Mark Howard's Sheer Terror took full advantage of a pocket trip and closed through the open stretch to collar Leonards Legacy in the final yards of a 1:51.4 mile to win the $16,901 Open Handicap Pace at Rosecroft Raceway on Monday, Nov. 24.
With Jonathan Roberts at the lines for trainer Willard Reynolds, even-money favourite Sheer Terror secured a pocket ride behind Leonards Legacy (Tim Deaton) through early splits of :26.3 and :56. As the pace picked up through a :27.2 third quarter thanks to Spring Blake (Russell Foster) applying first-over pressure to Leonards Legacy, Sheer Terror tightened in the pocket behind Deaton's helmet before unleashing his winning move up the open stretch. The five-year-old Always B Miki-Economy Terror gelding switched into high gear with 100 yards remaining and defeated Leonards Legacy by a widening length. Spring Blake finished a game third.
Sheer Terror is now a 23-time winner in his career with a dozen of those wins from this year alone, lifting his earnings to $286,363. He paid $4.20 to win.
Roberts, Reynolds and Howard also took the sub-featured $14,085 top-level conditioned pace with On The Cards N, who rode the pocket to a 1-3/4-length, 1:53 victory over Frontier Rollo.
Roberts and Foster finished the 13-race card with four driving wins apiece.
Live harness racing at Rosecroft resumes Monday, Dec. 1 with a $2,123.54 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5 (race 10). First post is 7:15 p.m.
(With files from Rosecroft Raceway)