Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

American Nationals Saturday at Balmoral

July 14, 2005

Two $15,000 American National stake elimination races for two-year-old pacing colts, a pair of $15,000 Poplar Byrd stakes for second season state-bred pacers, and the Chicago circuit’s $21,000 Free For All Pace are dispersed throughout Saturday night’s 12-race Balmoral Park program. First up are the American National elims carded as races two and three. The first five finishers in each division will earn a starting berth in next Saturday’s (July 16) $88,000 freshmen colt pace championship.

Joe To Go, a dominant winner of his July 9 Hanover stake division, is the 7-5 first elimination favorite. The Joe Seekman trained colt breezed in 1:54.1 in his very first start and was under a hold by driver Tim Tetrick, who will again guide the Jenna’s Beach Boy offspring in the first of two nine-horse elimination fields.

Joe To Go will take on Nifty Fellow (Brent Holland), a 1:56.1 victor in his Hanover stake split a week ago, who will team up with Full Of Luck, another Ken Rucker trained youngster owned by the Rucker Stable and the Engle Stable. The entry is the 4-1 morning line second choices. The General (9-2, Dave Magee), Jate Daniels (15-1, Mark O’Mara), Roll Bar Hanover (5-1, Dale Hiteman), Intendto’s Majesty (6-1, Sam Widger), Robin’s Ponderosa (15-1, Mike Oosting) and Winbak Bini (15-1, Andy Miller) complete the first American National elim.

Early favoritism in the third race second division is divided between Keystone Resident (3-1, Dave Magee) from the Tim Pinske Stable, Winslow Gambler (7-2, Andy Miller), who posted a 1:55 flat victory in his July 10 bow at Hawthorne for trainer Erv Miller, and Yourtheluckyone (4-1), conditioned by Joel Smith. While Keystone Resident broke on the lead in his July 9 Hanover division, the Western Hanover colt did make up 10 lengths on the field when he finished third five lengths behind Yourtheluckyone’s 1:56.1 triumph.

“He drives like an old horse, but all of Joel’s young horses drive well. He teaches them the right way from day one. He does very well with babies,” Tetrick said.

AB’s Beach Boy (8-1, Tony Morgan), Life Guard On Duty (6-1, Ron Marsh), Jandj Art (8-1, Mike Oosting), Bunk (8-1, Dale Hiteman), Fox Valley Alexai (15-1, Brent Holland) and Icouldonlyimagine (12-1, Joe Anderson) are the other American National final hopefuls in the second elimination.