Northeast Ohio’s premier trotting race, the Cleveland Trotting Classic, will head to post this Saturday (July 2) at Northfield Park. The 2016 installment of the ‘Classic’ carries a purse of $180,000.

The Grand Circuit event has attracted some of the best veteran trotters in North America. The Classic has been slated as Race 11 on Northfield’s 15-dash program. First-race post time on Saturday is 6:00 p.m.

Shake It Cerry has drawn Post 3 and has been named the 2-1 morning line favourite. Although winless so far in 2016, the five-year-old mare has recorded 28 lifetime victories and has trotted to over $2.5 million in purse earnings.

Obrigado has drawn the rail and has been assessed at odds of 3-1 on the morning line. He was the runner-up in last year’s Classic and has recorded three wins from six starts this season, most recently a 1:53.3 score in the $210,000 Charlie Hill Memorial at Scioto Downs on June 11.

Local favourite Like Old Times enters the Classic off two consecutive wins over the ‘Flying Turns.’ She was the 2015 Ohio Horse of the Year and is conditioned by Northfield Park Wall of Famer and ‘Ohio Trotmaster’ Don McKirgan. Although programmed as a 25-1 longshot, Like Old Times broke the track record for four year-old trotting mares just two weeks ago.

$180,000 Cleveland Trotting Classic
(Post – Horse – Listed Driver – Trainer – Morning Line Odds)
1 – Obrigado – Mark MacDonald – Paul Kelley – 3-1
2 – Homicide Hunter – Dave Palone – Chris Oakes – 4-1
3 – Shake It Cerry – Aaron Merriman – Jimmy Takter – 2-1
4 – Il Sogno Dream – Trevor Henry – Christopher Beaver – 10-1
5 – Muscle Up The Goal – Aaron Merriman – Christopher Beaver – 8-1
6 – Maestro Blue Chip – Victory Kirby – Jo Ann Looney-King – 6-1
7 – Like Old Times – Don McKirgan – Ronnie Wrenn Jr. – 25-1
8 – Boffin – Jason Merriman – Anette Lorentzon – 25-1

(*Driver selections will be finalized by 9 p.m. Tuesday evening)

This year’s Classic program undercard is highlighted by three $20,000 Open events. One features Foiled Again, the richest horse in the history of harness racing and a three-time Battle of Lake Erie winner. The Opens and the Trotting Classic comprise the evening’s Pick-4, which carries a $10,000 guaranteed pool.

Guests who want to be close to all of the racing action can stop by the grandstand apron for an array of free fanfare activities. These attractions include a free Northfield Park ball cap for the first 1,500 patrons, a t-shirt toss from the winner’s circle by the successful driver of each race, country band Six String Cowboy performing on the apron from 6-10 p.m., spinning of the Northfield Park Prize Wheel for free cash and prizes from 8-9 p.m., and some of northeast Ohio’s favourite food trucks on the grandstand apron from 6-10 p.m.

(Northfield Park)