Harness racing: Check Me Out begins her road to the Hambletonian or Oaks

In harness racing April is a time of hope. Owners, trainers and drivers wait for these spring months to test out their star 2-year-olds with hopes that they return to the top of their games as sophomore performers. Perhaps no return is more anticipated than filly superstar Check Me Out.

As a rookie performer Check Me Out won 14 of 16 races and earned $900,619. Among her accomplishments were a Merrie Annabelle score at the Meadowlands and a Breeders Crown win at Woodbine Racetrack. Even more impressive than her statistics were her winning times. With a 1:53 2/5 clocking at Dover Downs, she was the fastest 2-year-old trotter of the year; including boys.

While there are no charted lines to prove it, Check Me Out was back on the track at the Meadowlands on Friday April 13 to show her stuff. In a training mile before the carded qualifying action, Check Me Out put forth a solid 1:54 mile according to owner/trainer Ray Schnittker.

“There were no problems and she did it easily,” said the trainer modestly.

“She will qualify next Friday at the Meadowlands and then she might take a week off and qualify at Pocono. I wanted to give her two qualifiers before her first start and leave plenty of time in case of bad weather,” said Schnittker.

The veteran trainer mentioned a May 15 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes race at The Meadows as the filly’s likely first start. Assuming all goes well in May and through July, a date looms with either the $1.5 million Hambletonian or the $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks at the Meadowlands on August 4. But Schnittker is taking it one step at a time and hasn’t decided what the goal is with his stable star.

“We’ll see what happens” was the best answer he could muster on the ultimate goal.