Freehold: Pennsylvania champion Osterc opens 2019 in Dexter Cup

Osterc will take his first steps on the Hambletonian trail Saturday (May 4) when he faces seven foes in the $118,950 Dexter Cup for 3-year-old male trotters at Freehold Raceway. Osterc, last season’s Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion, is making his 2019 debut after sitting out last week’s Dexter elimination thanks to a bye he received for being the field’s top money-earner.

The Dexter Cup is the traditional first stakes race on the road to August’s $1 million Hambletonian Stakes, the sport’s premier race for 3-year-old trotters. Osterc is among five Hambletonian-eligible trotters in the final, along with elimination winner Whirl Winds K, Cavill Hanover, HL Revadon, and Jason’s Camden.

Osterc will start the Dexter Cup from post No. 6 on Freehold’s half-mile oval. Yannick Gingras will drive the colt for trainer Per Engblom and breeder-owners Christina Takter and Goran Falk. Osterc qualified twice ahead of Saturday’s start, winning in 1:55 on April 6 at The Meadowlands and finishing second behind pacer Albergo Hanover on April 19 at Freehold. Osterc was timed in 1:56 4/5.

“I was very pleased with that last qualifier,” Engblom said. “He was plugs in and strong in that mile. I’m hoping he can go forward from there.”

Osterc, a son of Cantab Hall-Oh Oh Hereshecomes, won five of seven races last year and earned $226,401. Four of his victories came in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes series, including the final. The remaining win came in a conditioned race.

Engblom said he decided to accept the bye and skip the Dexter elimination in the hopes of keeping Osterc fresh through the year. He has the first leg of the sire stakes on May 11.

“This is just the beginning of the season,” he said. “I’m hoping he is going to have a good season; I don’t want to burn him out. We’re going to start out in Pennsylvania and if he’s good enough he has the Grand Circuit.

“I’m very happy with the way he came back. He’s going to make some money this year and hopefully we can get a little bit of luck down the road too. He’s coming back a little stronger than I anticipated. He doesn’t have the greatest of gaits maybe, but he is very honest and gives you what he’s got. His two qualifiers were very good. Let’s hope that’s a good sign for this week.”

Whirl Winds K, who won the Dexter elimination by a nose over Cavill Hanover, will start the final from post four with George Brennan in the sulky for trainer Rich Gillock. The colt is owned by breeder Bob Key. He has won four of 13 career races and earned $54,965. Two of the victories came last year when Whirl Winds K was limited to four starts.

“He had a few little issues and it just took a little while to get him squared away,” Gillock said. “Before you knew it, it got to be October before he was able to keep going forward.

“He’s a nice horse, he just has to get a little better so he can go and be competitive in the bigger races. Hopefully he will. He’s got a great attitude about him, so that’s a big factor.”

Saturday’s card at Freehold also includes the $66,000 Lady Suffolk for 3-year-old female trotters. The race attracted a field of nine, including Hambletonian Oaks eligibles Rush Lane, Golden Tricks, and Presto Change O. The remainder of the group is Cardinale, Big Weezy, Magical Beliefs, Meadowbranch Vicki, Matterlei, and Atonement.

Racing begins at 12:30 p.m. (EDT) Saturday at Freehold. The Dexter Cup is race 10 and will be preceded by the Lady Suffolk.

Following is the field for the $118,950 Dexter Cup.

PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Cotton To You-Andrew McCarthy-Lucas Wallin
2-HL Revadon-Dexter Dunn-Harry Landy
3-Jason’s Camden-Andy Miller-Julie Miller
4-Whirl Winds K-George Brennan-Rich Gillock
5-Cavill Hanover-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt
6-Osterc-Yannick Gingras-Per Engblom
7-Big Money Honey-Joe Bongiorno-Travis Alexander
8-Skyway Kon Man-Trond Smedshammer-Trond Smedshammer

Hambletonian eligible: HL Revadon, Jason’s Camden, Whirl Winds K, Cavill Hanover, Osterc.

-Courtesy of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, please visit www.ustrotting.com