Michael Hall gets training double in Maryland Race Fund

BERLIN, Md. — Ocean Downs’ leading trainer, Michael Hall, swept both $26,075 divisions of the Maryland Standardbred Race Fund (MSRF) stakes for 2-year-old harness racing pacing fillies on Wednesday (Aug. 7), sending both Ragtime Red and Little Instigator to open-length wins over the seaside half-mile oval.

Ragtime Red (Getitoffyourchest-Red High Heels) drilled a 1:55.4 maiden-breaking mile in the second division to take top honors. In line to Trae Porter, the filly left from post two and seated Preclude (driven by Jonathan Roberts) in the pocket through a :29 first quarter.

After rating a :59.1 half, Ragtime Red edged clear of Preclude up the backstretch, opening a 3-1/2-length lead to three-quarters in 1:27.3 before sprinting home in :28.1 to evade a late charge from 3-5 favorite Lyons Benz (Victor Kirby) by 2-1/2 lengths. Bella Artiste (Jim Morand) rallied to collar Preclude for third, another 14-1/2 lengths behind.

Ragtime Red, who paid $4.80 to win as the 7-5 second choice, competes as a homebred for David Banks.

The first division saw William and Sarah MacMillan’s Little Instigator (Heston Blue Chip-Last Time To Play) get back into the win column by way of a pillar-to-post 1:57.2 score, good for her third career win in five starts. Jonathan Roberts put the filly in play from post four, and she cleared Baby Doll Jordyn (William Carter) before the :28.4 first quarter.

After rating middle splits of :59.1 and 1:28.1, Little Instigator ($2.10) pulled away to defeat Baby Doll Jordyn by 3-1/4 lengths, with Pawny (Corey Braden) finishing a neck farther back in third.

K J The Thirteenth (Il Mago-My Kid Sister) took top honors among 2-year-old trotting fillies with a 2:01.4 maiden-breaking win in her $23,725 MSRF split. Tony Morgan sat last in a four-horse field with the filly before swinging three-wide up the backstretch and vaulting four lengths clear of Take It Easy. John Wagner trains K J The Thirteenth ($2.80) for Kelsey Wagner and co-breeder Scott Woogen.

The other $23.725 MSRF split for rookie trotting fillies saw Casino Magic (Il Mago-Emily’s Ego) and driver Roger Plante Jr. gap 1-10 leader Watch Me Goo This (Johnathan Ahle) by 15 lengths at the 1:31 three-quarters but inherit the lead as the tempo-setting favorite broke stride turning for home.

Casino Magic ($11.60) got to the line a neck in front of the recovering Watch Me Goo This in 2:03.1, with Y’all Know Me third, beaten only a length. Steve LeBlanc trains two-time winner Casino Magic for his LeBlanc Racing Inc., William Lutz Jr., Count De Money Stable and Douglas Johnson.

Leading drivers Johnathan Ahle and Porter steered three winners apiece on the 11-race card; Morgan fashioned a double.

Live racing returns to Ocean Downs on Thursday (Aug. 8); the 11-race card features the $23,500 final of the Diane ‘Mum’ Stevenson Claiming Series. First post is 7:05 p.m.

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

From Ocean Downs