The eighth race Monday, March 30 was full of Indiana sired pacers at Oak Grove. It was a battle down the stretch between several with Aintnothingucando and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. getting the photo at the end in the $25,000 Open 2 Pace.
Aintnothingucando left the gate alongside fellow Indiana pacer Miss Fancy Nancy and they both had the best shot at getting to the lead. Aintnothingucando was on the lead around the first turn and crossed by the quarter in :27.2 with everyone settling in behind her. Bonitas Best Bet and Marvin Luna, a stablemate to Aintnothingucando, was sitting third with Shamwow and Brandon Bates finding the inside in fourth after being parked to the quarter.
Aintnothingucando was able to back off the pace to the half in :56.4 which spurred several horses to the outside. As they began approaching on the outside, Aintnothingucando turned in a big third quarter in :26.3 to try to scoot away from the field to make it difficult to catch up to her.
Around the final turn, Bonitas Best Bet was leading the outer flow with Indiana’s Tarshish and Marcus Miller catching second over cover to the head of the lane. In the stretch, Aintnothingucando was still strong on the front end as Tarshish began closing in. Aintnothingucando was able to hold of all opponents for the win by a nose in 1:51.4, a final quarter in :28.2. Bonitas Best Bet finished second between horses with Tarshish closing in gamely on the outside.
Aintnothingucando paid $6.60 for the win. The four-year-old Odds on Equuleus mare is owned by Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi. Odds on Nourrir bred the mare, who earned her fifth win in 10 starts for 2026 for trainer Ron Burke. Overall, she has 17 career wins and more than $200,000 in earnings. Her win Monday was just a tick off her career best, taken last year at The Red Mile in 1:51.3.
Later in the card, Track Announcer Peter Kleinhans exchanged his binoculars for a set of lines and competed in the $11,000 US Harness Driving Club. Kleinhans drove Holden Steady, trained by Matt Rodriguez in the event, taking the top spot at the quarter in :26.3 before being overtaken by JK’s Shining Star and Adarryl Gates Jr. Nible Ned and Joseph Herschberger became the third leader at the three quarters, parked on the outside of JK’s Shining Star.
In the stretch, JK’s Shining Star hit another gear and moved away from the field, winning by two and three-quarter lengths in 1:56.2. Holden Steady finished second over D A Wicked Shine and Dein Spriggs for third.
JK’s Shining Star paid $6.14 for the win. The eight-year-old daughter of JK Endofanera is owned by Therl Hensley and trained by Randy Crisler. Victory Hill Farm bred the mare, who is from the tough brood mare Bikini Star that includes eight winners in eight foals of racing age, including Rock Shines Again, the undefeated sophomore from the Tyler George barn last year. JK’s Shining Star has more than $300,000 in career earnings with a mark of 1:50.4.
