Catch The Fire Favoured For Milstein

Catch The Fire has been named the 2-1 morning line favourite in Saturday’s (August 15) $250,000 Carl Milstein Memorial at MGM Northfield Park.

The top money-earner in the field headlines an accomplished group of eight pacing three-year-olds in Northfield Park’s premier event.

The Milstein, an invitational event, is slated as Race 10 on a 16-race program that carries a 6 p.m. (EDT) first-race post time. The feature race is slated for approximately 9:35 p.m. (EDT).

Catch The Fire enters the Milstein fresh off an Aug. 1 victory in the $375,000 Adios at The Meadows in 1:49.3, matching the mile he put forth in the elimination. He has five races this year and has paced sub-1:50 in each. The John Ackley trainee has banked $468,413 in purses throughout his young career and drew the pylons in Saturday's main event. Catch The Fire is Buckeye owned by C T Stables LLC of Washington Court House, and is trained by Ohioan John Ackley. Catch The Fire's regular pilot Mike Wilder will drive.

Odds On Osiris, the 2019 Indiana Sires Stake (INSS) Champion, drew post 2 and is the 7-2 second choice. He just missed victory in his most recent race, getting nipped at the wire in 1:48.4 in an INSS event. This top Hoosier performer has won eight of 13 starts and has earned $375,395 for owner Odds On Racing of Boca Raton, Florida. Peter Wrenn will drive for his wife, trainer Melanie Wrenn.

Last year's Ohio Sires Stakes champion Elver Hanover drew post 3 and is the 4-1 third choice. Undefeated through nine starts as a freshman, Elver Hanover now has won 10 of 13 starts, with earnings of $422,700. Harness racing's all-time leading trainer Ron Burke conditions this gelding for owners Burke Racing Stable, B. Jablonsky, J. Melillo and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby. Chris Page will drive.

Ohio Sires Stakes standouts Stanford Court, 6-1 (Ronnie Wrenn Jr./Brian Brown) and Ocean Rock, 8-1 (Dan Noble/Christi Noble), Iowa Fair Phenom Slippin The Clutch, 15-1 (Aaron Merriman/Curtis Carey), stakes-veteran Manticore , 12-1 (Jordan Stratton/Bruce Saunders), and Adios runner-up Chief Mate, 10-1 (Scott Zeron/Tony Alagna) are also slated starters in the impressive field.

The $250,000 Carl Milstein Memorial
Post-Horse-Driver-Trainer-M/L
1-Catch The Fire-Mike Wilder-John Ackley-2/1
2-Odds On Osiris-Peter Wrenn-Melanie Wrenn-7/2
3-Elver Hanover-Chris Page-Ron Burke-4/1
4-Stanford Court-Ronnie Wrenn Jr-Brian Brown-6/1
5-Slippin The Clutch-Aaron Merriman-Curtis Carey-15/1
6-Manticore-Jordan Stratton-Bruce Saunders-12/1
7-Chief Mate-Scott Zeron-Tony Alagna-10/1
8-Ocean Rock-Dan Noble-Christi Noble-8/1

The race is named in honour of Carl Milstein, who owned Northfield Park from 1984 until his death in 1999. Brock Milstein and the Milstein family operated Northfield Park until July 2018 when MGM Growth Properties purchased the racetrack from Milstein Entertainment, LLC.

Exciting Undercard

This year’s Milstein Memorial program carries total purses approaching $600,000. The 16-race program includes the $50,000 Myron Charna President’s Pace, a race for four-year-old-and-up Ohio-sired pacers (by invitation only), two $50,000 divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts, two $50,000 divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies, as well as a $14,500 Open event.

A $20,000 Early Pick-4 guaranteed pool starts in Race 7 and consists of both the Charna and the Milstein. A Late Pick 4 begins in Race 11 offering a $10,000 guaranteed pool.

(Northfield Park)