Oak Grove, KY — Trainer Ron Burke and driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. teamed for victories in the pair of Open events on Monday (March 30) at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel, winning the $30,000 Open Pace with odds-on favorite Tip Top Cat and later taking the $25,000 Open 2 Pace with mare Aintnothingucando.
In the Monday feature, Wrenn hustled Tip Top Cat out of post 6 and ground towards the lead after a :26.1 first quarter, pocketing stablemate Captain Arturovico (driven by Marcus Miller). Tip Top Cat cruised to the half in :55.2 and hit the pedal up the backstretch as Fox Valley Langely (Geremy Bobbitt) mounted a first-over challenge with Burnout (Austin Hanners) in tow. Wrenn kept Tip Top Cat to task through three-quarters in 1:22.1 and held a comfortable advantage rounding for home to coast in a 2-1/2-length winner. Admiral Hill (Atlee Bender) ripped from last to take second while Burnout kicked off cover and levelled off in third. Captain Arturovico gave chase in fourth.
A 6-year-old gelding by Always B Miki, Tip Top Cat won his first race of the season and collected his 14th win from 80 starts, earning $649,334. He competes for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Frank Canzone and Larry Karr. Sent the 4-5 favorite, he paid $3.80 to win.
Wrenn and Burke later posted another speedy victory with a rebound effort by Aintnothingucando for a narrow 1:51.4 win in the $25,000 Open 2 Pace. After cutting sensible opening fractions of :27.2 and :56.4, Aintnothingucando hit high gear up the backstretch when confronted by first-over Bonitas Best Bet (Marvin Luna) marching to three-quarters in 1:23.2. Bonitas Best Bet continued digging into Aintnothingucando all through the final quarter mile but came a nose short of the winner. Tarshish (Marcus Miller), the 6-5 favorite, closed from second over for third and pocket-sitter Miss Fancy Nancy (Atlee Bender) finished fourth.
Winning her fifth race from 10 starts this season and her 17th race from 53 starts in her career, Aintnothingucando has now earned $201,365. The 4-year-old daughter of Odds On Equuleus competes for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. She paid $6.60 to win.
Racing at Oak Grove resumes on Tuesday (March 31) with a 13-race card headlined by the seventh race, a $30,000 Open Handicap Trot featuring a matchup between last week’s Open winner Drink Up Drink Up and debuting Indiana champion Ponda Jet. First-race post time at Oak Grove is 1:10 p.m.