Northfield: Prolonged first-up trip no problem for Guardian Angel AS in Cleveland Trotting Classic

Guardian Angel AS continued his recent run of success in Saturday night's $175,000 Cleveland Trotting Classic for free-for-allers at Northfield Park as he overcame an extended first-over grind to win the contest in 1:52, an all-age trotting track record at Northfield and the fastest race mile ever on a half-mile track by a older male on the trot.

Riding a three-race win streak coming in and starting from the pole position, Guardian Angel AS wasn't hustled away from the gate by driver Jason Bartlett, settling third behind mare Emoticon Hanover (Jody Jamieson). Bartlett would move Guardian Angel AS to the outside going to the 27 3/5 opening quarter, but when he ended up parked by Emoticon Hanover at that station and the 55 3/5 half, it appeared like he might be in some trouble.

However, Guardian Angel AS showed no signs of the trip bothering him as he trotted up next to Emoticon Hanover at the 1:24 1/5 three-quarters, then showed an advantage on the rim past that marker and into the lane. Guardian Angel AS then polished off the victory, reporting home a length and a half to the good in 1:52. Musical Rhythm (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) closed well in the lane for second, and Emoticon Hanover faded to third. Pinkman (Brett Miller) turned a pocket trip into a fourth, and Plunge Blue Chip (Aaron Merriman) got third.

Defending race champion Marion Marauder (Scott Zeron) followed Guardian Angel AS from second-over but lost touch with him going to three-quarters and finished in seventh.

The 1:52 clocking bettered Crazy Wow's previous race-mile world record for the division on a half-mile track of 1:52 3/5 from the 2017 edition of this race. The fastest overall time by a stallion on a half-mile track is 1:51 1/5 by Cash Hall, who did it in a time trial at the Delaware County Fair.

“My first priority was to get him through the first turn without breaking,” said Bartlett. “Then, I got him to the outside and saw that Jody wanted to stay on the lead. So, I let him grind it out the rest of the way. On the third turn I knew I had it won. He was spectacular tonight and overcame a tough trip.”

A 5-year-old Archangel stallion, Guardian Angel AS is trained by Anette Lorentzon for owners ACL Stuteri AB and Kjell Johansson. He made his 20th appearance in the winner's circle, and he has now banked $702,280. He returned $3.80 to win.

The undercard features were a pair of $50,000 Ohio Sires Stakes races for sophomore pacing males, and they would go to Cross Country in 1:50 4/5 for co-owner/trainer/driver Luke Ebersole and co-owners Logan Ebersole and Cody Sipe, and Rock Candy in 1:50 3/5 for Wrenn Jr., trainer Brian Brown, and owners Country Club Acres Inc., Joe Sbrocco, and Richard Lombardo.

--Bartlett quote courtesy of Northfield Park--