Knightswood brings Callahan win number 3,000
February 26, 2006,By Daina Kazmaier, Rosecroft Publicity Office
FT. WASHINGTON, MD — Driver Walter Callahan hit lifetime win number 3,000 with a strong mile from Knightswood [$15.60, $7.60, $5.00] in a claiming event on the pace at Rosecroft Raceway on Saturday.
Callahan guided the 10-year-old Shipps Purser gelding off of the gate from the rail to expertly cut fractions of 29.1, 1:01.2 and 1:30.4, stopping the timer in 2:00.2. Owner Cindy Englebach recently picked up the gelding from Sports Creek Raceway in Michigan, where he was on a winning streak in the $2,000 claiming class. Knightswood, a classy pacer with over $425,000 in lifetime earnings, is trained by Callahan as well.
Callahan has been driving since 1977 on the Mid-Atlantic circuit, and has banked over $10 million in purses. He currently holds a place in the top 10 in the Rosecroft Raceway driver standings. His most successful year to date as far as monetary winnings go was 1999, where he earned almost $812,000.
CAMS LITTLE IMP N WIRES TO VICTORY IN FEATURE PACE
Lester Walls and Jack Upchurch’s Cams Little Imp N [$3.80, $2.40, $2.10] paced wire-to-wire in the $7,400 Winners Over event for mares at Rosecroft Raceway on Saturday, chalking up her second win of the year.
The nine-year-old Camtastic mare left the gate from post four with Tom Jackson in the sulky, and was by far the best of the field, pacing through quarters of 28.2, 59.3 and 1:27.3. Cams Little Imp N topped Blueridge Mosaic by three-quarters of a length in 1:56.2. Trained by Wayne Whitson, Jr., the mare upped her lifetime earnings to over $397,000 with this win.
Blueridge Mosaic [$4.60, $6.80] turned in a sharp mile for the John Wagner connections. The four-year-old daughter of Real Artist got a pocket trip from post two and did not yield to the competition to score a second place finish. Making her first start back after a very costly break in the same event on January 28th, Blueridge Mosaic minded her manners and paced home with a last quarter of 28.4.
Third under the wire were Realistic Ability [$2.10] and Chris Offutt. Making her second effort back after a layoff, the four-year-old Real Artist mare improved her performance from last week when she finished eighth. This week, however, Realistic Ability lived up to her name and paced a strong mile in 1:57.0. Last year, the mare took a mark of 1:53.3. at Rosecroft.
The 4-2-3 triple returned $240.00.
Rosecroft will present live racing once again on Tuesday evening at 5:35 p.m.