Oak Grove, KY — Wayne Oke trainee Muskateer Hanover returned to the top class where he won three weeks ago and reclaimed his crown with a 1:51.1 victory in the $30,000 Open Handicap Pace on Tuesday afternoon (June 16) at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel.
Leaving from post 5, driver Geremy Bobbitt blasted Muskateer Hanover to the fore and easily took control through a :26.2 first quarter. He faced no challengers passing the stands, allowing Bobbitt to hit the brakes to a :55.3 half before gathering speed for the backstretch. Admiral Hill (driven by Atlee Bender), the even-money favorite, pushed up the rim out of fourth with A Cool Moment (Joey Putnam) in tow rolling to three-quarters in 1:23 but evened in his bid coming for home. Muskateer Hanover accelerated and won comfortably by 1-3/4 lengths over Admiral Hill with A Cool Moment closing in third and Night Hawk (Devon Tharps), off a pocket trip, chasing in fourth.
A 6-year-old gelding by Sweet Lou-Marinade Hanover, Muskateer Hanover collected his eighth win from 13 starts this season and his 27th win from 94 starts in his career, earning $673,699. He’s owned by Calcutta Stable LLC and paid $11.72 to win.
Jigger DK (Todd McCarthy) rocketed up the pylons from a pocket trip for a 1:53.2 win in the $30,000 Open Handicap Trot a few races earlier. McCarthy kept the Carter Pinske trainee in rhythm behind 8-5 favorite Little Expensive (Tyler Miller) through a clip of :26.3, :56.1 and 1:24.4 to ready him for the stretch drive. First-up Platinum As (Devon Tharps) levelled off while Little Expensive drifted upon quickening for home, giving Jigger DK the seam to spurt through and grab the win by three-quarters of a length. Little Expensive held second from Woman Of Passion (Marvin Luna) rallying for third; Platinum As held fourth.
Mark Robinson and Makenna Pinske own Jigger DK, a 6-year-old gelding by Fabulous Wood-Little Jigger. He won his second race from five starts this season and his 14th race from 30 starts in his career, earning $201,277, and paid $5.36 to win.
The Tuesday card opened with an aggressive steer from Joey Putnam to land Lyin’ Eyes back in the winner’s circle of the top class for pacing gals with a 1:50.4 effort to win the $33,000 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace. Putnam pushed through from between horses to grab the lead in a shuffle through a :26.1 first quarter, pocketing Dragons Lucky Lady (Atlee Bender) just past three-eighths. Bonitas Best Bet (Devon Tharps) then flushed outside from third moving towards a :54.4 half, supplying cover to Fearless Bettor (Marvin Luna). Lyin’ Eyes maintained her momentum to three-quarters in 1:22.4 while confronted by Bonitas Best Bet and soon repelled that rival rounding the last turn. In the stretch, Lyin’ Eyes spurted away for a lifetime-best victory by 2-1/4 lengths with Flo Jo (Archie Buford) rallying off a pylon trip for second. Dragons Lucky Lady settled for third and Fearless Bettor took fourth.
Joe Putnam trains Lyin’ Eyes, a 5-year-old mare by Odds On Equuleus-Miswave Hanover, for owners J P Racing LLC, Joey Putnam and Crazy Parrot Farm LLC. She won her first race of the year from seven starts and her 10th race from 56 starts in her career, earning $477,301. She paid $5.44 to win.
Live racing at Oak Grove resumes on Monday (June 22) with a card featuring four $150,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes finals for 4-year-olds as well as the opening round of Kentucky Sire Stakes action for 2-year-olds. Next week at Oak Grove also features an additional day of racing scheduled for Wednesday (June 24). First-race post time is 1:10 p.m. (CDT). For more information, visit oakgrovegaming.com.