The best pacers in the Midwest are set to compete today (Monday, Feb. 10) in MGM Northfield Park’s $16,000 Open Pace.
Southwind Amazon is the 2-1 slight favorite over 5-2 Carolina Beach and 3-1 Windsong Leo in the evening’s featured ninth race.
Southwind Amazon will face the gate having notched two consecutive victories against Northfiled’s Open competition. He has won three of four starts already this year. The 10-year-old gelding has tallied 90 lifetime wins and recently pushed his career bankroll in excess of a million dollars. Ronnie Wrenn Jr will be steering Southwind Amazon from Post 5 for trainer Paul Holzman.
Carolina Beach has shaken a string of seven-hole starts, as he is set to line up in Post 3 for trainer William Bercury and driver Aaron Merriman. The six-year-old gelding finished second, beaten by only by a neck, in his most recent try in Northfield’s Open. He has tallied two wins and two second-place finishes from five races this year and has won 30 of his 90 career starts.
Windsong Leo has won six consecutive races, all of which took place at the Meadows against Open company. The Pennsylvania invader will start from the outside tonight and is a perfect four-for-four this year. He has notched 54 lifetime wins and has banked over $630,000 in earnings. Ron Burke trains the eight-year-old son of Jeremes Jet, who will be driven by Chris Page.
Other horses that will contest Monday’s Open include Derecho (PP1, Davis Lake), Lancaster Park (PP2, Keith Kash Jr.) and Just Toyin With Ya (PP4, Chris Lems).
Northfield’s Monday card features a first post of 6 p.m.
(With files from Northfield Park)