Spring Blake made every pole a winning one in the $16,438 Open Handicap Pace at Rosecroft Raceway on Monday, March 2, scoring his third win of the season and capping a hat trick for trainer Johnny Crites Jr.
In line to Russell Foster and sent off as the 1-5 favourite from post eight, Spring Blake sprinted clear of 49-1 shot Horse (William Carter) through a :27.2 first quarter before briefly yielding control to 5-2 second choice Layton Hanover (Roger Plante Jr.). Spring Blake quickly retook the top with a circuit to go, and the five-year-old Courtly Choice-Spring Break ridgling rolled through middle splits of :56.1 and 1:24.2 before turning aside a late bid from Horse and winning by a measured two lengths in 1:52.3. Layton Hanover narrowly saved second from a tiring Horse.
Crites, who leads the training table at the current Rosecroft meet with 14 wins, also owns Spring Blake, who has hit the board in all six of his starts this season and paid $2.40 to win this time out.
The other two winners from the Crites stable on the 13-race program were owned by Mike Chaney: Velocity Gator ($5.20) in 1:55, with Frank Milby driving, and Ayr Corleon GB ($5.20) in 1:56.3, in rein to Corey Braden.
Foster led all drivers with four wins on Monday.
Live harness racing returns to Rosecroft on Thursday, March 5 with another 13-race program and a $27,715.71 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5, offered in the final race.
(With files from Rosecroft Raceway)