by Cheri Stambaugh, MSRF Administrator

Berlin, MD — The Maryland Sire Stakes held the first round of preliminary races for freshmen at Ocean Downs on Sunday (Aug. 5). The filly pacers sent out two divisions and the colt and gelding trotters had three splits.

One was the lucky number for How Bout Dat Rusty (Rusty’s For Real) and driver Jonathan Roberts; the first race, post one, getting away first and staying there to stopping the clock first in the 1:57 mile. B For Real (Rusty’s For Real) circled the field three deep at the three-quarter pole to get up for place. How Bout Dat Rusty is owned by Al Carter, trained by Mike Hall and bred by Carter Racing.

Pacing fillies returned to the track in race six and once again as in race one the rail was the place to be. Driver Jim Morand sent Tom’s Twinkle (Cam’s Rocket) gate-to-wire, tripping the timer in 2:00.1 for owner-breeder Thomas Cooke and trainer Roger Hans. Cashmeoutsiderusty (Rusty’s For Real) took the place spot.

Googoo Gaagaa’s offspring appear to be following in his footsteps, taking two of the three splits for the trotting colts and geldings at the Ocean oval. The Richard Hans owned, trained and bred Gaareat Gaazoo took a little air to the quarter pole but once on top maintained a comfortable lead to the wire over I Deliver (Four Starz Robro) in the 2:01.4 mile. Russell Foster was in the bike.

Race three saw reinsman Victor Kirby send Goocho Denaro flying out from post five to leave the rest of the field in their dust, crossing the wire 17 lengths ahead of Reach For Glory (Four Starz Robro) and JA’s Keeper. The winner is owned, trained and bred by Arlene Cameron. Time for the mile was 2:02.4.

The final split for the colt and gelding trotters went to post as race five. Remarkable De Vie (Charlie De Vie) with Victor Kirby between the wheels worked their way from post six to fifth to fourth to finally getting the lead at the three-quarter mile, opening up a seven length lead over Reformed Renegade (CR Renegade) in the 2:01.4 mile giving Kirby his second stakes win of the night.

On Monday (Aug. 6) the first round preliminaries for trotting fillies and pacing colts and geldings hit the track.