Fort Washington, MD – Spring Blake made every pole a winning one in Monday’s (March 2) $12,000 Open Handicap Pace at Rosecroft Raceway, scoring his third win of the season and capping a hat trick for trainer Johnny Crites Jr.
In line to Russell Foster and sent off the 1-5 favorite, Spring Blake sprinted clear of 49-1 outsider Horse (driven by William Carter) through a :27.2 first quarter before briefly yielding control to 5-2 second choice Layton Hanover (Roger Plante Jr.). Spring Blake quickly retook the top with a circuit to go, and the 5-year-old Courtly Choice-Spring Break ridgling rolled through middle splits of :56.1 and 1:24.2 before turning aside a late bid from Horse and winning by a measured two lengths in 1:52.3.
Layton Hanover narrowly saved second from a tiring Horse.
Crites, who leads the training table at the current Rosecroft meet with 14 wins, also owns Spring Blake, who paid $2.40 to win. His other two winners on the 13-race program came for owner Mike Chaney, with Velocity Gator (1:55, $5.20, Frank Milby), and owner Ryan O’Neil, with Ayr Corleon GB (1:56.3, $5.20, Corey Braden).
Foster led all drivers with four wins.
Live racing returns to Rosecroft on Thursday (March 5) with another 13-race program and a $27,715.71 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5, offered in the final race. For more information, including free past performance pages and handicapping resources, visit www.rosecroft.com.