Ft. Washington, MD — Driver John Wagner may be 65, but he’s driving like he’s 35 and Wednesday night (April 6) he secured the $12,500 Open Handicap Trot victory at Rosecroft as he piloted Northern Express to an exciting win over a fast closing Yall Beneath Me in 1:53.4.

It was the 24th lifetime win in 83 starts for the 6-year-old son of Muscle Massive who is owned and trained by Arty Foster Jr. Northern Express made his first nine starts of the year at Dover Downs in its top trotting categories while banking $79,700. He managed to win only once, but secured six second place finishes.

Wagner put him on the engine and his chief adversary Yall Beneath Me, making his seasonal debut, drafted along in the pocket and could only get to within a half-length at the wire. Judge Bob was third to complete the triple.

Wagner won three times on the card, six in the last two nights, and is firmly in the driving dash competition with young bucks Russell Foster (50 wins) and Jonathan Roberts (44 wins). Wagner’s season total now sits at 40.

Driver Foster won three on the card, including a serious pari-mutuel puzzling win with Caribbean Sam-Nin. While winless in nine starts on the year, the mare had been third six times, including a third in the same class from the same eight post she had Wednesday night.

Listed at 7-2 on the morning line, she was allowed to leave the gate at 29-1 and she delivered a whopping $60.40 return to her backers.

Trae Porter had a double, winning with Truth And Liberty, netting the mare her 63rd lifetime win.

Frank Milby won with Elizabeth Darcy. The filly broke her maiden in her sixth lifetime start, winning on the engine in 1:57.4. She gave Milby his 2,994th driving win and joined her dam Scarlet Pandemic and grand dam Scarlet Brocade as winners at Rosecroft — all for the Gannon family, who owns and trains the daughter of Art Official.