A 16-race card with over $300,000 in purses will highlight the Wednesday night (May 31) program that will conclude the spring meet at Rosecroft Raceway.
Four Maryland Sires Stakes races will be conducted and will showcase the continued growth in the Maryland Sires Stakes program. A couple of seasons ago, one of these races included a walk over. All four finals have enough horses to be carded as part of the pari-mutuel card.
The three-year old filly trotting division for $70,400 is highlighted by the Holy Guacamole distaffer Holy Trout. Two starts back she set the standard for the MDSS program, as she trotted a mile in 1:57. She has recorded 12 wins from 16 starts and has banked earnings of $70,706 for breeder-owner Dr. William Solomon and trainer Steve LeBlanc. Roger Plante has been her regular pilot over the past two years. She will score from Post 7. The Les Givens trained entry of Camita (Givens) and LGs Hotshoegirl (Orlando Greene) has been her closest pursuers.
Mr Ham Sandwich is the 6-5 computer-generated morning line choice in Race 4 for three-year old colt pacers. Rosecroft’s leading driver, Russell Foster, won both finals during the two-year-old season for the son of Cams Rocket, and won last week’s elimination in 1:53.2. He has won nine of 12 lifetime starts and $58.042. Toms Tarzan has chased him home in both eliminations for driver Brian Burton.
The sophomore colt trotters will be highlighted by the powerful Richard Hans entry, Ei Ei O, and Hybrid Henry. ‘Henry’ won nine of 10 in his freshmen year as he dominated the MDSS to the tune of $78,949. Last week he drew off for Foster after his stablemate made a break trying to gain on him before the three-quarters pole. Ei Ei O, made his lifetime debut at three and has won three of five starts. His only losses have come when the son of Cams Rocket broke stride. Burton will drive and have the rail.
The three-year old filly division has seen the most depth with improvement from several fillies so far this season. The biggest eye opener has been Hybrid Heidi. The Cams Rocket filly made only two starts last year, and a barn change to Carlin Savage has seen her find some good footing of late. She has won two straight in the care of Savage including last week’s eye-popping 1:53.1 score. Richard Hans is the owner-breeder.
Miss Valerie, a daughter of Allies Western, suffered her first career loss in 12 lifetime starts last week. A winner of $75,450 as a two-year old, Miss Valerie has drawn Post 6 for Plante and trainer LeBlanc.
Evergreen Marla, sired by Capitol Power, was an easy winner for Foster in her elimination in 1:55.1. She earned $34,887 finishing second or third in eight of 13 starts at two. She has the rail in the final for owner Frank Lemon and trainer Jerry Nock.
Cheap Aint Fast kept up with Hybrid Heidi last week only missing by three quarters of a length. She has had an adventurous start to her season making a break, falling before a start and then last week towing along behind a fast winner for owner Gloria Kinnamon and trainer Tony Sapienza. Kinnamon was the owner of champion filly from last year, Fastestgirlaround.
Whitesville Michele might be a live longshot for driver David Hill III and owner-trainer Gary White. The Capitol Power filly has been aggressive in her first two starts, parked to half in :57 in her debut and last week closing well to be second in Evergreen Marlas division.
The $10,000 Open for Mares will be highlighted by the last two winners, Breadcrumb Income (Burton) and Rhapsody Rose (Plante). Each has won by a neck the last two weeks. It will be a battle of young vs. old, and Burton campaigns the four-year-old filly while Brian Fisher trains the 11-year old mare for the Twin Ponds Stable. She has 39 wins and lifetime earnings of $366,463.
Post time is 5:40 p.m. Eastern Time. The card will feature a Pick-5 (Races 7-11) with a 12 per cent takeout and a Pick-4 (Races 12-15).
(Rosecroft Raceway)