Driver Mike Oosting opened Hawthorne Race Course's Saturday night (May 20) card with three straight wins in series action.
Race one on Saturday night started the second leg of the Bob Larry Series for pacers that were non-winners of $30,000 lifetime through March of this year. The leg one winner, Hot Rod Dylan, was the heavy favourite for driver Mike Oosting at post time. At the start, Sporty Redhot got away well and grabbed an early lead through a quarter in :28.4. On the backside, Hot Rod Dylan moved up to take over through the half in :57.2. After three-quarters in 1:25.4, Hot Rod Dylan maintained his advantage. In the lane, Hot Rod Dylan was all out as Fox Valley Nemitz rolled up on the outside. The two were noses apart on the wire as Hot Rod Dylan just held off Fox Valley Nemitz in a final time of 1:53. Sporty Redhot held on to finish third. Hot Rod Dylan is owned by Shirley Le Vin and trained by Nelson Willis.
Race two was the first division of the second leg of the Mike Paradise Series for Illinois-bred three-year-old pacers that had not won $10,000 lifetime through the end of March. Longshot Frontier Fred left quickly, but Ima Skydancer drove up on the outside to make the quarter in :28.4. Kid Rocky moved to challenge, but Ima Skydancer maintained the lead through a half in :57.1 and three-quarters in 1:25.4. In the lane, Mike Oosting roused the favourite as Ima Skydancer was all out, holding on for a half-length win in 1:54.4. In Your Eye rallied on the outside for second over Kid Rocky. Ima Skydancer is trained by Mike Brink.
Race three was the second division of the Mike Paradise with a field of six with leg one winner, Sullivan, the favourite for driver Casey Leonard. Commondiscourtesy got away with the lead from the outside through the quarter in :28.4. Kyle Husted kept him on the lead through a half in :58.3 and three-quarters in 1:27.4. In the lane, Sullivan angled out to contend, but Causway and Mike Oosting was moving best of all down the center of the track and rolled by both late. Causway stopped the clock in 1:55.3, keying a Mike Brink-trained exacta as Sullivan finished second while Commondiscourtesy was third.
Race four was the first division of leg two of the Cicero Claiming Series with a field of eight set to line up. Mobil Big John was favoured with Casey Leonard driving. The favourite got away on top, but Vital Terror moved up on the outside to take the lead through the opening quarter in :28.1. On the backside, Mobil Big John assumed command and covered the half in :56.3. In the turn, Mccito ranged up to contend as Mobil Big John held the lead through three-quarters in 1:25. Roused in the lane, Mobil Big John opened up on the lead, winning easily in 1:52.4. Docs Deal rolled up for second while Vital Terror finished third. Mobil Big John is owned by Tessa Roland and trained by Darren Taneyhill.
Race five was the second division of the Cicero Claiming Series with a field of six as KC Rambuctious Boy was scratched. Leg one winner Maserati Seelster was the heavy favourite for driver Tyler Shehan. Maserati Seelster took command from the start through a quarter in :27.4. On the backstretch, he opened up the lead to three lengths, covering the half in :55. In the turn, Maserati Seelster extended to a five-length lead through three-quarters in 1:23.3. Unchallenged in the lane, Maserati Seelster won easily, stopping the clock in a snappy 1:52. CR Artistic was second while Bestnotlie Hanover finished third. Trainer Darren Taneyhill earned his second win on the card.
(With files from Hawthorne Race Course)