by Cheri Stambaugh

Berlin, MD — Ocean Downs hosted the Maryland Sire Stakes Showcase of Champions and Carnival of Racing on Thursday night (August 23).

The enthusiastic crowd enjoyed a great night of races, hat and shirt giveaways from both the USTA and Ocean Downs, plus drawings for many other prizes. The kids in the crowd were treated to pony rides and face painting plus the Standardbred Star books.

The night started with four non-wagering events, the first being a two horse field in the 2-year-old colt and gelding trot. The race ended with a disqualification when Perfect Tententen (Straight Up Lindy-Dundee Lane) caused interference as he passed Three Two One Go (Straight Up Lindy-Snow Fountain Rose) at the wire. Three Two One Go trotted in 2:08.4 for owner Nanticoke Racing LLC and trainer/driver Les Givens.

The 3-year-old filly trot, the Ronald “Doc” Banning Memorial, went to the pacesetter, Mrs Weasley (Tejano-Pigwidgeon). Once again Shelby-J made a miscue leaving the gate and again at the three-quarter pole, assuring Mrs Weasley a visit to the winner’s circle for owner Russell Williams, trainer Frank Ingrassia and driver Jacqueline Ingrassia. Time for the mile was 2:02.

The Wayne Smullin Memorial for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers went to Firecracker Freddy (Cam’s Rocket-So Advanced) in a 24-1/2 length romp over Cowboy Cal and Hillbillyhardtimes in 2:00.4. Roger Hans owns and trains Firecracker Freddy and Corey Callahan was in the bike.

Bonnie Ben Jamin (Cam’s Rocket-Jamin J) lowered her own stakes record by one full second to 1:56.3 for owner Brian Emerson by winning the Earl Wagner Memorial for 2-year-old pacing fillies by 10-1/2 lengths. Bonnie Ben Jamin remains undefeated in Maryland stakes action for trainer Judy Welty and reinsman Jim Morand.

Hotspeed (Heat Zone-Village Mystic) showed the 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers just how hot he was by winning the Hubert Jackson Memorial in 1:57 over Rock N Jam. George Dennis got the driving assignment for owner/trainer Thomas Leager.

The Charles Keller Memorial for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings went to Judge Onthe Bench (Tejano-Petite Windswept) by a head over Mycology in 2:02.4. John Swart, Jr., Barnard Jennings and Asa Swart are the owners, Nick Callahan trains and Vince Copeland was the driver.

The final stakes race of the night was the W. W. “Pete” Shaw Memorial for 3-year-old filly pacers. To no one’s surprise George Dennis took Brite Jet (Jet Pace-Brite Outlook) to the front and never looked back, stopping the clock in 1:57.2 for owners and trainer Jim and Carol Atkinson. Brite Jet remains undefeated in two years of Maryland Sire Stakes.