by Daina Kazmaier, Rosecroft Publicity Office

Ft. Washington, MD — Drivin’ Miss Rudee ($2.40, $2.10, $2.10) easily wired a field of Open distaff pacers, winning her Rosecroft Raceway seasonal debut in 1:55.1 on Friday, Feb. 1.

Taken off of the gate from post position five with driver Donnie Russell at her lines, the 6-year-old Walton Hanover mare cut well rated fractions of :28, :57.4 and 1:26.1, holding a steady length lead over the trailers. At the top of the stretch, Drivin’ Miss Rudee, the betting favorite, fended off her challengers to win by 1-1/2 lengths with a :29 last quarter. John Sumner trains and co-owns the mare with William Camp, Jr.

Second under the wire, as the longest shot in the race at 18-1 odds by post time, Gorgeous Lover ($8.80, $2.60) closed alertly with a :28.3 last quarter. Driven by Corey Braden for trainer Manley Brown, Jr., the 7-year-old Real Artist mare worked out a perfect trip along the rail to hit the board. Heather Ronay owns Gorgeous Lover.

Closing out the $41.00 trifecta were Gen-U-Wine Raider ($4.00) and driver Frank Milby. Sitting in the pocket through the opening fractions of the mile, the trainee of Thomas Swann stayed with the leader, finishing only 1-3/4 lengths behind Drivin’ Miss Rudee. Julie and Lois Swann co-own the 7-year-old Keystone Raider mare.

Driver Donnie Russell notched four wins out of 11 races on Friday night, making him the current leading driver.

Other than the win in the $6,000 Open Pace, his first victory came in the second race with Bulldoggin, a 3-year-old pacing colt by Nuclear High. The trainee of Roger Hans sat in the pocket and sped up in the stretch to win by just over a length in 1:58.2.

In the fifth race, Russell’s own Readbtweenthelines was victorious after making a quarter-pole move for the lead. The 8-year-old Spirited Style mare won by a neck in 1:57.3 on the pace.

Nuke The Popcorn, a 4-year-old Nuclear High gelding trained by Ron MacArthur, was handy in the pocket for a win. Russell guided the pacer to a victory in 1:59.2, crossing under the wire just a neck ahead of his contenders.

Racing Naked returns from layoff as favorite

Saturday’s (Feb. 2) 11-race card features a Winners Over Pace for a purse of $4,200, and it marks the return of Racing Naked, a talented 8-year-old Misfit horse owned by William Camp, Jr.

Set to be driven by Frank Milby from post position four as the 2-1 morning line choice, the trainee of John Sumner has not raced since December 4, 2007. Racing Naked had success at both Colonial Downs and Rosecroft late last year, and took a seasonal mark of 1:50 on October 20 over the Virginia oval.

Samsliptoneldorado is the early second choice on the line at 4-1 odds. Trained and driven by Kelly Staten, the 6-year-old Misfit gelding was third in his last start at Rosecroft on December 15, pacing in 1:56.4. The pair will race for owner Lois Leicht from post position six.

Ethical Hanover (Alvin Lineweaver, 8-1), Blissfull Ball (Billy Mann, 10-1), Vasvixen N (Walter Callahan, 10-1), Yokozuna Bo (Victor Kirby, 8-1), Perfect Magic (Corey Braden, 5-1) and Lindasfella (Brian Callahan, 6-1) round out the field.

Post time for Saturday night’s card is 6:30 p.m.