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Welcome To The $175,000 Cleveland Classic
The 2010 Classic is Saturday, December 4
If I Can Dream Takes 2009 Cleveland Classic at Northfield Park
Bulletproof Enterprises If I Can Dream ($2.40), show winning his Little Brown Jug elimination, won the 20th Annual Cleveland Classic at Northfield Park Saturday night in 1:52.1, defeating Sheer Desire by just over two lengths. Vertical Horizon, a stablemate of If I Can Dream, was third.
Sheer Desire took the early lead, but If I Can Dream, the Breeders Crown champion, was driven to the front by Tim Tetrick as the field approached the 27.2 quarter mile mark. If I Can Dream controlled the fractions from there and a 27.2 final quarter sealed the deal for the three-year-old son of Western Hanover, who was making the last start of his career. He finishes his racing career with 14 wins in 33 career starts and a bankroll of $1,990,299. Tracy Brainard is the winning trainer, becoming just the second female conditioner to win Northfield’s richest race.
Breeders Crown Champ If I Can Dream Supplements To $160,000
Cleveland Classic
Top Drivers Tetrick, Miller, Palone Expected at Northfield
Bulletproof Enterprises and trainer Tracy Brainard have supplemented Breeders Crown Champ If I Can Dream (picture at Delaware, Ohio) and Progress Pace winner Vertical Horizon to the $160,000 Cleveland Classic for three-year-old colt pacers at Northfield Park Saturday. If I Can Dream, a career winner of over $1.9 million, including over $1.6 million this year, will be driven by Tim Tetrick and has been installed as the 7-5 morning line (ML) favorite by Director of Racing Gregg Keidel. Sheer Desire, owned by Burke Racing, Randy Ringer and JJK Stables, is the second choice at 5-2. Trainer Ron Burke has called on Dave Palone to drive. David Miller, a former Ohio driving star now based on the East Coast, will drive Vertical Horizon for Brainard. The two Bulletproof/Brainard horses will be uncoupled for wagering purposes. The Steve Carter entry of Bob Watts and Real Image has also been uncoupled by permission of the Ohio Racing Commission. Supplemental entries pay a $15,000 declaration fee for not nominating and sustaining at the scheduled deadlines. Northfield Park is located on Ohio Route Eight, midway between Cleveland and Akron. The Cleveland Classic, Northfield’s richest race of the season, is the 12th race on a 14-race card, which has a 7:00 PM first race post time. The race will be broadcast live on TVG Network, available on most cable and satellite systems.
$160,000 Cleveland Classic
Saturday, November 28 at Northfield Park
Race 12 – Post Time approximately 11:02 PM Eastern
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PP
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Horse
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Driver
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Trainer
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Owner
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ML
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1
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If I Can Dream
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Tim Tetrick
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Tracy Brainard
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Bulletproof Enterprises
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7-5
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2
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Gordieisanartist
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Kurt Sugg
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Kurt Sugg
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Dean Davis
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20-1
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3
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Vertical Horizon
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Dave Miller
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Tracy Brainard
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Bulletproof Enterprises
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9-2
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4
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Sheer Desire
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Dave Palone
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Ron Burke
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Burke Racing, Randy Ringer, JJK Stable, L. Karr
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5-2
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5
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Real Image
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Chris Page
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Steve Carter
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S.Carter, R. Reid, C. Grubbs
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12-1
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6
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Bob Watts
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Elliott Deaton
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Steve Carter
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S.Carter, R. Reid, C. Grubbs
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10-1
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7
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Part Shark
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Trevor Henry
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Mark Austin
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M. Austin & Daniel Smith
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15-1
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From KEEPING PACE with Keith Gisser
November 23, 2009
CLASSIC PREVIEW- The only things certain in life are death and taxes… and that the $175,000 Cleveland Classic at Northfield is this Saturday evening. Entries aren’t due until Wednesday morning at 9 AM, but several top three-year-old pacers are expected for the richest race of the year at the Route Eight oval. Sheer Desire finished second Friday in the $225,000 Windy City Pace at Maywood Park. He got the lead and was pressured throughout by favored If I Can Dream, but could not hold off longshot In Over My Head at the wire… Ohio-bred Standupnkissme was victimized by a trip that saw him parked out past the half in the Windy City. He tired badly, finishing last… Bob Watts prepped for the Classic locally, winning a $6,000 Open Pace at Northfield, beating older horses in a comfortable 1:55.2… And in a very interesting development, Cinderella story Go Go Solano, profiled in KP last week, appeared to be out of the Classic picture, choosing to race in the Matron Stake at Dover instead. But, saddled with PP7 in his elimination, he was parked out every step of the mile and did not qualify for the rich final. That means his connections, including Solon’s Richard Lombardo, may choose to pony up $15,000 to supplement him to the Classic after all. The Classic is shaping up to be a late-season slugfest for the sophomore pacing colts. The evening also features a $40,000 Mystery Voucher promotion for Northfield’s mailing list patrons. You can get Cleveland Classic info at www.northfieldpark.com. Go to the Promotions tab and click on Cleveland Classic.
