Scorpion Moon earned the right to try and become the first back-to-back winner of the Joseph Carney Memorial Trot when he cruised to an easy victory in the first of two $12,500 eliminations at Rockingham Park on Sunday
, but Slim Down had to fight his way to the winner's circle in the second.
"That would be super if he can do it and be the first," trainer Tracy Brainard said of Scorpion Moon, who won last year's edition of the annual race named for Rockingham's late owner and president.
On Sunday, Scorpion Moon looked every bit as strong, fast, and fit as he did when winning here as a seven-year-old last year. Sent off as the 6-5 second choice in the field of seven top trotters, Scorpion Moon rated comfortably off the pace and let the race unfold in front of him before he was asked by driver Richard Wojcio to make his move into the far turn. He powered through the lane to win going away by almost six lengths in 1:56.2 on a fast track.
"He raced super from the one-hole and got a good, clean trip," said Brainard, who trains him for Andrew Herzog. "I was a little concerned after his last race (at Scarborough Downs when he got in to trouble, broke, and finished a disappointing last of seven in the $50,000 Joseph Ricci Memorial one week ago), but he gave me the mile that I wanted. I was very happy to see him go the way he did today. He's a very consistent horse and we can throw that last race out."
Earlivic finished second, 35-1 shot Annual Dues was third, and 30-1 choice Mister Lucky Vec followed Scorpion Moon in the order of finish so all earned spots in next week's final. Even money favourite and Chester Downs invader Swan Image broke before the half mile pole and had to go home disappointed with a last place effort.
In the second $12,500 elimination, local favourite and 3-5 top choice in the field Slim Down bested five others when he came home in 1:57.3. But the seven-year-old gelding who is driven, owned, and trained by Jim Hardy needed all of his grit, heart, and desire as he reminded everyone just how game he is.
Slim Down fought off a stiff challenge from 5-2 second choice Andover America and driver Bruce Ranger as they were locked in a fierce battle through the lane. Andover America got his head in front in deep stretch, but Slim Down came back to prevail by a short nose in 1:57.3 and win the fifth of his last seven outings at The Rock.
"I'm very pleased with how my horse raced today," said Hardy. "Bruce has got a very nice horse there and he can give you a fast last quarter and finish really strong. That horse is always coming at the end. I got lucky in the race but my horse is very game too."
Joining Slim Down and Andover America in next week's $30,000 Joseph Carney Memorial final will be the race's third place finisher Proud Moment, a Meadowlands Invader, and fourth place finisher Foreign Authority. Since the Carney final field is limited to nine horses, Machu Picchu, the fifth place horse in the first elimination, gets to round out the starters because the final time of that race was faster than the second race.
(Rockingham Park)