Despite needing two moves to secure the lead in the first seven-sixteenths of the mile, Dontmesswithles proved decisive in scoring his second consecutive top-level win at Rosecroft Raceway in the $15,000 Winners Over pacing feature on Monday, March 17.
In line to Roger Plante Jr. and sent off the 3-5 favourite, Dontmesswithles powered clear of 40-1 longshot Racer Pacer (Lucas Myers) through a :26.1 first quarter before briefly yielding control to Horse (William Carter) with a circuit to go. No sooner than Horse cleared to the pegs was Plante back on the move with Dontmesswithles and back in control at the end of a :55.1 half.
The six-year-old Captaintreacherous-JK Letitgo gelding never relinquished the lead from that point, parrying a first-over try from Doubleornothing N (Hugh O'Neil) up the backstretch before edging clear off the home turn to evade a late inside rally from Shim (Jonathan Roberts) by 2-1/4 lengths to win in 1:51.3. Horse held third from the pocket.
Howard Birney trains 15-time winner Dontmesswithles for Walter Birney Jr. of Port Deposit, Maryland. The winner paid $3.40.
The feature win capped a triple for Plante, who shared top driving honours on the 13-race card with Jonathan Roberts.
Live harness racing returns to Rosecroft on Wednesday, March 19 with a 13-race card featuring an Open Handicap Trot, carded as the opener, and a $1,628.38 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5, offered in race 10. First post is 7:15 p.m.
(Rosecroft Raceway)