Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Harness Happenings for June 10, 2004
by Kimberly A. Rinker

Odds On Horses Qualify
Trainer Robin Schadt reports that a trio of Odds On Racing horses qualified at Balmoral Park on Wednesday morning, June 9, with Dave Maxwell behind all three Standardbreds.

Dustin N Cleanin, a four-year-old trotting mare by Donerail won her qualifier in 2:00.1 by five and a half lengths, trotting her final panel in :28. She has $39,275 in lifetime earnings in 30 career starts.

"This mare qualified well," Schadt noted. "She's very anxious to get back racing and the plan is to team her up with Tim Tetrick, who returns to driving, next Tuesday, June 15th at Balmoral Park."

Odds On Michelle also qualified, pacing in 1:55 with a :27.1 last quarter, as did Pacific Playboy, who paced to a 1:54.4 clocking, with a :27.2 final panel. Both are expected to return to the races soon.

Andy Miller Pilots Five Victors at Maywood
Driver Andy Miller piloted five winners on Maywood Park's Wednesday night card, including steering both winners of the Maywood Pace Stake eliminations.

The 35-year-old Beecher, Illinois resident began the night by winning the second race with trainer Dave McCaffrey's Swilken Bridge. He then piloted the winner of the first $10,000 division of the Filly Maywood Pace Stake eliminations for his brother, trainer Erv Miller, steering Jan's Julie Too to a 1:55 seasonal best clocking in the seventh race.

Andy next gave world record holder Aries Conquest a perfect drive, taking her to a 1:54.2 clocking in the ninth race--the second $10,000 division of the Maywood Filly Pace Stake elimination--also for his brother/trainer Erv Miller.

In the tenth event Andy took Paris Texas N under the wire first for trainer Paul Blumenfeld, and in the 11th and final race on the evening's card, he got That's A Partygirl up in the final strides for conditioner Bret Shultz.

To date Miller has won 3,912 races, and steered the winners of well over $31 million.

Two-Year-Old Stake Sunday at Balmoral
The $6,000 Jimmy Sunshine Stake will be contested Sunday night at Balmoral. This is only the second stake of the year for freshman, Illinois conceived and foaled colts and geldings, and will sport a full field of ten, including the winner of last week's first Jimmy Sunshine test, Northern Apache. Carl Hipsher trains the son of Ft. Apache Hanover and Mike Oosting is slated to be in the sulky from post eight. Blue Apache, who finished second for for Dave Magee in that same test, has drawn the rail for trainer Darcy Pletcher.

Brothers Nail Both Divisions of the Maywood Filly Pace Eliminations
The brother training/driving team of Erv and Andy Miller scored a major coup Wednesday night at Maywood Park, as they swept both ends of the $10,000 Maywood Filly Pace eliminations. Andy piloted world record holder Art’s Conquest to a 1:54.2 clocking, after steering stablemate Jan’s Julie Too to a 1:55 victory in the first elim for 3-year-old state bred fillies.

Aries Conquest was making her first Maywood Park start since her 1:54.1 world record clocking in last October’s Violet Stake, the fastest ever for a two-year-old filly on a half-mile track. It was her 14th career victory in 18 starts for the Tanah Merah Farms of Springfield, Illinois.

With the very favorable one-post, the filly was hammered down to 1-9 and had more than $136,000 of a $140,231 bet on her to show, producing a $26,825 minus show pool. In excess of $93,000 of the show wagering came in from New York, while Penn National sent in over $14,000 more into the same pool on the overwhelming favorite.

“Aries Conquest just loves this track,” Andy said. “I’ll be driving Aries Conquest in the final for sure. I’m not sure who’ll be driving Jan’s Julie Too—that’s Erv’s call.”

Jan’s Julie Too’s seventh race triumph was her first of the year in four tries for Flint, Michigan owner Harvey Eisman. The Tattler’s Torpedo offspring went 4-for-11 in her first season, earning $45,520.

“I thought Jan’s Julie Too would be pretty strong tonight, so when I pulled her I was really confident, and she just kept on going,” Andy said. “She’s fairly nice to drive, and is getting stronger and more sure of herself with each start.”

The $102,000 estimated Maywood Filly Pace and the $102,000 estimated Maywood Pace will commence Friday, June 18 at Chicago's only in-town half-mile oval.
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