KJ Hunter Repeats In Open

June 21, 2023

In familiar fashion KJ Hunter was content to let others do the early heavy lifting, Mighty Santana N (Dibenedetto) set the tempo of 27.3, 56.2.  Approaching the half Jim Taggart aboard KJ Hunter came off the rail where he was sitting third and started the outer flow followed by the favorite Rolling With Sam (Greg Merton) by the time they arrived at the next panel in 1:24. Taggart was doing some serious urging to his mount, he had collared Mighty Santana N in the paddock turn and turning for home he was clear and crossed the wire in 1:53.1 – $8.40.

The win was a seasonal mark for the son of Huntsville and the sixth win on the year for the Gary Messenger trainee who is owned by Scott Woogen and Brenda Messenger.

Greg Merton took both half’s of the early double with Air Guitar 1:53.2 – $5.20 and the Andrew Adamczyk trained Play To The Crowd 1:55.3 – $2.10 who notched his third consecutive win, ninth on the yea