Tip Top Cat and Scorecard Dandy were each victorious in their respective $41,667 Opens at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Monday, April 14.
Leaving from Post 2 in the Open Handicap Pace, driver Brandon Bates landed in fourth with the Ron Burke trainee Tip Top Cat while Later Dudes (Trace Tetrick) powered three wide for the lead through a :25.4 first quarter. Later Dudes grabbed the point from This Kit Rocks (Joey Putnam) passing the grandstand first time, at which point a parked Hezzz A Wise Sky (Marcus Miller) forced Bates to flush Tip Top Cat first over on the rim. Tip Top Cat charged forward after his stablemate into a :54.1 half, but parked while the tempo remained hot up the backstretch.
Later Dudes began to fold to Tip Top Cat, who put a nose in front up the backstretch and kept grinding for the lead. Tip Top Cat crossed to the top moving through three-quarters in 1:21.4 and stayed strong in the last quarter mile as the backfield tried to close in late. Odds-on favourite Saulsbrook Victor (Brett MacDonald), forced off the speed from his wide draw, gave pursuit from a three-wide move around the far turn while Tip Top Cat (pictured above) wrapped the mile in a 1:50.2 effort by 2-3/4 lengths. This Kit Rocks emerged from a ground-saving trip for third while Hezzz A Wise Sky took fourth.
A five-year-old Always B Miki-Western Top Cat gelding now with 11 wins from 57 starts, Tip Top Cat competes for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Frank Canzone and Larry Karr while adding to his bankroll now worth $590,264. He paid $6.24 to win.
Scorecard Dandy and Marcus Miller opened a competitive day of racing at Oak Grove with a pillar-to-post score from the pylon draw in the Fillies & Mares Open Pace. The John Filomeno trainee grabbed the lead through a :27.4 first quarter and rated a sensible middle clip of :56.2 and 1:23.4 before sealing the win by 1-1/2 lengths in a 1:52.2 mile. Dry Creek Princess (Jordan Ross) sat a pocket trip for second while Soft Spot (Brandon Bates) rallied from a second-over tow for third.
A seven-year-old mare by Sportsmaster out of Mahna Mahna, Scorecard Dandy has now won 28 races from 110 starts and earned $468,477. She races for owners Green Acres and Mike Klimas. The pacer paid $10.74 to win.
Racing continues at Oak Grove on Tuesday, April 15 with a 12-race card headlined by the $30,000 USD Open Trot, carded as Race 9. First-race post time at Oak Grove is 1:45 p.m. (CDT).
(With files from Oak Grove)