by Mike Wandishin, for Rosecroft Raceway

Ft. Washington, MD — Jonathan Nikodemski, 21, trains Blue Time Frosty for owner Kathleen Layton of Greensboro, Md., and after a couple of starts over the Rosecroft oval decided to put himself in the bike for the seventh race on Tuesday night (Nov. 6).

Blue Time Frosty had faced the gate 151 times and won 19 of those starts, but hadn’t won in a couple of years and was dismissed at 43-1 as Badlands Lad went to the gate as a 1-9 choice.

Nikodemski fired Blue Time Frosty out of the gate quickly and grabbed the lead with Badlands Lad a threatening presence in the two hole. After a :27.1 quarter, Nikodemski stole a :30.2 second quarter and the field headed down the backside.

Out popped Badlands Lad and charged up to slug it out first over and was shaken off as Blue Time Frosty and Nikodemski tossed out a :28.2 third quarter. Badlands Lad ducked back in to braven up around the final turn but as they turned for home Nikodemski put Blue Time Frosty to a drive and never had an anxious moment en route to a 1:56.1 lifetime mark. Badlands Lad held the place for driver Justin Vincent.

While Nikodemski celebrated his first win of the year (and second of his career), a pair of Rosecroft veterans showed they must be respected with Corey Braden winning five races and leading driver Frank Milby recording a double.

Not to be overlooked by everyone was Tyler Davis, the 20-year-old grandson of Eddie Davis, who had two career driving wins heading into the card. In the third he reined Quiken My Pulse, a horse that had hit the ticket just once in 27 starts, to a perfect two hole trip and pounced on odds on favorite Like A Rocket in the final sixteenth and broke his maiden. This well-meant winner paid $15.60 as the second choice.

Taking full advantage of having two drives on the card and feeling confident, Davis fired Bad Break out of the gate like a runner in the ninth race, opening up a quick five lengths and they extended the margin to seven at the half. Down the backside Davis and Bad Break roared, staying seven lengths on top. David The Great got around a troubled Dawn’s Delight and was under a withering drive and had cut the lead to only five lengths as the leader hit the final turn. Davis put Bad Break to a drive as she began to tire but had enough left to hold on and pay $25.20 for the win as Davis doubled his career victory total.

Racing returns to the Raceway by the Beltway on Saturday evening at 7:25 p.m. and the box for that card will open at 12 noon on Wednesday, while closing at 3 p.m.