Northfield: Resolve, Obrigado headline Cleveland Trotting Classic

Northeast Ohio’s newest premier race, the Cleveland Trotting Classic, will go to post Saturday (July 1) at Northfield Park. The Classic carries a $185,000 purse and has attracted some of the best veteran trotters in North America. The Grand Circuit race is the featured event on a program that includes four $40,000 divisions of Ohio Sire Stakes for 3-year-old colt pacers.

Resolve drew post one and has been named the 8-5 morning line favorite in the Classic field by Northfield Park Executive Vice President of Racing and Simulcasting Dave Bianconi. Resolve enters Saturday’s race off a 1:54 3/5 mile against open company at Yonkers. The race was his first start in the United States since returning from Sweden where he competed in the prestigious Elitlopp at Solvalla Racetrack. In 2016, Resolve won the $1,000,000 Yonkers International Trot, a race that was renewed after a 20-year hiatus. Resolve sports 16 wins, lifetime earnings of $2,327,254, and a mark of 1:50 1/5.

Crazy Wow is the 3-1 second choice. He drew post two for powerhouse trainer Ron Burke. The 5-year-old has two wins this year including a track record-setting win at Scioto Downs in the Charlie Hill Memorial Trot on June 10 and an impressive victory in the Maxie Lee Invitational at Harrah’s Philadelphia. He has garnered career earnings of $1,772,564 and took a mark of 1:51 1/5 at Vernon Downs in 2014.

The 2016 winner of the Cleveland Trotting Classic, Obrigado, will return to Northeast Ohio to defend his crown. Obrigado comes off two strong efforts, including a second to Crazy Wow in the Charlie Hill. Mark MacDonald will be looking for back-to-back Cleveland Trotting Classic wins as he is scheduled to drive the talented 7-year-old gelding. Obrigado has a mark of 1:50 3/5 at the Meadowlands and has made $1,684,749.

Bianconi said about the Classic: “This is the strongest field of trotters we have hosted in my 26 years at Northfield.”

The 2017 Cleveland Trotting Classic field:

Horse-Driver-Trainer-M/L
1-Resolve-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt-8-5
2-Crazy Wow-Chris Page-Ron Burke-3-1
3-Il Sogno Dream-Aaron Merriman-Christopher Beaver-10-1
4-Obrigado-Mark MacDonald-Paul Kelley-9-2
5-Fly Jesse Fly-Peter Wrenn-Ron Otto-20-1
6-Maestro Blue Chip-Ronnie Wrenn Jr.-Scott Di Domenico-12-1
7-Homicide Hunter-Aaron Merriman-Chris Oakes-8-1
8-Will Take Charge-TBA-John Bax-15-1

Driver selections will be finalized by 9 p.m. Tuesday evening.

Superfecta wagering has been added to Saturday’s 11th race, the Classic feature, and will carry a guaranteed pool of $15,000. A $7,500 guaranteed Pick-4 has also been added and covers races eight through 11. First race post time is 6 p.m.

-edited release (Michael Carter for Northfield Park)