Last season’s Orange & Blue champion Dutch Richman continued to draw the attention of Illinois racing fans as he rolled to a two-length decision in a blistering 1:51.3 in Saturday’s $54,500 Cardinal Stake for three-year-old state bred pacing colts at Balmoral Park
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Hustled away from post position six by driver Marcus Miller, the son of Richess Hanover-Fox Valley Estella wound up dueling for the early lead with stablemate A Cool Card, who left quickly from post position eight, as the Ervin Miller trainees rolled by an opening quarter in 27.4.
“I knew most of the better horses in the race were outside of me tonight so I didn’t want to take a chance and wind up being too far back,” said Marcus. “His lines really don’t show it but he can leave in a hurry when you want him to just like he did in last year’s Orange & Blue elimination.”
Content to sit right on the back of A Cool Card, the stablemates rolled by the half-mile mark in :55.4.
The action started to heat up on the far turn as a first over Fox Valley Yukon (Dale Hiteman) came calling to challenge A Cool Card while first over. A patient Dutch Richman was enjoying a pocket-sitting journey in third while the highly regarded Rockin Rumble (Mike Oosting) began circling horses while three and four-wide as the field reached the three-quarter-mile mark in 1:25.
Asked if he had any concerns as the field began to bunch up at the top of the stretch, Miller was as cool as a cucumber.
“I knew A Cool Card was good tonight and I figured that he would carry me all the way to the passing lane,” he explained. “My horse relaxes so easily when he’s in a hole and you can basically just drive him with two fingers around there.”
Through the lane, A Cool Card was still clinging to a short lead with Fox Valley Yukon right alongside in second. Dutch Richman had moved into the passing lane and was starting to gobble up ground while Rockin Rumble remained in fourth.
“Dutch Richman can switch gears in a heartbeat and that’s exactly what he did tonight once we found clear sailing down in the passing lane,” said Miller. “He was very good tonight and he’s such a smart horse that he basically just took me down there and then went on about his business until he hit the wire.”
Cruising effortlessly through the closing yards, Dutch Richman reeled off a wicked :26.2 final split to seal the deal for owners Leland Mathias, Harvey Eisman and the Ervin Miller Stable. Fox Valley Yukon was second while A Cool Card held on gamely to finish third.
With the win Dutch Richman now boasts six wins in eight career starts with earnings of $159,371. Hammered at the windows by the betting public the gelding returned just $2.80, $2.60 and $2.20.
The North America Cup eligible has been assessed at odds of 40-1 in Trot Magazine's 2011 Spring Book.
(With files from Balmoral Park)