Rosecroft: Bythemissal blows away rivals in Potomac Pace

Bythemissal had to work to get to the front from post seven, but once he had command he drew off with authority to win Thursday night's $125,000 Potomac Pace for free-for-allers at Rosecroft Raceway in 1:48 flat.

Allywag Hanover (Todd McCarthy), the defending champion of the race, got by Tattoo Artist (Louis-Philippe Roy) for the top spot early on, but Bythemissal drove on to Allywag Hanover's outside, and although McCarthy hung Bythemissal out for a while, he yielded to sit in the two-hole to him beyond the 26 1/5 quarter. Bythemissal then rang up the half in 54 1/5 with Roy waiting until beyond that marker to swing out first-over when flushed off the pylons by Abuckabett Hanover (Dexter Dunn).

The third quarter was a rapid 26 3/5, which blunted Tattoo Artist's first-over advance and also put Allywag Hanover in difficulty in the two-hole, and there was no catching Bythemissal from there as he reported home a 3 1/4 length victory. Tattoo Artist put in a game effort without cover and finished second, with Linedrive Hanover (Scott Zeron) out-footing the fading Allywag Hanover for third. Abuckabett Hanover completed the top five.

"He's just a great horse. He can do it any which way and I think tonight he proved he's the best in the division," Gingras remarked post-race. "My only concern was behind the gate I couldn't keep up. When the gate opened up I lost a length. It was going pretty fast. At that point I'm like 'well, I'm going to be in a bad spot' I thought. When I saw Todd clearing I just kept pressing to the lead. I figured I could make the lead after that. I knew he probably didn't want to cut it with Allywag.

"He won easy from there. I knew Tattoo Artist was on the outside and was coming at me. He's a great horse, too, so I didn't want to make it easy for him to get to me. I made sure he had to work, but I don't think it would have mattered tonight. My horse was really, really good. He's only four. He started out the year, and then he had a little break, which in hindsight maybe was the best thing that ever happened to him. He's been really fresh now at the end of the year. He doesn't have too many starts. I think he's the best in the division right now any way, and winning the Breeders Crown was big, too."

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Ron Burke trains Bythemissal for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Eric Good, Rich Lombardo Racing LLC. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The Downbytheseaside gelding has a record of 25-3-2 from 32 starts, has pocketed $2,070,466 and returned $3.60 to win as the 4-5 choice.

Next up for Bythemissal is an much-anticipated showdown with 3-year-old Confederate in the FanDuel Championship at the Meadowlands on November 25, and Gingras is looking forward to that like the rest of the industry is.

"It'll be fun for sure. It's great for the sport. Confederate, he's put in some amazing miles," Gingras said. "He's going to be tested. So far in the 3-year-old division he hasn't been tested really. When he faces Tattoo Artist, Allywag Hanover, and Bythemissal, he will be tested, there's no doubt. He's a great horse, so it's going to be a battle."