Ft. Washington, MD – Starship has been a solid acquisition for Bib Roberts since coming to Rosecroft last Fall. Picking up three wins in the Fall meet, the four-year-old won the $10,000 Open Handicap last night (May 15) giving him five wins on the Winter-Spring meet and his first at the top level.

Lacking serious gate speed, the eventual winner got the fractions he needed as Hickory Aloha and favorite Precision Bluechip stormed out of the gate in :26.2. Russell Foster did his best to throttle down Precision Bluechip through a half in :55.2, Lil Johnny and Luke Hanners came at him like a bullet on the outside producing a :27 second third quarter and with Starship blasting off the final turn it was apparent he and driver Jonathan Roberts would have enough momentum to win by just less than a length in 1:50.2. Megan Roberts trains the winner for her Dad and he has now been on the board in 13 of 15 starts in 2021. Precision Bluechip hung on for second and Hereittiz was third.

Roberts and Foster each won twice on the card as did Pat Berry and Jason Thompson. Favorites took a beating last night winning only five of 12 races and six of the winners were 5-1 or better. Rosecroft has three nights remaining in the meet and Foster leads Roberts for the dash title by four wins.