Fort Washington, MD — Five days after delivering a decisive 1:50.4 score in his Maryland debut, Chalk Hanover proved a powerful two-move winner in Saturday’s (May 3) featured $9,000 top-level conditioned pace at Rosecroft Raceway, giving driver Jonathan Roberts one of four wins on the 11-race Derby Day program.
After getting away in midfield behind a :26.3 first quarter controlled by 28-1 shot Stakeholder (William Carter), Roberts aggressively brushed Chalk Hanover to the lead before completing a :55.2 half, only to be headed by Alabamajamma (Russell Foster) with three-eighths to go.
Chalk Hanover resolutely held his ground through a :26.4 third-quarter duel, refusing to let Alabamajamma clear and reclaiming the lead at the eighth pole en route to a 1-1/4 length, 1:50.3 score. A Major Attitude (Roger Plante Jr.) dove to the inside and rallied for second over Phils Sun (Declan Donoway), who narrowly collared Alabamajamma for third.
Eric Ell trains Chalk Hanover, a 4-year-old Bettor’s Delight-Current Hanover gelding who paid $3.40 to win, for Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar and Steve Iaquinta.
Roberts also drove R N B Band (1:52.4, $4.00) and Starship (1:52.1, $2.20) to victory for his father, trainer William “Bib” Roberts, as well as Manferno (1:51.4, $10.00) for trainer Greg Trotto.
Live racing returns to Rosecroft on Wednesday (May 7). A pair of non-wagering Maryland Sire Stakes preliminary divisions are slated for 6:30 p.m. (EDT) and 6:45 p.m., and the 13-race pari-mutuel program will begin at 7:15 p.m. and feature a $4,508.76 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5, offered in race 10. Free past performances and The Players’ Guide tip sheet are available for download at www.rosecroft.com.