Osterc nips Mass Fortune K in Old Oaken Bucket

Delaware, OH — Osterc avoided trouble when Union Forces went off stride in front of him coming out of the first turn and then held off Mass Fortune K and Summit In Sight in the stretch to win the $95,425 Old Oaken Bucket for 3-year-old male trotters in 1:54.4 Thursday (Sept. 19) at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.

Osterc held off Mass Fortune K by a neck, with Summit In Sight an equally close third. USTA/Mark Hall photo.

Union Forces, leaving from post five, left the gate quickly and took the early lead in front of 4-5 favorite Osterc but made a break that caused a moment of concern for winning trainer Per Engblom.

“I was standing right before the quarter pole when he actually hit the wheel of (Union Forces) when he made the break, so I was a little nervous (Osterc) was going to get off stride,” Engblom said. “But he has a good mindset to him. He doesn’t want to make a mistake.”

After controlling the race for the remainder of the opening half-mile, Osterc and driver Yannick Gingras faced pressure from Summit In Sight on the backstretch. The two colts raced side by side until through three-quarters before Osterc re-established his hold on the lead. Work remained, but Osterc held off Mass Fortune K by a neck, with Summit In Sight an equally close third.

Prior to racing around the half-mile oval at Delaware, Osterc competed twice on half-mile tracks with mixed results. He won the Dexter Cup in early May at Freehold Raceway and went off stride in the Yonkers Trot at Yonkers in late August. Engblom said he was “not really” concerned about returning to the small track today.

“He trained really good and he felt nice and sound,” Engblom said. “After the warm-up I was pretty confident he was going to do good.”

Osterc, by Cantab Hall out of Oh Oh Hereshecomes, has won four of 13 races this year and earned $226,629. For his career, he has won nine of 20 starts and $453,030. Osterc is owned by Christina Takter and Goran Falk, who both also bred the colt.

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