Rosecroft: First set of Maryland Sire Stakes finals take place

Upsetters Phoenix Rising and Jewett and heavy favorites Smooth Rocket and Call Me Goo were the winners of the $85,000 Maryland Sire Stakes finals for 3-year-olds on Tuesday evening at Rosecroft Raceway.

Pacing fillies started off the card, and 1-5 favorite Val's Girl (Roger Plante Jr.) led through fractions of 26 2/5, 55 4/5, and 1:24 2/5 with 34-1 shot Phoenix Rising (Frank Milby) in the pocket. In the stretch Val's Girl dug in gamely, but Phoenix Rising had room on the inside and was able to get up to win by a quarter of a length in 1:54. Joyces Real Honey (Victor Kirby) closed well off a second-over trip to get third.

Trainer Franklin Gannon III also bred and co-owns Phoenix Rising, a daughter of Movie Idol, with Elizabeth Gannon. This was Phoenix Rising's third career victory, she has now earned $54,465, and she paid $71.80 to win.

In the colt and gelding pace final, Babes All In (Jared Moyer) carved out panels of 26, 55 2/5, and 1:24 2/5, but pocket-sitter and 1-5 favorite Smooth Rocket (Russell Foster) was out and on the move two-wide coming to three-quarters. Babes All In and Smooth Rocket dueled side-by-side throughout the final quarter, but Smooth Rocket got the better of his foe approaching the wire and tallied by a neck in 1:52. Center Of It All (John Wagner) grabbed third.

Russell Foster also owns Smooth Rocket, a Megan Foster-trained Cam's Rocket gelding. Smooth Rocket has compiled a record of 9-2-1 from 13 tries, has now put away $137,707, and returned $2.60 to win.

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Call Me Goo (Jonathan Roberts) delivered as the 1-2 choice in the filly trot, prevailing by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:58 1/5 after she showed the way at the 28 3/5 quarter, 1:00 2/5 half, and 1:29 1/5 three-quarters. Gimme Goo Bumps (Jonathan Ahle) was the runner-up and Goolishness (Foster) came in third.

The winner is a daughter of Googoo Gaagaa trained by Jason Skinner for owner Graham Grace Stables LLC. She made her 11th appearance in the winner's circle in her 11th attempt, sent her bankroll to $122,237, and paid $3.00 to win.

Colt and gelding trotters rounded out the finals, and the complexion of that event changed before it ever started as 1-5 favorite How Doo You Goo (Ahle) went on a break. With him out of the picture, and two others making early miscues as well, 42-1 shot Jewett (Wagner) wound up on the engine in a 27 2/5 opening quarter. Jewett remained clear at the 58 4/5 half and 1:28 2/5 three-quarters from there, and a 31 second final kicker sealed the deal on his 2 1/2 length victory over K J Roberts (Eric Davis). Googoo Eyes (Plante Jr.) gained to get third.

Wagner also trains Jewett, a Lockkeeper gelding, for owner Pamela Wagner. Jewett is now a two-time winner from 11 trips behind the gate, and he has pocketed $97,600. He returned $87.20 to win and led a Wagner-trained exacta worth $1,013.40.