OAK GROVE, KY — Harness racing driver Joey Putnam promptly braced for a far-turn push from Crius N Rock and hit a gear his peers could not, steaming over the Oak Grove dirt to an open-length score with Isitlikeitlooks (Tellitlikeitis) in the latter division of the two featured $12,000 conditioned pacing events on Monday afternoon (April 17).
Off the 3/5 choice, Putnam cleared the lead with the 7-year-old gelding past a :27 first quarter to pocket She’sahotmuffler (driven by Randy Crisler). Tuapeka Jessie N (John MacDonald) pressed forward while parked from the start and challenged Isitlikeitlooks for the lead to a :56.2 half. The wide trip started biting into Tuapeka Jessie N while Crius N Rock (Devon Tharps) abandoned the cover and swarmed the pacesetter to three-quarters in 1:25.2.
In a matter of strides, Isitlikeitlooks swelled to the challenge. Crius N Rock broke stride and quickly regrouped as Isitlikeitlooks motored through the lane with plenty clenched in Putnam’s palms past the post. The Joe Putnam trainee stopped the clock in 1:52.4 and finished 12-1/2 lengths better than Crius N Rock with Tuapeka Jessie N taking third and Everything Z Tam (Jafari Frazier) snagging fourth.
J P Racing LLC and Joey Putnam own Isitlikeitlooks, a now 40-time winner from 138 starts. He paid $3.40 to win.
PD The Big Easy (Sweet Lou) flexed his class in the other featured dash to overcome a first-over grind and win in 1:54.1. Kevin Wallis kept the 5-year-old gelding alive on the rim through a :55.4 half while digging into pacesetter Night Out (John MacDonald) to three-quarters in 1:23.4.
The pair continued head and head into the stretch until PD The Big Easy straightened and pulled through to a 1-1/4-length win. Night Out held second with Rock Jagger (Tyler Shehan) riding the pylons for third and Luckonurside (Wyatt Avenatti) taking fourth.
Wayne Oke conditions PD The Big Easy — an 18-time winner from 50 tries — for owner A Piece Of The Action LLC. He paid $3.88 to win as the 4/5 choice.
Racing returns to Oak Grove on Sunday (April 23); first post is 3 p.m. (CDT).
For complete race results, click here.
From Oak Grove Racing
