Four new Maryland Sire Stakes champions were crowned Wednesday, July 29 at Ocean Downs as the state’s top three-year-old pacers and trotters competed for $140,845 finals in front of an enthusiastic crowd. The evening showcased dominant favourites, thrilling stretch battles and standout performances from Maryland’s premier sophomore stars.
The night began with the Three-Year-Old Filly Trot, where Progressivekathy lived up to her overwhelming 1-9 favouritism with a commanding gate-to-wire victory in a new lifetime-best of 1:59. Driven by Russell Foster for trainer Ronald Millman, the daughter of Il Mago-Progressive Caviar controlled the pace from the outset, setting fractions of :29.2, :59.1 and 1:28.4 before winning by 5-3/4 lengths. Twisted Janet (Corey Braden) sat second throughout and finished second for trainer Adrian Wisher Jr., while stablemate More Than Tipsy (Jared Moyer) completed the trifecta.
Owned and bred by Scott Woogen of North Chesterfield, Virginia, Progressivekathy capped an outstanding Maryland Sire Stakes campaign with the richest victory of her career, pushing her lifetime bankroll over $215,000. She boasts top two finishes in 11 of her 21 career starts, with six being winning efforts.
The Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot produced one of the night’s best races as Booger Bear edged favoured stablemate Yall Got No Shot in a thrilling stretch duel. Driver Johnathan Ahle settled 8-5 second choice Booger Bear just behind the popular pacesetter, Yall Got No Shot (Russell Foster), through panels of :29.1, :58.1 and 1:27 before tipping out in the lane to wear down his stablemate and prevail by 2-1/4 lengths in a career-best 1:56.2. Convicted Criminal (Brandon Givens) rallied to finish third.
Richard Hans of Westminster, Maryland trains, owns and bred the Yall Beneath Me-Get Rich Quick gelding, who delivered a divisional stakes and track record performance. Booger Bear, who was a Maryland Sire Stakes champion at Ocean Downs as a rookie, has finished top two in 10 of his 11 career starts, with his fifth win boosting his bankroll over the $200,000 mark.
The Three-Year-Old Filly Pace featured another outstanding finish as 1-2 favourite Thatsloveto dug in gamely to repel multiple challengers and earn a narrow victory in 1:56. Johnathan Ahle, winner of two Sire Stakes finals, guided the daughter of Dapper Dude-I Cant Stoplovinu to the early lead in a :27.3 first quarter and expertly rated fractions of :57.3 and 1:26.4 before holding off the late charge of I Say That Too (Corey Braden) by three-quarters of a length. More Than Better (Russell Foster) closed strongly to finish another half-length back in third after rallying first-over around the final turn.
Trained, owned and bred by Dominik Miga of Cream Ridge, New Jersey, Thatsloveto has now captured two Sire Stakes championships in succession as she won a freshman final at Rosecroft Raceway back in October 2025. Now six-for-10 lifetime, she has earned more than $175,000 in purses.
The evening last championship was the Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace, where Dapper Time proved best after controlling the race from start to finish, giving Russell Foster his second stakes win of the evening. Foster sent the Dapper Dude-Betty Clocker colt directly to the lead from the rail and never looked back, turning away every challenge through splits of :28, :58.1 and 1:26.4 before stopping the timer in 1:56. Coach Cooley (Shane Griffith) chased throughout to finish second, while Better Gon (Tony Morgan) overcame an early miscue and a wide trip to rally for third. The winner delivered as the 9-5 second choice in the wagering, with favoured Inca Social (Roger Plante Jr.) out of contention at the start due to a break in stride.
Jason Walters trains Dapper Time for owners Anthony Sapienza of Ponce Inlet, Florida, Melissa Beckwith of Wilton, New York and Nancy Longobardi of Norfolk, Massachusetts. The colt has finished no worse than second in five races, while picking up his first two wins, since being acquired by his current connections in late May. He's earned nearly $110,000 in 16 lifetime starts.
Next for the Maryland Standardbred Race Fund are races for horses that were foaled in Maryland with Maryland Standardbred Fund races on Monday and Wednesday of this upcoming week.
(With files from Maryland Standardbred Race Fund; photo of Booger Bear winning on July 29)