In a thrilling Saturday night of racing at Rosecroft Raceway, two-year-old pacer Varsity Hanover recorded his sixth win in a row in 1:56.4 on the engine
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Varsity Hanover moved up to face older and faster company this week including Lislea Pat, winner of four of his last six, I Told Gordy, winner of two out of three in the highest classes at Rosecroft, and Gold Like U, winner of three in a row at Rosecroft before a fourth place finish in his last.
Varsity was pushed hard to protect the rail and hit the quarter in :27.4 for driver Justin Vincent. After backing off to the half in :59.3, the field began the chase in earnest. Lislea Pat was attacking uncovered on the outside and Rocknroll Jewel loomed a major danger from the two-hole. I Told Gordy had advanced to second over as the field paced a :28.2 third quarter.
On the far turn Lislea Pat continued to ground away, I Told Gordy had tipped three-wide, and Rocknroll Jewel was waiting for clearance.
But Varsity Hanover found more and stayed clear to the wire in a powerful performance, holding sway while completing the mile in 1:56.4, a new lifetime mark. Rocknroll Jewel grabbed the place late and I Told Gordy was steady late to hold the show. Lislea Pat just missed in a tight three-horse battle for place and show and was fourth.
Varsity Hanover is owned and trained by James Whalen Jr. of Crumpton, Maryland and has seven wins and a second on his 12-race record. He paid $21.20 to win as handicappers discounted the two-year-old’s chances against such an accomplished field.
Donnie Russell won four races Saturday night while Ken Weckstein recorded the first pari-mutuel driving double of his career and triggered $100-plus exactas in both cases.
“I’ve won two races at a fair before, but never at a pari-mutuel track,” said Weckstein, who is an attorney and drives mostly his own horses and seldom more than a horse or two a week.
Charles “Chief” Robbins, another horseman who drives his own horses and is an entrepreneur, also scored a victory on the Saturday night card winning on a catch-drive for trainer Betsy Brown while setting a seasonal mark of 1:58.4 on Western Albert. This was Robbins first pari-mutuel winner since scoring with Andi Rose at Colonial Downs last fall.
(With files from Rosecroft Raceway)