Nigel Soult photos

A Rocknroll Dance posted a 1:49.4 victory in the first division for driver Yannick Gingras.

In the $82,850 first division, A Rocknroll Dance held off a game D Terminata at the wire in posting a 1:49.4 victory for driver Yannick Gingras. The Rocknroll Hanover-Wichita Hanover colt won for the fourth time in seven trips behind the gate, lifting his bankroll to $423,325. The winner is co-owned by trainer Jim Mulinix, along with Denny Miller and Jerry and Theresa Silva.

D Terminata (John Campbell) left strongly from post position six and was in front at the opening quarter in :26.2 with A Rocknroll Dance applying pressure on the outside. D Terminata’s lead was short lived as Gingras moved A Rocknroll Dance to the top and he cut middle fractions of :54.3 and 1:22.3.

Mortal Zin and Ron Pierce were the first to make a move and they pressured A Rocknroll Dance at the three-quarter pole and into the final turn. But A Rocknroll Dance rebuffed that challenge, then had to deal with D Terminata in the lane. A Rocknroll Dance was dead game and held on for the win with a final quarter in :27.1. Hillbilly Hanover (David Miller) grabbed the show dough.

“That (opening quarter) was a little bit better than I wanted to go, that’s for sure,” said Gingras. “It was definitely taxing.

“This was a huge mile tonight. Not many horses can get used that much in the first quarter and still live to talk about it. He’s a great horse and hopefully he keeps going forward.”

Nigel Soult photos

Sing For Me George scored in 1:51.2 for driver Jody Jamieson.

The $82,850 second division went to Joseph Martinelli Sr.’s Sing For Me George in a time of 1:51.2. Jody Jamieson was in the bike for trainer Tony O’Sullivan as the son of Bettor’s Delight-Tundra Bird won for the fourth time in eight trip to the post, while lifting his 2011 earnings to $86,010.

Ideal Champ and Tim Tetrick set the pace in this mile, taking the field to the quarter in :27.3, the half in :55.4 and the three-quarters in 1:24.2.

Sing For Me George spent the mile in the back half of the pack, but he followed the favorite Simply Business on the outside of the track, then found plenty of racing room down the middle of the stretch and took advantage in posting a personal best time of 1:51.2. Simply Business (Ron Pierce) drifted to the outside of the track but was still able to finish second, while Peck Blue Chip was third for Yannick Gingras.

“Simply Business is obviously a very good colt, but this guy is lightly raced and his last three starts at Mohawk have been unbelievable,” said Sing For Me George’s trainer Tony O’Sullivan. “I’m surprised (with tonight’s performance), but I think he’s got a lot of ability, this horse.

“He’s heading to the Breeders Crown next. That’s why we brought him here, so he could race against the better horses and see if he was up to it.”

The $83,850 third division saw Sweet Lou win a tight photo over EZpass Hanover in a time of 1:50.3. Dave Palone was in the sulky for trainer Ron Burke as the son of Yankee Cruiser-Sweet Future won for the eighth time in 10 lifetime starts. The colt has now earned $349,147 for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Lawrence Karr and Phillip Collura.

David Miller sent EZpass Hanover to the front from post three and they set fractions of :26.4, :55.3 and 1:24.1. Sweet Lou was fourth for the first half-mile, then came second over behind the cover of Bolt The Duer.

Sweet Lou gobbled up a lot of ground in the lane and then nipped EZpass Hanover in a tight photo at the wire to post the lifetime mark of 1:50.3. Bettor’s Edge was third for Jody Jamieson and Bolt The Duer was fourth for Mike Lachance.

“We thought he was going to be good tonight,” said Palone. “We made an equipment change; Ronnie let his hobbles out when he trained him this week.

“He’s just the kind of colt that all year long, you’ve just got to baby sit him in spots and I didn’t want to make a mistake.”

The $83,850 fourth and final division saw Brian Sears give Escape The News a masterful drive in the stretch to nip Shakerattlenrock at the wire in a time of 1:50.3, equaling the national season’s mark for a 2-year-old pacing gelding on a mile track. The victory was the third in seven lifetime starts for the Artiscape-Ideal News juvenile, who is owned by Brittany Farms and Val D’Or Farms. Joe Holloway handles the training of the winner of $126,696 so far in 2011.

Little Michael B and David Miller protected the rail, setting fractions of :27, :54.2 and 1:22.4. Shakerattlenrock came first over in second place at the three-quarter pole and then took over the lead in the stretch, only to be caught at the wire by Sears and Escape The News as that duo weaved though traffic in the lane to find the wire first. Verdad (Yannick Gingras) picked up the show dough.

“I was able to squeeze out,” said Sears, “and when we got back into the rail the horse was nice and relaxed and once I got some room I knew he had a lot of pace.”