Berlin, MD — The rivalries in the Maryland Sire Stakes between Call Me Goo and Goolishness in the 3-year-old filly trot and Val’s Girl and Phoenix Rising in the 3-year-old filly pace continued on Wednesday (July 19) as Ocean Downs hosted the Summer Showcase for the sophomore Maryland Sire Stakes with each final going for a purse of $85,000.

In the first Maryland Sire Stake, going as race six, reinsman Jonathan Roberts tucked Call Me Goo (Googoo Gaagaa) in the pocket behind Goolishness (Googoo Gaagaa) before tipping out at the head of the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length in the 1:59.2 mile. Call Me Goo boosted her stats to 10 wins in 14 lifetime starts and sent her earnings to over $174,000. Jason Skinner trains for owner Graham Grace Stables. The breeder is Wm. Bib Roberts.

Race seven brought the filly pacers behind the gate. Val’s Girl (Rusty’s For Real) with Roger Plante Jr. between the wheels went wire-to-wire with rival Phoenix Rising (Movie Idol) getting the pocket trip with only a head separating them at the wire. Val’s Girl prevailed, raising her lifetime earnings to over $195,000 with 14 wins in 16 starts for owners LeBlanc Racing Inc., William Lutz Jr. and Count De Money Stable with Steve Leblanc the trainer. Breeders are Tom and Linda Winebrener.

In the eighth race on the card, Roberts used the rail post position to his advantage behind Tenouttaten (Cam’s Rocket) to control every fraction in the trotting colts and geldings final to hold off a late charge by How Doo You Goo (Googoo Gaagaa) in the 2:01.1 mile, boosting his earnings to over $104,000. Tenouttaten is owned, trained and bred by Kerry Welty.

Race nine on the program saw the pacing colts and geldings close out the showcase with a speed duel between Smooth Rocket (Cam’s Rocket) on the rail and Oh Absolutely (Rusty’s For Real) on the outside. That gave pocket sitting Babes All In (Rusty’s All In) the opportunity to slip up the passing lane to tie the gelding stakes record of 1:54.1 set in 2019 by Trump That Rusty. Babes All In is owned, trained and bred by Ron Short. Jared Moyer was in the bike. Babes All In raised his lifetime earnings to over $127,000.

Maryland stakes take a week break, returning on Monday (July 31) with the freshman Maryland Standardbred Fund (foaled) Stakes.