Illinois' Balmoral Park has attracted some top three-year-old trotters to contest a pair of prestigious American National Stakes on the 14-race program set to go Saturday.
Some of North America's finest three-year-old trotters will be on display Saturday night at Balmoral Park as a pair of prestigious American National Stakes share top billing on our 14-race program.
Sophomore trotting fillies will get the action underway in Race 4, as a field of ten fillies battle for a $185,000 purse in the first American National split.
Lantern Kronos, the runner-up in this year's Hambletonian Oaks at the Meadowlands Racetrack, will headline the first division. The daughter of Viking Kronos ran into traffic problems in the final of the Hambletonian Oaks, but still managed to rattle off an impressive :27.4 final quarter mile to wind up as the bridesmaid. The Jimmy Takter-trained and driven miss captured her elimination for the Oaks in a career best of 1:54.2 the previous week. Lantern Kronos has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favourite from Post 9.
Prada Hall, who won an Elegantimage elimination and was third in her Hambo Oaks elim, and Trond Smedshammer trainee Poster Pin Up, who comes to town off back to back scores in Pennsylvania Sire Stake events at the Meadows and Chester Downs, are other notables in the field.
Rounding out the field for the opening American National field are Princessndiamonds, Celebrity Tribute, Emma Rose, All Our Moni, Diana Hall, Saqqara Dream and Along The Way.
A field of ten trotting colts will head postward in Race 6 and slug it out for a $200,000 purse.
Clerk Magistrate, the fifth-place finisher in this year's Hambletonian, is the early favourite at odds of 3-1. The son of Andover Hall is enjoying a big sophomore season with more than $325,000 in seasonal earnings. His biggest win to date came back on June 14 when he captured the $274,190 Goodtimes Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack in a career best 1:54. Trevor Ritchie, who is no stranger to winning American National titles at Balmoral, will drive for trainer Per Henriksen.
Completing the field for the colt trot are Gallantly, Big Boy Lloyd, Surtees Hanover, Pine After Pine, Cloud Casino, Over Ruled, Friskem and Kajan Kooker.
Also on tap on the big 14-race card that gets underway at 7:20 p.m. (central) is a solid $18,000 Free For All featuring the likes of Coldheartedrevenge, last week's FFA winner in 1:49.4; My Boy David, who took this event two weeks ago in 1:50.3 over a sloppy track, and Booze Cruzin, a winner at Balmoral in 1:50 on August 9.
Click here to view the entries for Balmoral's Saturday card.
(With files from Balmoral)