Driver Johnathan Ahle won half of the six $13,699 first-round Maryland Sire Stakes preliminary events for two-year-olds on Monday, Sept. 22 at Rosecroft Raceway.

Ahle, who led all drivers with five wins on the entire program, capped his stakes hat trick with Booger Bear, a 1:57.3 winner in the lone section for male trotters. The Yall Beneath Me-Get Rich Quick gelding, who competes as a homebred for owner/trainer Richard Hans, rated fractions of :29.1, :59.3 and 1:29 before accelerating through the final turn to put 10-1/4 lengths on runner-up Flyin Wizard.

Ahle and Hans also teamed up with And Just Like That (Betting Gangsters S-Gooreatness), a 5-1/4-length, 1:58.2 winner in the filly trot.

Ahle's other stakes win came aboard Thatsloveto (Dapper Dude-I Cant Stoplovinu), who took the first filly pacing division in 1:57.3 for owner/trainer/breeder Dominik Miga.

I Say That Too was the faster of the victorious pacing fillies, drawing 14 lengths clear of More Than Better to post a 1:56.3 win. Corey Braden owns and drove the Rustys For Real-Who Says That filly, whom Stacey McLenaghan trains.

Better Gon took speed honours by way of his four-length, 1:55.4 win over Dapper Time in the first two-year-old male pacing division. Russell Foster drove the More The Better N-Graygon gelding for trainer Adrian Wisher Jr. and owner Frederick Weitz Jr. 

Inca Social (Nuclear Breeze-Toms Twinkle) rallied to a 1:59 win the other male pacing split, with Roger Plante Jr. aboard for owner/trainer Howard Birney.

In the evening's overnight feature, a $12,329 high-end conditioned pace, Mark Howard's On The Cards N yielded to 4-5 favourite Layton Hanover after setting a :26.3 first quarter, stalked middle splits of :55 and 1:23.1, and emerged off the turn for home to draw off by 1-1/4 lengths for a 1:52 score over his pacesetting rival. Ahle drove the 10-year-old Bettors Delight-Funontherun gelding for trainer Willard Reynolds.

When live harness racing returns to Rosecroft on Thursday, Sept. 25, there will be a $1,504.12 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5, offered in race 10. First post for the 13-race card is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. 

(With files from Rosecroft Raceway; photo of Booger Bear winning on Sept. 22)