It was a Saturday night speed show at Balmoral Park as many of the sport's brightest stars battled in the finals of the American National Stakes.
Eight events were contested, and we've recapped each and every one of them below:
$136,500 American National Open Pace
Always B Miki was a handy winner over the five foes he faced in his American National assignment for the duo of driver David Miller and trainer Jimmy Takter.
Miller landed into an early four-hole with Always B Miki, who watched Luck Be Withyou carve out the opening quarter in :26.4. Miller tipped and rolled Always B Miki in the backstretch, and in a matter of strides the speedster was in the position of command. The son of Always A Virgin-Artstopper led the group through middle splits of :53.3 and 1:22.1 before finishing them off with a :27-second closing panel. He won by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:49.1 over Luck Be Withyou, with Bettors Edge another length back in third.
The betting public sent Always B Miki off as the 1-9 favourite, and he had no problem adding to his impressive resume for the partnership of Bluewood Stable, Roll The Dice Stable and Christina Takter. It was the fourth win of the season in as many tries for the 18-time winner. He’s just shy of $1.3-million in lifetime earnings.
$204,000 American National Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot
The Bank was an upset winner in this year’s Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot at Woodbine in late October, but he was a popular winner in tonight’s follow-up effort for trainer Jimmy Takter.
David Miller plugged the colt into the two-hole while Habitat laid down fractions of :28.3, :56.4 and 1:25.1. Miller moved his charge off the rail around the final turn and the son of Donato Hanover-Lantern Kronos edged past Habitat to win in 1:53.1. Habitat held on for the runner-up award, with Homicide Hunter rallying for third prize.
Christina Takter, Goran Falk and Goran Anderberg share ownership on the seven-time winner who now owns a 5-8-0 record this season from 17 starts. The sophomore has stuffed away more than $1.2-million in career earnings.
$150,000 American National Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace
Freaky Feet Pete extended his winning streak to six-in-a-row thanks to his 1:48.4 score for the tandem of driver Trace Tetrick and trainer Larry Rheinheimer.
Tetrick released Lost For Words to the lead briefly before coming right back around that foe and retaking the lead. The streaking pacer tore through middle panels of :53.4 and 1:21 before rocketing home in :27.4 to match the stakes record. Lost For Words was a well-beaten runner-up, with Mohawk Warrior rounding out the top three finishers.
The homebred son of Rockin Image-Skyway Lori is now a 15-time winner this season from 17 starts for Indiana partners Mary Jo Rheinheimer of La Grange and Marty Rheinheimer of Howe. With the win, Freaky Feet Pete saw his lifetime earnings climb to $1,195,453.
$125,000 American National Three-Year-Old Filly Trot
Youre Majestic upset the apple cart thanks to her 34-1 shocker for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Tony O’Sullivan. The graduate of the OSS program eked out a narrow triumph over Bright Baby Blues in 1:54.1.
Heavily favoured Muscle Baby Doll was on the lead for most of the way through fractions of :27.2, :56.3 and 1:26, but she couldn’t seal the deal. Bright Baby Blues shot up the rail when it opened up and Youre Majestic rallied up on the outside, with the latter prevailing by a nose over Bright Baby Blues. Muscle Baby Doll settled for third prize.
The daughter of Majestic Son-Youre Adorable notched her second win of the season for F Bellino & Sons LLC of Bronxville, NY. The six-time winner boosted her bankroll to $301,780.
$120,000 American National Three-Year-Old Filly Pace
Devil Child rolled to an impressive four-length tally in her assignment, and that was music to the ears of the chalk players. Tim Tetrick got away third with the filly before asking her to sprint to the top shortly past the quarter pole. Once in charge of the speed, the tandem led the group through middle intervals of :54.4 and 1:22.3 before sealing the deal with a final quarter clocked in :28. Triple V Hanover came on late to finish second, while Daut Full took home the show dough.
Chris Oakes trains the daughter of American Ideal-Kattimon for Susan Oakes of Wilkes-Barre, PA and Crawford Farms LLC of Syracuse, NY. The win was the seventh of the season – and the eighth to date – for the career winner of $352,451.
$74,000 American National Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace
Mystical Rock was treated to a two-hole trip for most of the mile by driver Tim Tetrick, and the Erv Miller pupil wasn’t about to let it go to waste. The gelding laid just off the speed through fractions of :27.1, :54.4 and 1:24.2 before using a final quarter of :27.3 to prevail by 1-1/2 lengths over New Talent. Western Redhot claimed the third prize in the rich tilt.
Sent off as the 1-5 favourite, Mystical Rock improved his 2015 record to 4-3-1 from 12 starts for Anthony Lombardi of Morris, IL and Mystical Marker Farms LLC of Dyer, IN. The homebred now boasts a bankroll that stands at $173,192.
$78,450 American National Two-Year-Old Filly Pace
Cant Touch This turned a two-hole trip into a rich payday for driver Dan Shetler and trainer Roger Welch. Sent off as the 1-2 favourite, the daughter of Rockin Image-Fox Valley Monika stalked the pacesetting Lexington Lady through fractions of :29, :57.4 and 1:25.4 before angling out and firing home in :27.3 to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Char N Marg in 1:53.4. Lexington Lady tired late and wound up third.
It was the seventh win of the campaign for the filly who races for the Illinois partnership of William C De Long, William P De Long and Douglas Riccolo. The victory improved her record to 7-1-2 from 16 starts and it bumped her cash stash to $190,992.
$101,350 American National Open Trot
Master Of Law took on just three other foes in a non-wagering tilt prior to the pari-mutuel portion of the program, and he eked out a half-length score over E L Titan in 1:52.1.
David Miller had Master Of Law parked out and pressing E L Titan to the quarter pole in :28 before eventually clearing to the lead. Master Of Law went on to whack out middle panels of :55.3 and 1:24.2 before using a :27.4 closing quarter to fend off the late-rushing E L Titan. DWs NY Yank was third, and rounding out the field in the rich affair was Southwind Pepino.
The five-year-old son of Deweycheatumnhowe-Possess The Magic hangs his harness bag in the barn of trainer Jimmy Takter. The 14-time winner is owned by Lindy Racing Stable, Brittany Farms, Adam Victor And Son Stble and Christina Takter. The lion’s share of the loot lifted the gelding’s bankroll to $522,667.