Spring Blake made easy work of his seven rivals in the $16,667 Open Handicap Pace at Rosecroft Raceway on Monday, Jan. 19, securing control of the terms early and evading pocket rival A Major Attitude for a 1:52.3 score in the opening-night feature.

Spring Blake launched his five-year-old campaign and picked up where he left off in mid-December at the Maryland five-eighths-mile oval and scored his fourth in a row against Rosecroft's top pacers.

Assigned the outside post eight, Spring Blake and driver Russell Foster pushed clear of A Major Attitude (Justin Walters) and On The Cards N (Roger Plante Jr.) midway around the first turn. After a :27.3 first quarter, Spring Blake pulled the half back to :57.2, only to accelerate again up the backstretch to evade a mild first-over bid from Rebellious (William Carter) through the 1:24.3 three-quarters The Courtly Choice-Spring Break ridgling had no trouble sealing victory, only needing mild encouragement to hold off an inside bid from A Major Attitude by 1-1/4 lengths. On The Cards N was an even third after saving ground throughout the mile.

Johnny Crites Jr. owns and trains Spring Blake, who paid $4 to win as the even-money favourite. 

Coming off an 11-win season in 2025, he now has a total of 17 career wins from 63 starts and earnings amounting to $273,810.

Roger Plante Jr. led all drivers with four wins on the 13-race card. In addition to winning the sub-featured $12,500 top-level conditioned pace with Andrew Fulton trainee Layton Hanover (1:51.4, $3), Plante reached the winner's circle with BR Kruser (1:55.1, $15), Run Around John (1:57.1, $8.20) and Big Dream Fella (1:54, $10.20).

Foster scored a driving hat trick. Crites and Jason Walters led all trainers with two wins apiece.

Thanks to beaten favourites and the reduced 15 per cent takeout, both Pick-4 wagers on the card yielded healthy returns on modest investments. The Early Pick-4 combination of 9/4/2/1, with winners' odds of 6-1, 2-1, 3-1 and 7-2, returned $670.20 on a 50-cent ticket; while the Late Pick-4 combination of 6/6/1/3, with winners' odds of 3-1, 4-1, 20-1 and 1-2, paid $1,118.60.

Live harness racing returns to Rosecroft on Thursday, Jan. 22 with a 13-race card and an $853.53 carryover in the 50-cent Jackpot Hi-5, offered in the final race. First post is 7:15 p.m. 

(With files from Rosecroft Raceway)