Five-bagger for Russell Foster at Rosecroft

Driver Russell Foster concluded a terrific week of harness racing at Rosecroft Raceway with four wins on the 14-race betting card and one other in the non-betting Maryland Sires Stakes races on Thursday (Sept. 28) night.

Foster has been in the bike now for all five lifetime starts for the two-year-old filly trotter, Only I Exist. The daughter of Yall Beneath Me, won for the fourth time in those starts, taking a $10,000 Preliminary in lifetime best 2:00.1.

Corey Braden took over the lines for trainer John Wagner with KJ Dash and the Freshmen trotter by Lockkeeper maintained his excellent form winning in a lifetime best 1:59.3, besting War Pony, Locked Out and Yall Racing Snails in the first preliminary of the fall for $10,000.

On the betting card, Johnathan Ahle and For You Girls (Dontloseyourdayjob) continued to dominate the Freshmen Colt pacers winning in 1:54.3, winning by two lengths over Firecrackergraham, KJ Real Deal and The Editor. The gelding is now 4-5 in 2023 with earnings of $57,750 for Breeder and Owner Brian Callahan and trainer Katie Callahan.

FOR YOU GIRLS REPLAY

Trae Porter and Fancy Like That, a daughter of Rusty’s For Real, rebounded from a loss as the beaten favorite in the $85,000 MDSS Final at Ocean Downs for Two-Year-Old FIlly pacers, cutting all the fractions in a 1:56.1 score for Trainer Kasey Bendix who co-owns with Virginia Marvel.

FANCY LIKE THAT REPLAY

Russell Foster swept both Opens as Island Of The Sea (Always A Virgin) won a thrilling stretch duel with Starship to winning by the slimmest of margins in 1:50.4. It was his ninth win of the year. He is trained by Eric Ell who co-owns with wife Lisa.

“When Johnathan came off my back, I was a little worried he had a lot of pace and actually poked a head in front of me, but Island Of The Sea dug back in and he’s been super. He earned that one tonight,” Foster said.

ISLAND OF THE SEA REPLAY

Foster then blew the Open II category wide open with Dirt On My Boots (Tabaygo Cays), who survived some first turn chaos and won by eight and a half lengths in 1:51.3 for Paul Reid and Alvin Stafford. He is trained by Jody Dunning and won for the sixth time this year.

DIRT ON MY BOOTS REPLAY

Smooth Rocket, owned by Foster and his wife Megan cruised to an easy victory in a conditioned event and YS Mathis, a competitor in this year’s Gold Cup and Saucer, won the finale for new owners Kenny Wood, Stephen Iaquinta and WIll[iam Ditmar. Ell picked up a training double as the Sportswriter stallion cut sizzling fractions of :26.1, :53.3, 1:21.4, 1:51.2.

Porter had a driving triple, Johnathan Roberts and Ahle posted doubles and Katie Callahan had a training double.

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

by Peter Medhurst, for Rosecroft Raceway