Northfield: Lather Up heads stacked Milstein field
North America Cup champion Lather Up headlines a deep and diverse field in Northfield Park’s premier event, the $400,000 Carl Milstein Memorial on Saturday night, August 11. The race, a 3year-old Open by invitation only, has attracted a diverse and accomplished group of horses, representing sires from six different states and Ontario.
Ohio-sired Lather Up has been named the 2-1 morning-line favorite by Northfield's Executive Vice President of Racing and Simulcasting, Dave Bianconi. Lather Up has banked over $500,000 in purses while winning eight of his nine starts thus far in 2018. Lather Up is the only horse in the field that has ever competed at Northfield, including a local victory in Ohio Sires Stakes competition last year. Clyde Francis of the George Teague Stable trains Lather Up for breeder/owners Gary and Barbara Iles of Harrington, Delaware.
Jimmy Freight drew the rail and is the 3-1 second choice. He ventures south of the border on the heels of a career best 1:48 3/5 romp in Ontario Sires Stakes company on August 4 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Jimmy Freight is now a perfect 4-for-4 in Ontario Sires Stakes Gold events this year.
Dorsoduro Hanover drew post-5 and is the 4-1 third choice. He is fresh off a breakthrough victory in the $400,000 Adios at The Meadows (near Pittsburgh). Pennsylvania-sired Dorsoduro Hanover enters the Milstein for harness racing's leading trainer in both wins and purses, Ron Burke. Burke recently surpassed the $200,000,000 mark in career purses from his stable and is a fixture atop the seasonal leader board for trainers in both wins and earnings from his starters.
$400,000 Milstein Memorial field
POST HORSE DRIVER TRAINER M/L
1 Jimmy Freight Louis Roy Andrew Harris 3-1
2 Lather Up Montrell Teague Clyde Francis 2-1
3 Thinkbig Dreambig Jordan Stratton Jimmy Takter 12-1
4 Springteen Rene Allard David Miller 6-1
5 Dorsoduro Hanover Matt Kakaley Ron Burke 4-1
6 Minnie Vinnie Aaron Merriman Curtis Carey 15-1
7 Slick Tony Russell Foster George Leager 20-1
8 Always A Prince Trace Tetrick Tyler George 10-1
The race is named in honor of Carl Milstein, who owned and operated Northfield Park from 1984 until his death in 1999. His son, Brock, took over as Chairman of Northfield Park upon his father’s passing until earlier this year when MGM Growth Properties purchased the racetrack from Milstein Entertainment, LLC.
“The Carl Milstein Memorial is our richest and most prestigious race of the year,” stated Brent Reitz, Northfield Park Vice President and General Manager, “but the rest of the card is loaded with exceptional racing as well.” This year’s Milstein Memorial program carries total purses in excess of $700,000.
The 16-race program includes the $50,000 Myron Charna President’s Pace, a race for 4-year-old-and-up Ohio Sired Pacers (by invitation only), three $40,000 divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes for 3-year-old filly pacers and three $19,000 Open events.
Superfecta wagering will be available on Saturday’s featured 11th race event with a $20,000 guaranteed pool. It is also the fourth leg of the Pick-4, which has a guaranteed pool of $10,000. First race post time is 6:00 p.m.
-edited release (Northfield Park)