Fort Washington, MD — After chasing for a no-match second behind a track-record 1:49 performance from Lou’s Starr last week, Icaco Hanover got his share of the spotlight on Monday (Sept. 28) when he posted a career-best 1:49.3 victory in the $13,000 Open Handicap Pace at Rosecroft Raceway.
With owner Russell Foster at the lines, Icaco Hanover sprinted to the lead from post 4 and tore through fractions of :25.4, :54.1 and 1:21.3 before repelling a stern first-over challenge from Don’tmesswithles (driven by Fern Paquet Jr.) on the far turn. The 5-year-old Stay Hungry-Ideal Weather gelding worked to extend his winning margin to 2 lengths and take 2 seconds off his previous lifetime mark, taken earlier this season at Ocean Downs.
Don’tmesswithles sustained his pursuit to hold second; Layton Hanover (Jonathan Roberts) finished third from an earned pocket.
Megan Foster trains 16-time winner Icaco Hanover, who paid $2.60 to win as the 1-5 favorite.
On the undercard, a trio of Maryland-sired 3-year-olds completed sweeps of their preliminary Maryland Sire Stakes divisions to top their respective brackets heading into the $800,000 Maryland Showcase of Champions program, which will take place Oct. 11.
In the first $10,000 section for pacing fillies, summer series champ That’sloveto followed up her 1:57.2 first-round win with a last-to-first, 1:56 score over Pamfin. Johnathan Ahle drove the Dapper Dude-I Cant Stoplovinu filly for owner/trainer Dominik Miga.
The second pacing filly split also saw a repeat winner as Hagerman Racing’s More Than Better, a More The Better N-Aristobrat Hanover filly sent off at 1-20 in line to Foster, gutted out a late bid from pocket foe I’m Feeling Spicy to prevail by a nose in 1:57 for trainer Herman Hagerman.
Better Gon was the other repeat winner, capturing the first male pacing division by 4-1/2 lengths over Dapper Time in 1:56.2. Foster drove the More The Better N-Graygon gelding for trainer Adrian Wisher Jr. and owner Frederick Weitz Jr.
Foster scored a stakes grand slam in the bike, also driving trotting gelding Y’all Got No Shot to a 1:56.2 win for owner/trainer Richard Hans and trotting filly And Just Like That ($3.40) to a 13-3/4-length, 1:55 score for trainer Megan Foster and his own Russell Foster Racing LLC.
Pacing gelding Fast Willie ($7) completed the sextet of second-round winners with a 1:57 score in his split. Eric Davis drove for trainer Walter Bozman Jr., who shares ownership with Deborah Bozman.
The final race saw one astute handicapper cash out for $7,707.90 on a 50-cent Jackpot Hi-5 wager after 1-5 favorite More Than Ya Know led an 8-1-2-3-5 combination that saw the second- through fifth-place finishers all have odds of 37-1 or longer. As such, the Jackpot Hi-5 will start fresh when racing returns to Rosecroft on Thursday (Oct. 1).
Thursday’s program features the second preliminary round of the Maryland Sire Stakes for 2-year-olds. The first of two non-wagering events will go postward at 6 p.m. (EDT), while the 14-race pari-mutuel program will begin at 7:15 p.m. For more information, including entries, results, free past performance pages, the Players’ Guide tip sheet, and live and archived video, visit www.rosecroftraceway.com.