win as the third choice.

Racing continues at Oak Grove on Monday, May 26, with a 13-race card including several $50,000 USD opening preliminary divisions of Kentucky Sire Stakes for four-year-olds. Monday's card has an $809.85 carryover in the $1 Pick 4, which starts in Race 9. First-race post time at Oak Grove is 1:25 p.m. (CDT). 

(With files from Oak Grove)