Bythemissal followed up his decisive Breeders Crown Open victory with an even more dominating triumph in Thursday (Nov. 9) night’s $125,000 Potomac Pace at Rosecroft Raceway.
While capturing his 11th victory of the 2023 racing season, the Ron Burke-trained gelding became the first favourite to win in the eight-year history of Rosecroft’s marquee race. Bythemissal has won 25 of 32 lifetime starts.
Allywag Hanover, who set a world record on a five-eighths of a mile track while winning last year’s Potomac Pace in 1:46.4, was quickest to leave in the eight-horse field, while Byethemissal got away a bit slowly before being sent after the pacesetter on the first turn by driver Yannick Gingras. Bythemissal took over the lead past a blistering first quarter of a mile in :26.1. The son of Downbytheseaside never looked back while setting fractions of :54.1 and 1:20.4 on his way to a final clocking of 1:48 for the mile while drawing away. The final time was the fastest turned in by a four-year-old gelding in Rosecroft history.
“He’s just a great horse,” said Gingras, the leading money-winning driver in North America this year. “He can do it any which way.”
Tattoo Artist, the 2-1 second choice driven by Louis-Philippe Roy, got away third from his rail post position and closed to finish a distant second. Linedrive Hanover and Scott Zeron edged Allywag Hanover for third.
Gingras is looking forward to Bythemissal's next start, a highly-anticipated matchup against harness racing's top ranked horse, Confederate, in the TVG / FanDuel Championships on Saturday, Nov. 25 at Meadowlands Racetrack.
"It will be great for the sport. Confederate has put in some amazing miles...he's going to be tested. So far, in the three-year-old division, he hasn't been tested really. But when he faces Tattoo [Artist] and Allywag [Hanover] and Bythemissal, he will be tested, there's no doubt.
"But he's a great horse, so it's going to be a battle."
Bythemissal is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Eric Good, Rich Lombardo Racing and Weaver Bruscemi.
(With files from Rosecroft Raceway)