Ocean Downs: Two-year-olds duke it out in Maryland Sire Stakes finals

Two-year-olds took to the track for four $75,000 Maryland Sire Stakes finals on Wednesday night at Ocean Downs.

In the colt and gelding trot, Jewett (John Wagner) raced on a clear lead through panels of 31 1/5, 1:01 3/5, and 1:32 and was able to keep pocket-sitter Googoo Eyes (Roger Plante Jr.) at bay through the lane to win by a length in 2:02 4/5. How Doo Yoo Goo (Russell Foster), the 2-5 favorite, overcame an early break to finish third.

Jewett is a Lockkeeper-Tipsy Tiara colt bred by Arlene Cameron and trained by John Wagner for owner Pamela Wagner. Jewett broke his maiden in his fourth try, has now earned $39,100, and paid $20.80 to win as the 9-1 third choice.

The filly trot saw Goolishness (Trae Porter) get to the front before the 29 4/5 opening quarter, and after maintaining command through middle-half stations of 1:00 1/5 and 1:30, she trotted a 30 1/5 final kicker to score by 2 1/4 lengths over Excuse My Beauty (Pat Berry). As in the colt and gelding trot, the heavy favorite, in this case Call Me Goo (Jonathan Roberts), recovered from a mistake at the start to take third.

Roger Hans trains Goolishness, a daughter of Googoo Gaagaa-Can't Tab This, for owner/breeder Thomas Cooke. Goolishness has a record of 2-1-1 from four efforts, pushed her bankroll to $46,554, and returned $8.80 to win as the 3-1 second choice.

Smooth Rocket (Foster) got past a breaking Nicki's All In (Victor Kirby) on the first turn in the colt and gelding pace and then pulled out of the pocket before the 29 2/5 opening quarter. Smooth Rocket wrestled the top spot away from Lucky Major (Roberts) beyond that marker, and then went on to click off a 59 2/5 half and a 1:29 3/5 three-quarters on his way to a 3 1/4 length victory in 1:57 4/5. Center Of It All (J. Wagner) got up for second and Lucky Major held third.

Russell Foster also owns Smooth Rocket, a Cam's Rocket-Odds On Arttoheart gelding bred by Brian Emerson. The Megan Foster-trained Smooth Rocket made his third stop in the winner's circle from five trips behind the gate, has now put away $50,082, and paid $2.40 to win as the 1-5 favorite.

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Val's Girl (Plante Jr.) captured the filly pace in 1:57 1/5 after she showed the way through fractions of 29, 59 3/5, and 1:28. She defeated Spy's Last Game (Foster) by 3 3/4 lengths, and Lloyd's Loves (Corey Callahan) checked in third.

The victorious Rusty's For Real-Miss Valerie filly is trained by Steve Leblanc for owners Leblanc Racing Inc., William Lutz Jr., and Count De Money Stable. Val's Girl, bred by Thomas and Linda Winebrener, has pocketed $66,703 to go with a perfect seven-for-seven mark, and she returned $3.00 to win as the 1-2 favorite.