Layton Hanover sat off a contested pace early and struck the front late en route to a 1:52.2 victory in $18,056 Open Handicap Pace featured on the opening night of Rosecroft Raceway's fall meet on Monday, Sept. 14.
With Jonathan Roberts at the controls for trainer William Andrews and owner Todd Tribbett, the seven-year-old Captaintreacherous-Livin Life gelding secured the pocket behind longshots Reactor Now A (Billy Carter) and Brooksforreal (Justin Vincent) as they duelled through a :55 first half mile. As Brooksforreal tired up the backstretch, Dontmesswithles (Roger Plante Jr.) launched a three-wide blitz off stalling second-over cover and opened a three-length advantage just past the 1:23.1 three-quarters. Layton Hanover split foes to escape a failing pocket midway around the far turn and he lifted to nab Dontmesswithles in the final 70 yards before extending his margin of victory to a length. Top Genius (Frank Milby), who was mired in traffic near the back of the field, split foes in upper stretch and rallied for third, 3-1/4 lengths farther behind.
Sent off as the 9-5 favourite, Layton Hanover recorded the 29th victory of his career and his sixth of the season in 31 starts. He paid $5.60 to win.
In the sub-featured $12,847 top-level conditioned pace, Spring Blake was defeated in his Rosecroft return after being overpowered by victorious newcomer Tignanello and William Carter in a protracted backstretch duel on their way to a 1:53.4 score.
Spring Blake, who was sent off as the 3-5 public choice and got away fourth on the first turn for Roberts, brushed to the fore just past a :27 quarter before the yielding Tignanello re-emerged past the :56.4 half. Tignanello stuck his head in front midway up the backstretch and resolutely held off an extended bid from runner-up Miki Is All In (Christian Myers) — who was flushed first-over with a lap to go and worked to chase the winner's cover up the backstretch — by a half length. Spring Blake finished a beaten third.
Jamie Bozman trains Tignanello, a six-year-old All Bets Off-Party Beach gelding, for owner Alexander Collins Jr. The winner paid paid $6.60 as the 2-1 second choice.
William Carter led all drivers with three wins on the 13-race card.
Live harness racing at Rosecroft resumes on Thursday, Sept. 17. First post for the 13-race program is 7:15 p.m.
(Rosecroft Raceway)