Double millionaire JL Cruze took advantage of a clear stalking trip and a closer-friendly track bias en route to his 75th career win, a 1:54.2 score in the $17,143 Open Handicap Trot at Rosecroft Raceway on Wednesday, March 26.
In line to Russell Foster, the 14-year-old Crazed-Topcat Hall gelding perched off :26.3 first-quarter duel between Spy Booth (Jonathan Roberts) and 4-5 favourite College Tuition (Johnathan Ahle) before enjoying a three-hole ride through middle splits of :55.3 and 1:24.4. Just prior to entering the far turn, Foster angled JL Cruze off the pegs and the veteran responded at once to collar the tiring Spy Booth at head-stretch and draw clear to win by a measured 2-1/4 lengths. College Tuition rallied up the open stretch to narrowly save second out of a failing pocket. Bur Bun (Roger Plante Jr.) closed belatedly for third.
Eric Ell trains JL Cruze, who is two-for-eight this season, for the partnership of Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar Jr. and Steve Iaquinta. JL Cruze paid $11 to win as the 9-2 third choice.
Local horsewoman Stacey McLenaghan topped a field of eight female drivers to take the $714 top prize in the Grit & Grace Drivers Challenge, a two-race competition that attracted reinswomen from the Mid-Atlantic, New England and the Midwest.
After finishing third in the first leg with Money Or Roses, McLenaghan piloted Scott Warnick trainee Hey Siri to a 12-1 upset in the second leg, sealing victory over Marianna Monaco, who won the first leg with 30-1 outsider Wiggling Jenna. Also competing were Stacy Chiodo, Doreen Dailey, Alexandra Goldin, Lauren Harmon, Leslie Joyce and McKenzie Sowers.
Live harness racing returns to Rosecroft on Monday, March 31, with a pair of carryovers: $676.71 in the Pick-5 (Races 3-7) and $5,322 in the Jackpot Hi-5 (Race 10). First post is 7:15 p.m.
(With files from Rosecroft Raceway)