The second and final preliminary leg of the Maryland Sire Stakes for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters and pacers was contested Monday, July 13 over the half-mile oval at Ocean Downs, setting the stage for Championship Night later this month. 

Three $14,085 divisions highlighted the card, with one division for trotters and two divisions for pacers.

The evening opened with a highly anticipated rematch between Richard Hans stablemates Yall Got No Shot and Booger Bear, who finished first and second, respectively, in the opening preliminary one week earlier. This time, Booger Bear reversed the outcome.

Driven by Johnathan Ahle, the son of Yall Beneath Me-Get Rich Quick enjoyed a perfect pocket trip behind his stablemate before edging past in the final strides to capture a nose victory in 1:58.2 as the 5-1 second choice. Yall Got No Shot, the overwhelming favourite with Russell Foster in the sulky, dictated the tempo through fractions of :30.1, :59.3 and 1:29 before being caught in the final yards. Convicted Criminal (Brandon Givens) closed well to finish third.

The victory gave trainer Richard Hans a sweep of both preliminary trotting divisions while creating an even more compelling storyline heading into the championship final.

The first pacing division belonged to Inca Social, who broke through with an impressive first Maryland Sire Stakes victory of the season following a nose defeat in round one.

Roger Plante Jr. put the favoured Howard Birney trainee on the front end and battled B Real (Corey Baden), who was parked every call. From there, the son of Nuclear Breeze-Toms Twinkle turned back a determined late rally from Dapper Time (Russell Foster) to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:56.3. Dapper Time closed stoutly after racing near the back of the field for much of the mile, while Coach Cooley (Shane Griffith) finished another quarter-length behind in third. 

Opening preliminary winner B Real was unable to repeat, fading in the stretch to fifth after racing on or near the lead as the fractions went in :28.2, :57.1 and 1:26.3.

The night's biggest upset came in the second pacing division as Beach Buggy shocked the field at odds of 12-1.

Driver Russell Foster wasted little time sending the William Wyatt trainee to the front, where the son of Toms Titan-Miki B Rockin controlled every call (:29.3, :59.1, 1:29.2) before stopping the timer in 1:59.2. Michelles Kyle (Jared Moyer) mounted a strong late charge from fifth to finish second, while Dapperfly (Charles Perry Jr.) completed the top three.

Heavy favourite and opening-leg winner Better Gon (Corey Braden) encountered trouble after making multiple breaks during the mile. 

With Monday's races, the preliminary portion of the Maryland Sire Stakes for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters and pacers has officially concluded. The division's top point earners will return to Ocean Downs on Wednesday, July 29, when the track hosts Maryland Sire Stakes Championship Night. The evening will feature the championship finals for all three-year-old Maryland Sire Stakes divisions, as the state's finest sophomore trotters and pacers compete for championship titles and the richest purses of the season.

(With files from Maryland Standardbred Race Fund)