Track record in $125,000 Potomac Pace

Bythemissal (Downbytheseaside) was all business in a dominating track record harness racing win in the $125,000 Potomac Pace Invitational for aged pacers at Rosecroft Raceway on Thursday night (November 9th).

The four-year-old Ron Burke trainee took over command from rival Allywag Hanover (Todd McCarthy) after three-eighths of a mile and he kept the pedal to the metal on his way to a 1:48.0 score, which eclipsed the previous track record for four-year-old geldings. Tattoo Artist (Louis-Philippe Roy) finished a distant second ahead of Linedrive Hanover (Scott Zeron) and Allywag Hanover.

Driver Yannick Gingras said he wasn’t taking any chances with Tattoo Artist trying to mount a challenge, explaining why he deployed a :26.3 third quarter to maintain a lonely lead with Bythemissal.

“I knew Tattoo was on the outside coming at me and he’s a great horse too, so I didn’t want to make it easy for him to get to me,” he said. “I made sure he had to work, but, ya know, I don’t think it would have mattered tonight. My horse was really, really good.”

Indeed, he was. After leaving a bit slower than Gingras admitted he would have liked to, Bythemissal stayed parked and pressing as Allywag Hanover carved out a :26.1 opening quarter. He took command passing the stands and led through a :54.1 half.

The only horse that moved to the outside at that point was Abuckabett Hanover (Dexter Dunn) who was advancing from the backfield. That forced Roy’s hand and he moved Tattoo Artist out first-over just past the half. But Gingras poured it on and Tattoo Artist would never get close to mounting a serious challenge.

Passing the 1:20.4 three quarters, Bythemissal opened up while under no urging, and it was apparent he was going to be next to impossible to catch. Tattoo Artist grinded into second in the stretch, but by that time the winner was long gone. Bythemissal hit the wire in 1:48.0 for the new track record, the dominant win clearly making an impression on his driver.

“He’s just a great horse,” Gingras told Edison Hatter in the winner’s circle. “He can do it any which way, I think tonight he proved he is the best in the division.”

Bythemissal won for the 25th time in 31 starts and he raised his earnings to more than $2.132 million for owners Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC of Pennsylvania, Eric Good of Maryland and Rich Lombardo Racing LLC of Ohio. He paid $3.60 to win and made history as the first favorite to win the race.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Garnet Barnsdale, for Harnesslink