Historically, the $300,000 Carl Milstein Memorial, MGM Northfield Park's signature event, has featured some of harness racing's greatest three-year-olds. The 2022 edition was no different on Saturday (Aug. 13) night.

Sired by 2017 Carl Milstein Memorial champion Downbytheseaside, Adios champion Bythemissal stamped himself as the top three-year-old in North America with a dominant stakes, track and world record-tying 1:48.4 victory.

There were several leavers off the gate, but Night Hawk was able to clear rivals through the opening turn, forcing JK Victory into the pocket. Parked through the initial turn, Bythemissal forged forward with his gelding, stung to the first quarter in a contested :26.2.

Once making the lead, Page never looked back, getting to the half in :54.1. Ponda Warrior, who had yet to see a pylon, attempted to challenge the leader but could never get around pocket-sitting Night Hawk through the clubhouse turn for the final time.  

Heading to three-quarters, Page stepped on the gas and opened by two-lengths on his closest rival Night Hawk, arriving at three-quarters in 1:21.4. And Page was only a passenger, never really asking Bythemissal through the stretch to win by a confident 5-3/4 lengths in 1:48.4 over JK Victory and Soaring Now.

Page was never concerned about his gelding's ability to get over a half-mile track.

"He got around the half well and felt good to me," Page said. "He's very good, and was having fun out there."

The sport's leading trainer Ron Burke echoed his driver's comments: "He's a very special horse; Ohio-sired horses are going to do very well going forward."

The victory pushed Bythemissal to $435,250 in career earnings with seven wins in eight career starts. He is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Rich Lombardo, and Weaver Bruscemi.  

Burke said his next start would be in the Max Hempt at the Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono next Saturday (Aug. 20).

MGM Northfield Park played host to a pair of $100,000 undercard features in the Tom Aldrich President's Trot and Myron Charna President's Pace.

In the Tom Aldrich President's Trot, MVP Luke powered to the lead but made a miscue around the turn, allowing Smoking Jet to come through and take the lead. Once making the lead, driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. tapped the breaks to the opening quarter in :27.4.

While Wrenn had no challengers, he couldn't get much of a breather with a :28 panel. The outer flow developed in the form of Its Academic, Refined and Herculisa, but Wrenn let the son of Triumphant Caviar out a notch and led by three lengths with three-eighths of a mile to trot.

Wrenn guided Smoking Jet past three-quarters in 1:23.2 and had to deal with the daunting presence of Spirit of Massachusetts runner-up Its Academic. Around the final turn, it appeared that Miller would get to the leader, but Smoking Jet was able to kick clear and win by 1-1/4 lengths over Its Academic and Herculisa in a track- and world-record 1:52.1.

Smoking Jet is trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, and Chris Page. With the victory, Smoking Jet has surpassed $200,000 in career earnings.

"He gets over the track at Northfield very well, and likes to be on the lead," said Wrenn. 

The 2021 Carl Milstein Memorial winner Charlie May also made his presence felt with a powerful 1:49.3 effort in the $100,000 Myron Charna President's Pace.  

Local starter One Last Laugh outkicked rivals through the mid-point of the opening turn, but Heart Of Chewbacca wanted the lead and was able to clear before a :26.2 first quarter. Charlie May wasted no time taking his shot at the leaders, making a first-over bid with five-eighths to go.  

While Dan Noble tapped the breaks on Heart Of Chewbacca and get a breather at the half of :55, he had Charlie May and driver Brett Miller looming to the outside. Charlie May appeared to lose a little bit of ground around the turn, but moving into the backstretch he found another gear to match strides with Heart Of Chewbacca at three-quarters in 1:21.4. Charlie May then drew away through the stretch to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:49.3. One Last Laugh went around Heart Of Chewbacca in the last turn to finish second and longshot Odds On Shaggy closed in the passing lane to finish third.

"He got a good trip last week, and I felt confident coming into the race," said Brett Miller. "When he's sharp, he's dead game."

Owner Don Tiger echoed his driver: "He's like a prize fighter; he keeps on digging, looking for other competitors."

Steve Carter trains Charlie May and now has $1,372,777 in career earnings. Tiger said his next stop would be the #Senditin Invitational at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

The two winners of the two Ohio Sires Stakes $55,000 divisions for the three-year-old trotting colts and geldings took different routes to the winner’s circle, but both set lifetime marks. Longshot rallied down the stretch to capture the first division, while Rose Run Xtra went gate-to-wire to win the second division.

In the first division, Chris Page took Up Blueberry Hill to the lead, covering the first three-quarters in fractions of :27.4, :56.3, and 1:25.1. Longshot with Chris Lems sat in the pocket through the first half, but yielded the second spot to Gabbys Bit Coin and Aaron Merriman as the leaders hit three-quarters. Around the final turn, Lems swung the 5-2 Longshot wide and rallied the son of Long Tom down the stretch to catch Up Blueberry Hill and win by a length in a lifetime mark of 1:54. Up Blueberry Hill was second with Motto finishing third.

Longshot is trained by Scott Cox and owned by Wayne Mast Jr. and Callam Racing. Longshot has won five out of ten this year, including two legs of the Ohio Sires Stakes and has earned $90,750 this year. The win pushed Longshot’s lifetime earnings to $100,556.

After finishing second in the first division, Chris Page did not take any chances as he rushed Rose Run Xtra to the lead and made it look easy going gate-to-wire in a new lifetime mark of 1:53.4. Bamboo finished second while Caviar Gold finished third.

The son of Cash Hall cut the mile with fractions of :28, :56.3 and 1:25.2 on the way to his third win of the year.  Rose Run Xtra had finished second in the first two legs of the Ohio Sires Stakes.

Trained by Ron Burke, Rose Run Xtra has earned $113,289 this year, with lifetime earnings of $317,194 for the ownership group of the Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services and Jason Melillo.

Ohio Sires Stakes action continues Sunday night (Aug. 14) at MGM Northfield Park with two divisions of freshmen trotting fillies. First-race post is 6 p.m. (EDT).

(with files from Northfield Park and OHHA)