Driver Joey Putnam promptly braced for a far-turn push from Crius N Rock and hit a gear his peers could not, steaming over the Oak Grove dirt to an open-length score with Isitlikeitlooks in the latter division of the two featured $12,000 conditioned pacing events on Monday afternoon.
Sent off as the 3-5 choice, Putnam cleared the lead with the seven-year-old Tellitlikeitis gelding past a :27 first quarter to pocket Shesahotmuffler. Tuapeka Jessie N pressed forward while parked from the start and challenged Isitlikeitlooks for the lead to a :56.2 half. The wide trip started biting into Tuapeka Jessie N while Crius N Rock abandoned the cover and swarmed the pacesetter to three-quarters in 1:25.2.
In a matter of strides, Isitlikeitlooks swelled to the challenge. Crius N Rock broke stride and quickly regrouped as Isitlikeitlooks motored through the lane with plenty clenched in Putnam's palms past the post. The Joe Putnam trainee stopped the clock in 1:52.4 and finished 12-1/2 lengths better than Crius N Rock with Tuapeka Jessie N taking third and Everything Z Tam snagging fourth.
J P Racing LLC and Joey Putnam own Isitlikeitlooks, a now 40-time winner from 138 starts. He paid $3.40 to win.
PD The Big Easy flexed his class in the other featured dash to overcome a first-over grind and win in 1:54.1. Kevin Wallis kept the five-year-old Sweet Lou gelding alive on the rim through a :55.4 half while digging into pacesetter Night Out (John MacDonald) to three-quarters in 1:23.4. The pair continued head and head into the stretch until PD The Big Easy straightened and pulled through to a 1-1/4-length win. Night Out held second with Rock Jagger (Tyler Shehan) riding the pylons for third and Luckonurside (Wyatt Avenatti) taking fourth.
Wayne Oke conditions PD The Big Easy, an 18-time winner from 50 tries, for owner A Piece Of The Action LLC. He paid $3.88 to win as the 4-5 choice.
Racing returns to Oak Grove on Sunday, April 23, with first post set for 3 p.m.
(Oak Grove)