Steve Carter trainees Star Recruit and Caviart Key were separated by just a neck at the wire in the only $20,120 American National elimination required for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Saturday night at Balmoral Park
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Goose On The Rocks (Todd Warren) established the early lead from Post 2 during a :28.3 opening quarter, but was confronted by the pocket-pulling Wrubellious (Eric Carlson) at the :56.4 half-mile mark.
Caviart Key (Dan Nobel) made his move next, advancing first up from third with Crime Of Passion (Dean Magee) following his cover from fourth and Star Recruit (Ridge Warren) angling off the pylons from fifth.
Caviart Key moved up alongside the leader at three-quarters in 1:25.2 and pushed ahead as they turned for home with Crime Of Passion fanning three-wide. Unleashing a :27.1 final frame even wider out was Star Recruit, and he out-sprinted Caviart Key to nab the victory at the wire in 1:53.2. Crime Of Passon finished three and a half lengths behind in third.
Star Recruit paid $3.40 to win as part of the favoured entry. The son of Dragon Again-Remarkable Star, who entered the elimination off a victory in his Circle City division at Indiana Downs, is owned by Steve Carter, Peggy Carter, Robert Reid, and Chuck Grubbs, all of Ohio. The brown gelding now sports a record reading 6-3-3 in 13 starts with over $195,000 banked.
The top nine finishers from the elimination will join Fridaynightflight in the $121,000 final next weekend and include: Star Recruit, Caviart Key, Crime Of Passion, Goose On The Rocks, Heavenly Beaches, Wrubellious, Dick Mctracy, Get A Job, and Peck Blue Chip. Breaker Next Flight In did not advance.