Oak Grove, KY — Driver Brandon Bates comfortably took control past the quarter with 9-5 second choice Drink Up Drink Up and moseyed through the mile with a confident hold to clinch a 1:55.3 win in the featured $30,000 Open Trot on Tuesday (March 24) at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel.
Bates floated forward with the Walter Haynes Jr. trainee to settle for the pocket briefly behind DP Freedoms Chrome (driven by Marcus Miller) heading to a :27.2 first quarter. Drink Up Drink Up edged outside and brushed to the front before the second turn while slowing the tempo to a half in :57.1. Prince Of Honor (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), the even-money favorite, tipped off the pylons from third and pushed uncovered up the rim into the backstretch but idled past three-quarters in 1:26.4. Bates kept a snug grip on his charge through the last turn while Prince Of Honor tired and let the leader loose spinning for home.
My Man Peter (Marvin Luna) launched off cover from second-over to close ground late, but settled for second, beaten three-quarters of a length. DP Freedoms Chrome angled from the pocket in the lane to finish evenly in third while Tug And Coop (Atlee Bender) grabbed fourth.
A 6-year-old gelding by Trixton, Drink Up Drink Up won his third race from four starts this season and his 22nd race from 84 starts overall, good for $396,658 in earnings. He competes for owners Adam Friedland and Brian Carsey, and paid $5.72 to win.
Live racing resumes at Oak Grove next Monday (March 30). First-race post time is 1:10 p.m. (CDT).