by Jim Whittemore, publicity director, Ocean Downs

Berlin, MD — Ocean Downs hosted the inaugural Chesapeake Bay Racing Series for Maryland-owned or sired pacers and trotters on Wednesday, August 15.

Driver Victor Kirby made his trip to the Ocean a huge success by posting two wins and a second place finish in the series, while also setting two new track records.

Racsan Jenny, a 7-year-old mare trained and partially owned by Daniel Warrington, completed the mile in 1:57.1 ($2.80), establishing both a new trot record for older mares and an overall all-age trot record. That record had been established in 1998 by Uptown Strutter, who logged a 1:57.4 mile for driver Jim King, Jr.

“I asked Danny (Warrington) what’s the track record? He told me and I said first, ‘we’re going for the win,’ but if it comes, he said ‘go get it’ (the record),” Kirby said in the paddock after his big night. “I knew she had a big shot at it on the half (:58.2). I got clear up the backside going to three-quarters (1:27.4). Obviously she was real strong finishing.”

The Program Speed mare, who won only her second race this year, now has well over $240,000 in lifetime earnings.

Each of Wednesday’s three series races had a $33,350 purse, the second richest races ever at the Ocean Oval. The final leg of the 1992 North American Pacing Series offered a $50,000 purse.

Kirby won the series opener Wednesday behind 6-year-old Real Art ($3.40). The gelded son of Artiscape paced the mile in 1:54.1, winning his sixth of 2007.

“I left with him and got the front. He was real strong on the front. I haven’t had him there in a while. He’s been racing off the pace,” Kirby said.

In the third of the series races on Wednesday night, 5-year-old gelding Safari Heat won with Roger Plante, Jr. in the bike, and with an impressive 1:57.4 tied the older gelding track trot mark.

Safari Heat, trained by Thomas Morris, Jr., won for the sixth time this year ($7.40). Finishing second was 6-year-old I’m A Cool Breeze, driven by Victor Kirby and trained by Anthony Sapienza.

“I used to drive for Tony. We were kind of leary of how he could handle this track because he had never raced on a half (Ocean Downs is a half-mile track), but he handled it super. We just missed,” Kirby said.

In addition to Kirby’s driving double, Mark Gray also had a pair of wins. Gray was in the bike as 7-year-old Doggone Yankee posted a win in the third leg of the Hal Belote Memorial Late Closer Stakes Series. The son of Dancer’s Victory, trained by William Long, stopped the timer at 1:58.4, only three-fifths of a second off the track record for an older horse, which he set last year with William Long in the bike.

“He’s a nice little horse, tries hard. He’s got a few problems, but you can’t beat his effort. He wants to win. He should be tough in that final,” Gray said.

The fourth and final leg of the series is set for Wednesday, August 22, when Whitesville Tara returns after winning first and second leg races. “Tara” raced in the rich Chesapeake Series Wednesday, but failed to win her eighth straight, breaking stride when throwing a shoe and finishing seventh.

Ray Robinson, Jr. also logged a driving double Wednesday and now with 47 wins for the meet has tied his career-best in total wins for a summer meet.

This year’s leading driver at the Ocean, Frank Milby, won with 4-5 favorite Christmas Music ($3.80) and has 54 first-place finishes. Christmas Music is trained by Joseph Eisenhower, Sr. who is second in the meet’s trainer standings with 16, trailing only Shawn Armour’s 22.

Racing on Thursday night (August 16) features the third leg of the Alan Myer Memorial Late Closer series. The closing night for the summer is Saturday, August 25. Parking and admission are free at Ocean Downs. For further information, call the track at (410) 641-0600.