The fields are set for Saturday night’s $25,000 James K. Hackett Memorial races for both Ohio-sired three-year-old filly and colt pacers at Miami Valley Raceway.
A pair of $7,500 eliminations were necessary last weekend to whittle the nominees down to championship fields of nine of each gender. An impressive first round winner has drawn the outside post position in each final making the races more intriguing.
Despite the nine-hole behind the gate, Paydaze On The Way has been installed the lukewarm 5-2 favourite in the filly division on the merits of her 1:56.3 elimination win. Crown Time Keeper (Chris Page), the winner of the other elimination split, has been tabbed second choice at 3-1 odds. Second-place elimination finishers Fayco Filly (Dan Noble) and Friskies Angel (Randy Tharps) have been assigned opening odds of 4-1 and 6-1, followed by A P P Panda (Greg Grismore) at 8-1, the Bill Webb-owned entry of Baby Slider (Kyle Ater) and Mean Fever (Jason Brewer) at 10-1, God Only Knows (Jeremy Smith) 12-1 and Lady Julie (Kayne Kauffman) 15-1.
Friskie Adam (Kyle Ater) got the slight favourite’s role at 5-2 in the colts division following his 1:55.2 front-end score in the eliminations. The other elimination went to Big Bossman (Greg Grismore) in 1:55.3, but the talented colt drew the outside post and thus will open at 9-2 on the toteboard. Chance I Might (Chris Page), who was beaten just a head by Big Bossman in the elim, has been tabbed the 3-1 second choice, followed by Dibs 7-2, Feelin Speedy (Josh Sutton) 6-1, Hawks Cry Hoboken (Dan Noble) 8-1, U F Fast Feelin 10-1, Two Will Forever (Jeremy Smith) 12-1 and Led Schneppelin (Kayne Kauffman) 15-1.
Post time for the 14-race card on Saturday night is 6:30 p.m. with the Hackett championship races carded as the ninth and 11th on the program.
(Miami Valley)