Vernon Downs will host Grand Circuit racing this Friday (August 21), as Free For All trotters and pacing mares are set to invade the upstate New York raceway.
The $200,000 Crawford Farms Open (which has been carded as Race 9) will field ten top trotting horses with combined earnings of more than $10 million along with an international flair. Quebec-owned and Ontario-bred Flanagan Memory is currently the hot horse in the division, as he has won his last two races, including the John Cashman Memorial at the Meadowlands Racetrack. Vernon’s ‘favourite son,’ Brian Sears was aboard for the Cashman win and will come to Vernon to drive the son of Kadabra for owner/trainer Rene Dion and partner Liette Flanagan.
American-bred 2015 Elitlopp winner Magic Tonight will be making his second start since returning stateside for Swedish connections following what has to be considered a disappointing performance in the Cashman. Quebec stalwart and 2014 TVG champ Intimidate was the winner of this race in 2013 and will return for the third time while still searching for his top form this season. Obrigado and Market Share are a pair of talented Americans, with the former emerging as a bona-fide star and the latter a Hambletonian champion closing out what has been a stellar $3.7-million winning career.
The field for the $200,000 Crawford Farms Open Trot appears below.
Post – Horse – Listed Driver
1 – Lindys Tru Grit – Andy Miller
2 – Rossini – Tim Tetrick
3 – Flanagan Memory – Brian Sears
4 – Market Share – Tim Tetrick
5 – Magic Tonight – Orjan Kihlstrom
6 – Meladys Monet – Jason Bartlett
7 – Obrigado – Mark MacDonald
8 – DWs NY Yank – Matt Kakaley
9 – Master Of Law – Jimmy Takter
10 – Intimidate – Scott Zeron
Top trotting mares have been entered to contest the $177,000 Muscle Hill (Race 7). Bee A Magician will seek revenge against D One, the Swedish invader that tracked Queen Bee down in the final strides of the Fresh Yankee on Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
Bee A Magician had seemed invincible within her division and was valiant in defeat, used hard early and pressured late before succumbing to D One in the shadow of the wire. Sears will drive Bee A Magician for Nifty Norman and owners Mel Hartman, Herb Liverman and Dave McDuffee.
D One was largely unknown to the local fans despite winning more than half her European starts and her royal pedigree. Her sire, Donato Hanover, and dam, Giant Diablo, trotted to identical world record 1:50.1 miles on the same afternoon at the Red Mile in 2007. D One was reserved off the demanding Fresh Yankee fractions by driver Orjan Kihlstrom and flashed brilliant late trot to dethrone the ‘Queen.’ She races for trainer Roger Waldmann's Stall Kenny 23 of Sweden.
They’ll both have to contend with 2014 Trotter of the Year Shake It Cerry and defending Dan Patch divisional winner Classic Martine.
The field for the $177,000 Muscle Hill appears below.
Post – Horse – Listed Driver
1 – Rockin With Dewey – Scott Zeron
2 – Handover Belle – Matt Kakaley
3 – Allie Labrook – Andy Miller
4 – Charmed Life – Brett Miller
5 – Bee A Magician – Brian Sears
6 – Shake It Cerry – Jimmy Takter
7 – D One – Orjan Kihlstrom
8 – Classic Martine – Tim Tetrick
9 – Harley Momma – Tim Tetrick
A deep and competitive field of ten pacing mares will meet in the $194,000 Artiscape (Race 8).
The inimitable Anndrovette has taken on the mantle of division leader lately, as she campaigns for yet another Dan Patch tiara to add to her unequalled collection of four. The path to the winner’s circle is fraught with peril, as the competition is fierce, led by her stablemate, Venus Delight, last year’s sophomore leader, Colors A Virgin, Ontario terror Lady Shadow, ‘Queen of the Delaware Valley’ Table Talk, and the iron-tough Radar Contact.
Anndrovette will be making her fifth appearance in the Artiscape and was the winner of the stakes event back in 2011. A win this year would vault her past $3.5-million in career earnings in her quest to eclipse the career record held by the great Eternal Camnation. Tim Tetrick has been aboard for most of Anndrovette's career highlights and will be once again on Friday for trainer Jeff Bamond, Jr. and owners Bamond Racing and Joe Davino.
The field for the $194,000 Artiscape appears below.
Post – Horse – Listed Driver
1 – Skippin By – Jim Morrill Jr.
2 – Radar Contact – Brett Miller
3 – Precocious Beauty – Brian Sears
4 – Table Talk – Andy Miller
5 – Lady Shadow – Doug McNair
6 – Sandbetweenurtoes – Brett Miller
7 – Anndrovette – Tim Tetrick
8 – Venus Delight – Jason Bartlett
9 – Fancy Desire Mark MacDonald
10 – Colors A Virgin – David Miller
Several divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies are also on Vernon’s Friday docket.
(Vernon)