Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Chocolatier Wins Am-Nat in 1:54

DR Ackerman guides Chocolatier to a sweet victory!

August 26, 2006

Am-Nat Night Recap: $190,000 American National 3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot
Chocolatier took the lead and never looked back in the $190,000 American National for sophomore trotters Saturday night at Balmoral Park. With DR Ackerman at the lines, the son of Credit Winner was on idle at the wire, tripping the timer in a respectable 1:54, three lengths ahead of rival Double Player (Andy Miller).

Trained by Doug Ackerman and driven in all of his starts by his son DR, Chocolatier’s victory was his third of the season in eight trips postward, and pushed his seasonal earnings to $533,750. He also became harness racing’s newest millionaire, as he added the winner’s share of $95,000 to his already hefty bankroll—pushing his career total to $1,042,000.

"He was very sharp tonight and I was a little concerned about his fitness level since it’s been three weeks since he raced in the Hambletonian, but he was sharp and really wanted to go," DR Ackerman noted. "Our next start is one week from today in the World Trotting Derby at DuQuoin."

Chocolatier was the 2005 Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year and most recently finished a game second to Glidemaster in the Hambletonian at The Meadowlands in early August.

Andy Miller brought Double Player up for second, while Muscles to Spare (George Brennan) held down show honors.

$190,000 American National Three-Year-Old Colt Trot at Balmoral Park
PP Horse                     Driver
4 Chocolatier                 DR Ackerman
6 Double Player             Andy Miller
8 Muscles To Spare        George Brennan
7 Make You Mine           Mike Lachance
2 Amazon Clipper          Todd Warren
3 Senator Dalton           Ryan Anderson
1 Roman Holiday           Dave Magee
5 My Huckleberry           DeWayne Minor
:28.4      :57.1      1:25.4      1:54