by Jim Whittemore, publicity director, Ocean Downs

Berlin, MD — “With this horse, the sky is the limit. I don’t even know how fast he is.”

Harness driver William Carter has been in the bike for all five of 5-year-old Cheap Skate’s races in the current summer meet at Ocean Downs. Cheap Skate’s win on Saturday night (June 30 — $11.80) was his fourth straight after a June 17 opening second place finish.

Cheap Skate paced the mile Saturday in a career-best 1:56.4. Carter, who now has seven driving wins this summer, felt good about the Armbro Operative gelding even after the second place finish on the meet’s second night.

“I told Mr. Eisenhower (trainer Joseph Eisenhower, Sr.) I don’t know what type of horse you have here. The way he went today (June 17), he’ll win you some races here. I think he’s a 55-pacer down here and so far, he’s living up to that,” Carter said.

This was the fifth training win of the meet for Eisenhower who has a two win lead in the trainer’s title chase over three other trainers, including Gary White, whose 6-year-old mare Whitesville Tara (W. David Hill III, $2.40) won her third trotting race in a row Saturday night.

Last year’s “Horse of the Meet” at the Ocean Oval is now three for her last four after breaking stride before the start of her first race of the summer meet (June 20) when she finished sixth.

Driver Ron Millman posted wins in Saturday’s final two races for his first two wins of the meet. Bubblicious won her second consecutive race ($11.00). The 4-year-old mare’s first win on June 23 was with Ray Robinson, Jr. at the controls. Millman’s tenth-race win was with 8-year-old mare Loch Shiel Falcon ($3.80), who he owns, trains and drives.

Ray Robinson, Jr. remains the leading driver for the meet with 15 wins. Charles Perry, Jr. is second with eight victories. Perry on Saturday led John and Lisa Vickers’ 10-year-old Lavros Chok N to his first win in 2007 with a late burst of speed at the wire ($7.60).

Racing resumes Sunday evening (July 1) with a first post of 7:35 p.m. The live meet with free parking and admission continues a Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday format through August 25. There will be no racing though Wednesday, July 4, as the track hosts a community fireworks display. For more information on Ocean Downs, call (410) 641-0600.