JL Cruze scores his 75th win

FORT WASHINGTON, Md. — Double millionaire JL Cruze (Crazed) took advantage of a clear stalking trip and a closer-friendly track bias en route to his 75th career harness racing win, a 1:54.2 score in Wednesday’s (March 26) $12,000 Open Handicap Trot at Rosecroft Raceway.

In line to Russell Foster, the 14-year-old Crazed gelding perched off :26.3 first-quarter duel between Spy Booth (driven by Jonathan Roberts) and 4-5 favorite College Tuition (Johnathan Ahle) before enjoying a three-hole ride through middle splits of :55.3 and 1:24.4. Just prior to entering the far turn, Foster angled JL Cruze off the pegs, and the veteran responded at once to collar the tiring Spy Booth at head-stretch and draw clear to win by a measured 2-1/4 lengths.

JL CRUZE REPLAY

College Tuition rallied up the open stretch to narrowly save second out of a failing pocket; Bur Bun (Roger Plante Jr.) closed belatedly for third.

Eric Ell trains JL Cruze, who paid $11.00 to win as the 9-2 third choice, for the partnership of Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar Jr. and Steve Iaquinta.

McLenaghan wins Grit & Grace Drivers Challenge

Local horsewoman Stacey McLenaghan topped a field of eight female drivers to take the $500 top prize in the Grit & Grace Drivers Challenge, a two-race competition that attracted reinswomen from the Mid-Atlantic, New England and the Midwest.

After finishing third in the first leg with Money Or Roses, McLenaghan piloted Scott Warnick trainee Hey Siri to a 12-1 upset in the second leg, sealing victory over Marianna Monaco, who won the first leg with 30-1 outsider Wiggling Jenna. Also competing were Stacy Chiodo, Doreen Dailey, Alexandra Goldin, Lauren Harmon, Leslie Joyce and McKenzie Sowers.

Live racing returns to Rosecroft on Monday (March 31) with a pair of carryovers: $676.71 in the Pick-5 (races 3-7); $5,322 in the Jackpot Hi-5 (race 10). First post is 7:15 p.m. (EDT). For free nightly past performance pages, The Players’ Guide tip sheet, and race replays, visit www.rosecroft.com.

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

From Rosecroft Raceway