by Jim Whittemore, publicity director, Ocean Downs

Berlin, MD — There were six Maryland Standardbred Fund races with total purses of $75,100 for 2-year-olds at Ocean Downs on Thursday, August 21.

The 43-year-old veteran driver Jim Morand logged three wins with some talented young horses. In fact, his own Nice Dream set a new Race Fund record for a 2-year-old gelding with a quick 2:01.1 trot ($2.40). The Dream Vacation-Nice Juan-Super Juan gelding, trained by Les Givens, was entered as an owner entry with colt Ruby Ransom, which finished second, driven by Brandon Givens, Les Givens’ son.

“He (Nice Dream) trotted good,” Morand said. “Every time I asked him he trotted and around the last turn, I pulled him, popped the plugs and he trotted right to the wire strong.”

In the Race Fund fillies pace, Morand used a quick brush at the wire to lead I Love The Beach (1:59.1, $3.20) past filly Aunt Faith driven by John Wagner.

“She’s just a little green, but she raced good. As soon as I moved her, she paced right on too,” Morand said about the Shotgun Scott-Lido Beach filly trained by Deleston Cote.

Be Wise Tell Lies is another 2-year-old owned by Morand with Nanticoke Racing, Inc, and trained by Les Givens. The gelding won the Race Fund colt and gelding pace ($3.20, 1:58.1).

“That was another one I bred and raised. It’s a Badlands (Hanover) colt (out of Be Explosive). He won in only his second start,” Morand said.

The Standardbred Race Fund fillies trot was won by the now Manley Brown-trained Funny Briefs, driven by Sam Belote ($4.20, 2:04.3).

“I qualified her (in her) first lifetime start (June 26) and she showed me a lot of potential. She wants to go. She loves to pass horses,” Belote said in describing the Political Briefing-Over Comical filly.

The other two Race Fund winners were filly Ashlee’s Star (Western Hanover-Lady Ashlee Ann, Victor Kirby), who recorded a 1:58.4 pace and gelding Cedar Hall Master (Masterman-Angel Of Grace, Mark Gray) who won her third race this year with a 1:59 pace.

The fourth and final leg of the Alan Myer Memorial trot late closer stakes series was won by 3-year-old colt Concertino, which completed a series sweep for driver/trainer Bill Long and owner Howard Hammond (2:01, $2.60).