by Mike Paradise, publicity director, Maywood Park

Melrose Park, IL — Western Leader dominated Friday night’s $13,750 tenth race feature for $40,000 to $50,000 claiming horses in wire-to-wire fashion, while knocking a full two seconds off his lifetime best mile with a 1:52.3 triumph at Maywood Park.

Maywood Park Photo

Western Leader was all alone at the end of his winning mile in Maywood’s featured race.

Driver Mike Oosting hustled the five-year-old son of Western Hanover out of the pole position and into a quick lead. After a snappy :27.3 first quarter, Western Leader ($5.60) was backed off to a :29 second quarter with the 7-5 favorite Mattygonne A (Dave Magee) on his outside.

Western Leader needed a :28 flat third panel to keep Mattygonne on his outside, but not long after the 1:24.3 three-quarter time, Oosting asked the 9-5 second choice for a little more and the Ken Rucker-trained gelding accelerated, drawing off and posting a four and one-quarter length margin over runner-up Mattygonne A. Guest Host (Tony Morgan) was third, beaten five lengths.

“He raced big in his last start here a week ago, but I just needed a lot more room than I was able to get,” said Oosting. “Western Leader has great gate speed and has a top gear that allows him to take advantage of the post. I didn’t pull the ear plugs until the top of the lane. He has a couple of nice gears and Ken (trainer Rucker) has him at the top of his game right now.”

Claimed for $35,000 by Engle Racing LLC and Rucker Stable Inc. on March 18, Western Leader is now 3-for-12 on the season. A pair of 1:54.2 Maywood Park wins in March were Western Leader’s previous lifetime marks.

Track record holder (1:50.3) Fox Valley Gallant (Mike Oosting) came up short in his first season’s start at Maywood Park, finishing third in the fifth race, two lengths behind the winner Bronson Hall, who went wire-to-wire in 1:53 flat. AC Excellent Buy (Jason Dillander) was second, beaten one and three-quarter lengths.

“Bronson Hall is just a big bully, and once you get him fired up, he’s very hard to shut down,” driver Tony Morgan said. “He’s big, and he was pretty much at the top of his game in Florida. I expect that once he becomes more acclimated up here, that by summer time he ought to be a top horse.”

Bronson Hall was a 1:52 winner in February at Pompano Park for Tom Harmer, who has been shipping up his stock from Florida to Maywood Park over the last two weeks.