Foster kicks off Rosecroft season with grand slam

FORT WASHINGTON, Md. — After two unsuccessful starts in upper-level harness racing events at Bally’s Dover, Business Director (Art Director-Best Business) made easy work of his foes in his return to Rosecroft Raceway on Monday (Jan. 27), coasting to a 1:52.3 win in the $8,500 co-featured top-level conditioned pace and giving driver Russell Foster one of four driving wins on the 14-race opening-night program.

Foster, whose Russell Foster Racing LLC owns Business Director together with Arty Foster III and Wanda Saulsbury, cut the 6-year-old gelding loose with a circuit to go, and the pair seized command from 77-1 outsider Racer Pacer through a :56.2 half. From there, Business Director turned aside a mild first-over challenge from Winbak Willy T before edging clear by three lengths to record his 21st career win. Racer Pacer (driven by Hugh O’Neil) narrowly protected second from Winbak Willy T (William Carter).

BUSINESS DIRECTOR REPLAY

Megan Foster trains Business Director, who paid $2.10 to win.

Foster’s other driving wins came with Brittany Bounds trainees Phils Sun ($4.60, 1:53.1) and Vel What A Star ($4.20, 1:52.4) and Timmy Offutt trainee Rock Smart ($36.00, 1:55.1).

DON’TMESSWITHLES RESOLUTE: Walter Birney Jr.’s Don’tmesswithles (Captaintreacherous-JK Letitgo) withstood a barrage of late pressure in winning the featured $10,000 pacing event.

In line to Roger Plante Jr., the 6-year-old gelding carved out fractions of :27.1, :56.3 and 1:24.1 before facing a first-over challenge from Lyons Stealth (Cole Olsen) on the far turn. While engaged with that rival, Don’tmesswithles also found pressure in the homestretch from Rickybobbynthehaus (O’Neil), who took aim up the inside. Don’tmesswithles dug in to keep both of them at bay, defeating Lyons Stealth by a head in 1:53. Rickybobbynthehaus finished another head back in third.

DON’TMESSWITHLES REPLAY

Howard Birney trains Don’tmesswithles, who paid $8.40 to win.

UPSETS GALORE: Pizzagaina’s 14-1 win in the season opener set off a string of major upsets on the card. Three other horses won at double-digit odds: The Marshal (18-1), Love On The Line (20-1) and Rock Smart (17-1).

NOTES: Hugh O’Neil scored a driving triple; driver William Carter and trainers Brittany Bounds, Johnny Crites Jr. and Bryson Dunning all notched doubles. Wednesday’s (Jan. 29) 12-race card at Rosecroft features an $11,500 Mares Open Pace, carded as race 11, and a pair of carryovers: $462.61 in the 50-cent Pick-5 (races 3-7) and $1,489.10 in the 50-cent Jackpot Hi-5. Free past performance pages are available through the Rosecroft website. First post is 7:15 p.m. (ET).

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

From Rosecroft Raceway