John MacDonald uncorked yet another double-digit winner in the top class at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel, this time guiding 12-1 shot Illusion Seelster to victory in the $41,096 Fillies & Mares Open Pace on Monday, April 29.
Leaving from post three, MacDonald settled Illusion Seelster into fourth while 2-5 favourite Southwind Bella (Devon Tharps) floated forward from the outermost post to win the skirmish for the lead after a :26.4 first quarter. Southwind Bella cruised past a :56.4 half chased by Msdinosis Blugrass (Pat Curtin) to then up the tempo moving for three-quarters. Msdinosis Blugrass lost ground while MacDonald launched Illusion Seelster off the pegs and rushed into second by the third station in 1:24.4 with still three lengths to recoup on the leader. Illusion Seelster kept plugging through the final turn and spun for home loaded with steam to upend the odds-on choice going away by two lengths in a 1:53.1 mile. Southwind Bella settled for second with Cantgetuoutamymind (Ernie Hendry) another five lengths behind in third and Better Double Flip (LeWayne Miller) right alongside in fourth.
Illusion Seelster has now won eight times from 39 tries and banked $160,690. Maria Alvarez trains the four-year-old State Treasurer mare for owner Terrence Smith. She paid $26.74 to win.
Oak Grove presented a pair of harness racing events highlighting the United States Amateur Driving Club (USHDC) on Monday and drivers Tony Dinges and Jacob Stillwell were victorious in their respective conditioned/optional claiming paces.
Dinges piloted Dein Spriggs’ Great Britain-bred Laneside Logic GB to a narrowing win in 1:55.3, with the nine-year-old The Preacher Pan gelding holding off the late-charging Pinewood Jesse (Marcus Hill) by a half-length. Southwind Molly (Carson Conrad) was just another nose back in third while Western Boots (John Mungillo) was a-late charging fourth. Snap Call (Peter Kleinhans) actually closed fastest of all to finish fifth after starting from the second tier.
Purchased late last year by Spriggs, Laneside Logic GB is also trained by driver Dinges. The winning mile on Monday came with Laneside Logic GB sawing through panels of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:26.1 with his :29.2 finale resulting in a new lifetime mark.
In an interview with Spriggs from Sweden, he said, “He’s certainly no Foiled Again, but he just missed last week in finishing second so Tony decided to give him another chance from his inside post. Post position played a big plus today and he raced great.”
Off as fourth choice in the betting, Lakeside Logic GB paid $13.70 to his faithful.
Stillwell was victorious in the other USHDC event, scoring a gate-to-wire win with the five-year-old Pet Rock gelding Rockin M in 1:55.3, holding off challengers much of the mile while carving up fractions of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:25.1.
The fastest closing Merito Hanover, handled by Dinges, was second, 3-1/4 lengths away, while Tapped Teen (Conrad) finished third after going a game mile outside looking in the entire distance. Shes A Fireball (Cassidy Whitton) was next with Lous Delight (Klenihans) getting the nickel.
Trained by Antonia Storer for the Cjatpr Stable, Rockin M won for the second straight week. He paid $6.44 as second choice in the betting.
The USHDC membership consists of drivers who donate 100 per cent of the earnings from driving events earmarked for charitable contributions ranging from Standardbred aftercare to training retired pacers and trotters in new careers in the field of therapeutics, among other endeavours.
Live harness racing resumes at Oak Grove on Tuesday, April 30 at 3 p.m. (CDT) and features a nearly $1,000 carryover in the 20-cent Early Pick 5, which starts in Race 1 and has a takeout rate of just 15 per cent.
(With files from Oak Grove & USHDC)