Some horses need to work out the same trip every week, but Killer Instinct proved he could race from anywhere on his way to victory in the $18,500 Open Trot on Sunday night (Feb. 26).
Killer Instinct closed from off the pace in his last two starts against Open company; two starts back, he was a winner, while he finished third last week. On Sunday night though, driver Hunter Myers had other plans as he left alertly off the gate with Killer Instinct, clearing Big Bad Caviar (Jason Thompson) through the initial turn.
Into the backstretch, the lead was short-lived as Lexus Markus (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) would clear through an opening quarter of :27. Favourite Winning Shadow (Chris Lems), who came away in fifth, bided his time around the far turn for the first time, but he was forced to come to the outside with Perlucky (Billy Davis Jr.) flushing his cover.
At the half in :56.2, Winning Shadow sat three-quarters of a length off of Lexus Markus, who showed no signs of slowing down. The duelling leaders would continue to throw down up the backstretch for the final time, arriving at three-quarters in 1:24.4. The field bunched up around the last turn and turning for home, it appeared to be wide-open.
Through the stretch, Myers finally shook free with Killer Instinct, using the passing lane to his advantage to win by a length in 1:54.1. Winning Shadow dug in for second, while Lexus Markus and a three-wide Perlucky rounded out the superfecta.
The win was the fourth of the season for the five-year-old son of Southwind Frank who is owned by Corey Hendricks and trainer Melanie O' Donnell. The victory increased his earnings to $252,351.
In the co-featured $18,500 Open Pace, the 2020 Carl Milstein Memorial winner Odds On Osiris and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. pulled off an upset victory.
Bettor Than Spring (Davis Jr.) timed the gate perfectly and was a two-length leader heading into the first turn, but Odds On Osiris was in hot pursuit parked on the outside through most of the contested opening quarter of :26.4.
Approaching the half :54.4, Odds On Osiris had yet to see a challenger, but moving into the backstretch, Ticks A Yankin (Myers) moved up to within a neck of the leader but couldn't forge past.
At three-quarters in 1:23, a host of pursuers came with Catch Me Conrad (Kody Massey) three-deep and Southwind Amazon (Eric Tharps Jr.) four-wide, both trying to take their shot at the leader. Turning for home, Odds On Osiris put away his challengers and kicked clear to win by two lengths in 1:52. Bettor Than Spring was second, while Catch Me Conrad dug in for third.
The victory gave Odds On Osiris his 25 career win in 83 starts, bringing his total earnings to $777,033 for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi and Phil Collura. Ron Burke was the winning conditioner.
No one could correctly solve the 50-cent non-jackpot Pick-6 on Sunday night, with double-digit winners in four of the six contests. The Tuesday night Pick-6 that begins in Race 8 will feature a carryover of $4,539 and an estimated pool of $20,000. First post on Tuesday is 6 p.m.
(With files from Northfield Park)