After grinding uncovered to a narrow miss last week, Forrest Bartlett's Iwannabewithyou withstood a protracted early battle in the $16,438 Open 1 Handicap Pace on Sunday, June 16 at Ocean Downs and narrowly prevailed over a late-surging Fantastic Voyage to give driver Trae Porter one of his six wins on the card.
Iwannabewithyou was embroiled in a three-way battle for the early lead, flanked by Starship (Jonathan Roberts) and a three-wide On The Cards N (Tony Morgan) through a :26.4 first quarter. As On The Cards N retreated, Porter and Iwannabewithyou continued to press forward at Starship's outside and worked clear at the conclusion of a :54.3 first half before rationing a :29 third split.
After Iwannabewithyou's third-quarter breather, Fantastic Voyage — whom Jared Moyer sent three-wide around stalled cover midway up the backstretch — loomed a major threat midway around the far turn and closed significant ground in the stretch. Iwannabewithyou held firm and won by a diminishing nose in 1:52.4. Nuttin But Finesse (Johnathan Ahle) rallied from last to take third.
Kevin Lare trains 20-time winner Iwannabewithyou, a five-year-old Luck Be Withyou gelding who now has won eight of 17 starts this season. Iwannabewithyou paid $4.20 to win.
Porter and Lare teamed up earlier in the card to win with Hoop Star ($2.40, 1:55.2). Porter also won with Rhythm Of The Rein ($16.60, 1:53.4), American Artist K ($4.20, 1:54.3), Ideal Perfect Ten ($13.40, 1:55.2) and Son Of A Lynx ($5.40, 1:57.2). John Wagner led all trainers with three wins on the 12-race card.
On the undercard, 2022 Breeders Crown winner Ammo ($2.20) proved dominant in his Ocean Downs debut. Jonathan Roberts drove the four-year-old son of Sweet Lou, now trained by Michael Hall, to a six-length, 1:53.1 win in an $11,644 pacing event for non-winners of seven races.
Live harness racing returns to Ocean Downs on Wednesday, June 19. First post for the 12-race card is 7:05 p.m.
(Ocean Downs)