MORE THAN TURKEY THIS WEEK- Northfield is open for noon simulcasting every Sunday through Thursday through the end of the year, including Thanksgiving. Simulcast action starts at 11 AM Thursday with Calder Race Course, followed at 11:25 by Aqueduct, and at 11:30 by Churchill Downs. The Players Club $10 Early Bird Match Play offer is in effect from noon until 2 PM that day, as it is every Sunday through Thursday. A number of $2.00 concession specials, including 16 oz draft beer, are also on tap for Turkey Day… Wednesday, Northfield and the Ohio Lottery present Pick 3 Trifecta Night. Patrons receive a free Ohio Lottery Pick 3 ticket good for the Thanksgiving Day noon drawing.. And, if the three numbers on that ticket match in exact order the official trifecta numbers on any of the evening’s first twelve races, the patron holding the ticket wins $50, with no limit to the number of times a single patron can win… Wednesday evening also features an appearance by ESPN Cleveland WKNR’s Kenny Roda. The “Road Man” broadcasts live from 6 PM- 9 PM from the Trackside Lounge.
From KEEPING PACE with Keith Gisser
November 16, 2009
SUPPLEMENTAL CINDERELLA STORY? Sold to an Amish horseman in Maine for $700 earlier this year, three-year-old pacer Go Go Solano’s current connections are considering supplementing him to the $175,000 Cleveland Classic at Northfield on Saturday, November 28. In his last start, the $350,000 Progress Pace at Dover Downs, Go Go Solano finished second after taking the lead and then getting shuffled back before rallying late. Go Go Solano was sold for $54,000 at a New Jersey sale, and after racing in Canada, was purchased by Pat Rizzo and Solon resident Richard Lombardo for about $100,000 in late August. The son of Bettors Delight now shows a 2009 summary of 11 starts-6 wins-5-seconds, with $291,998 in the bank. His lifetime mark of 1:51 was taken at Vernon Downs in New York. Supplemental entries, for horses not previously nominated to the race, cost $15,000.
OTHER CLASSIC STUFF- Classic hopeful Bob Watts had a rough night at Northfield Saturday. Sent off as the 3-5 favorite in a $5,000 Open Pace, he made a break leaving the gate and was never a factor… The Cleveland Classic features a $40,000 Mystery Tote Voucher night, with preferred patrons receiving betting vouchers which may be redeemed between 6 and 10 PM on November 28… Lady Luck’s Clubhouse Restaurant is rapidly filling up for Cleveland Classc night, but tables are still available by calling 330-467-4101, or e-mailing reservations@northfieldpark.com… A pair of Classic hopefuls raced Saturday at Balmoral Park, near Chicago, in the $265,000 American National. Sheer Desire finished third, grinding out a first-over trip to challenge Standupnkissme, who also appears Classic-bound. Standupnkissme tired late, finishing fifth.
From KEEPING PACE with Keith Gisser
November 9, 2009
CALLING GENE RAYBURN AND RICHARD DAWSON- The former hosts of TV’s Match Game would love Northfield Park’s latest promotion…a free $10 match play wager offer good every Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from noon to 2 PM. Players Club members simply sign in at the registration table and receive their $10 match play coupon. Non-members can join on the spot to be eligible. The promotion begins Sunday, November 15, and runs through the end of 2009. That could mean $50 a week in free wagers and up to $350 by the end of the year!
CLEVELAND, CLASSICALLY SPEAKING- Northfield’s $175,000 Cleveland Classic for three-year-old pacing colts is Saturday, November 28, and while Sheer Desire heads the list of 39 nominees, a number of solid sophomore colts are eligible to the stake. Ohio bred Standupnkissme, now owned by Francis Azur, has earned $200,000 lifetime and would be a major player. Sheer Desire took some time off in October but has won two straight qualifiers at the Meadows, the most recent on November 6. Steve Carter has a pair of possibles in Bob Watts, a 1:52.2 winner at the Delaware (OH) Fair, and Really Rockin. Retired Amherst auto dealer Ed Mullinax has five Classic eligible colts. Entries are due Wednesday, November 25 by 9 AM for the track’s richest race of the year
PROMOTIONS GALORE- The Cleveland Classic features a $40,000 Mystery Tote Voucher night, with preferred patrons receiving betting vouchers which may be redeemed between 6 PM and 10 PM on November 28… Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday, November 25, is an Ohio Lottery Pick 3 Trifecta Night, with a free lottery ticket to all patrons in attendance and multiple chances to win $50 each race… Friday, November 20 is a special early simulcast opening which features $2 food and draft beer specials (more below)…Instant Win Monday debuted on November 2, with mailing list patrons redeeming coupons for a chance to win prizes ranging from $2 to $2,000. R. Albert was the big winner last week, drawing a voucher worth $100… The track’s annual Santa Sack customer appreciation night (Saturday, December 19) is valued at $70,000 this year, $20K more than usual. The additional value comes thanks to the top prize, a brand new Chevy Silverado Pickup truck.
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