Oak Grove, KY — Following a decisive 1:50.1 score in last week’s top pacing event in the Bluegrass State, Tip Top Cat will face six rivals looking to unseat him from the throne in Monday’s (April 6) $30,000 Open Pace at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel, the headline event of the Kentucky harness racing venue’s third week of the meet.
After rallying to just miss double millionaire Charlie May on Opening Day, the 6-year-old Always B Miki gelding forged clear of stablemate Captain Arturovico with a circuit to go and evaded a late rally from runner-up Admiral Hill by 2-1/2 lengths to bag the 14th win of his career. Trainer Ron Burke again calls on Ronnie Wrenn Jr. to drive Tip Top Cat, who will start from post 6 and has been installed the 2-1 morning line favorite, for the partnership of Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Frank Canzone and Larry Karr.
In addition to Admiral Hill, whom Atlee Bender will drive from post 5 for trainer Per Engblom, the race attracted Ohio standout Oakwood Heymiki IR, whose two wins this season include a come-from-behind 1:49.3 score in the $36,000 Open Pace on March 8 at Miami Valley Raceway. Brett Miller is slated to make the trek from Ohio to drive the Irish-bred son of Always B Miki, who will start from post 7 as the 5-2 second choice, for trainer Robert Cleary.
Rounding the field are Yankee B Something (driven by Geremy Bobbitt, post 1), Fox Valley Langley (Brandon Bates, post 2), Swaggy Cal (Austin Hanners, post 3) and Humble A (Joey Putnam, post 4).
The Open Pace is carded as the sixth race on a 12-race program, which begins the sequence of the $1 Pick 4 featuring a takeout of just 15%.
Oak Grove hosts live harness racing on Monday and Tuesday afternoons through July 14. The highlight of the meet, the inaugural edition of the $500,000 Oak Grove Trotting Derby, will take place Saturday, May 16. First-race post time at Oak Grove is 1:10 p.m. (CDT).
For more information, including free past performance pages and race-by-race analysis from track handicapper Ray Cotolo, visit www.oakgrovegaming.com.