Spring Blake sustained a first-over grind for nine-sixteenths of a mile to collar pacesetter Leonards Legacy and narrowly held off a hard-closing A Major Attitude to secure a 1:53.1 victory in the $16,667 Open Handicap Pace at Rosecroft Raceway on Monday, Dec. 1, capping a three-win night for trainer Johnny Crites Jr. in the act.
Driver Russell Foster pushed forward off the gate with the four-year-old Courtly Choice-Spring Break ridgling and the pair retreated to third early as Leonards Legacy (Tim Deaton) and Rebellious (William Carter) duelled through a :26 first quarter. Spring Blake began his overland ascent as the field entered the clubhouse turn, working into a joint second through a :56 half and accelerating to push the pace up the backstretch.
Spring Blake claimed a narrow advantage past three-quarters in 1:23.3 and he worked to put Leonards Legacy away off the turn for home. A Major Attitude (Justin Walters) mounted a massive rally from the back of the pack and lifted around rivals but came up a half-length short. Rebellious saved third up the open stretch from a failing pocket.
Crites also owns Spring Blake, who paid $4 to win as the even-money favourite. Claimed just two starts back on Nov. 8 at Pocono Downs, Spring Blake was third in his Rosecroft debut for Crites on Nov. 24 before scoring his first Open-level victory on Monday. The victory was the pacer's 14th lifetime and brought his earnings just shy of $250,000.
Crites's other victorious trainees on the 13-race card were three-year-old pacing gelding Velocity Gator ($2.10) and seven-year-old pacing gelding Fox Valley Mamba ($71.20), both of whom won for owner Mike Chaney of Huntingtown, Maryland. Jonathan Roberts drove the sophomore to a 1:55 triumph and William Carter guided the latter veteran to a 1:53.2 score.
Live harness racing returns to Rosecroft on Thursday, Dec. 4 with a $3,145.41 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5 offered in the 10th of 13 races on the program. First post is 7:15 p.m.
(With files from Rosecroft Raceway)