This Sunday (April 15) the Maryland State Racing Commissioners will take to the sulkies and compete in three scheduled non-betting events at Rosecroft Raceway. The race has been named the In Your Pace Championship.
The Racing Commissioners will race in two eliminations consisting of four Commissioners each, with the two winners returning for the Championship match race. The Commissioners participating include David Hayden, Clarissa Coughlin, Mike Algeo, Tom Bowman, Konrad Wayson, Tammy Lafferty, Mike Hopkins and Ron Thomas.
“We are excited to be hosting the Maryland Racing Commissioners this upcoming Sunday as they compete against one another,” said Gina Maybe, the acting Vice President of the Cloverleaf Standarbred Owners Association. “For some of them this will be their first opportunity to sit behind a Standardbred and we are overjoyed with their enthusiasm.”
Gina also thanked the many horsemen and women of CSOA for donating their horses and time to make this race the success that it will be.
Mike Copperthite of the Washington, D.C. famed Copperthite Pie Company has donated a pie to be presented to the winning Commissioner. The Copperthite family's involvement with harness racing dates back to his grandfather, who built a racetrack and was an owner and driver who competed horses in Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia and on the Grand Circuit in the early 1900's.
There was some friendly kidding when Clarissa Coughlin announced that she would be racing in a race bike while the others would be racing in jog carts. This immediately brought objections from the other Commissioners. Coughlin was overruled by the other Commissioners and will participate in a jog cart as the others.
Post times for the elimination races is 4:45 PM and 5:10 PM and the Championship match race will take place after the 4th race.
1st Elimination (Post time, 4:45)
1. Crab Cake – David Hayden
2. Old Bay – Clarissa Coughlin
3. Natty Boh – Mike Algeo
4. Rochfish – Tom Bowman
2nd Elimination (Post time, 5;10)
1. Route Fifty – Konrad Wayson
2. Patuxent – Tammy Lafferty
3. Charm City – Mike Hopkins
4. Assateague – Ron Thomas
(Fred Hudson)