Hartman having big week, strong meet

Sworn Silence ran hard and finished second in the first race on the Friday program at Fair Grounds – becoming the first loser of the racing week for trainer Chris Hartman. Hartman won with his only starter on the Wednesday card and went 2 for 2 on Thursday.

The second winner on Thursday was the formidable starter-allowance horse Overzealous, who romped in an off-turf route open to $10,000 claimers or $5,000 starter horses, like the winner. Overzealous got an 85 Beyer Speed Figure starting his 7-year-old season with a victory following a five-win 2020 campaign.

Hartman has been going just as well. Already he has eight winners from 24 starters this meet (good for a $4.21 return on investment) after winning five races from 35 starters during the 2019-20 Fair Grounds season.

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This meet feels more like Hartman’s 2018-19 Fair Grounds season, when his barn went 17 for 94.

“It’s going good,” said Hartman, who also will be a regular presence at Oaklawn Park when the Arkansas track opens this month. “We’ve just got the right horses for down there right now.”

◗ Veteran trainer Merrill Scherer, who suffered a stroke last month, has shown improvement and is scheduled to be released from the hospital and sent home Monday, his son, trainer Gary Scherer, said Friday. The younger Scherer said in a text message that his father was “slowly getting better . . . but needs plenty of therapy for his right side.”