Rising star harness racing driver Justin Vincent won six of ten drives on the Tuesday night (April 24) card at Rosecroft. He finished second three times and failed to hit the ticket just once.
Showing versatility, Vincent won the first three races of the night by going uncovered trips. Big City Joe paced a big final half in :56.2 and overpowered the a field of maidens in the opener. Vincent made it a double by grabbing the lead on the backside and holding off a determined Light In The Room late to also break Add A Little Magic's maiden in 1:57. A game Sassy Shirley, trained by Jerry Nock, outslugged Big Tejano in the final yards to win the third race, giving Vincent a natural hat trick and Sassy Shirley a new lifetime mark of 1:58.4.
After being beaten by the horse Lady Gamelton (driven by fellow young gun Brandon Henley), who Vincent gave a perfect cover trip to with Boccio in the fourth race, he won the fifth by going wire-to-wire with Michael's Dream, owned and trained by James Whalen, Jr., in a lifetime mark setting 1:55.3.
Vincent and What A Boomer put in a big mile, in what would have been a lifetime mark of 1:57.1, but they finished second in the sixth race, beaten a half-length by Homerun Baby (Justin Hite). (Artiscape)
Vincent then put Roger Hans' Furious Franny on the engine and was a game winner in the seventh race, also in a lifetime mark of 1:57.3.
Vincent was idle in the eighth race and didn't hit the ticket in the ninth race, but rebounded with a ground-saving, up the lightning lane score with Talbot Redneck in a seasonal mark of 1:53.4.
In the nightcap Vincent put in a busy mile with Tom's Torpedo and appeared to be home free until Last Outlaw (JK Outlaw), driven by his father Kim, closed like he had been shot out of a cannon and just got up by a head in 1:53.4. Had Tom's Torpedo held on it would have been a lifetime mark.
Vincent's six wins are a seasonal high for a driver at Rosecroft and the most in a single night of racing since Rosecroft was re-born last season.