Northfield: Rhoades trains 1,000th winner, Pick 5 carryover on Wednesday

Following three victories on Sunday night, trainer Bill Rhoades only needed one victory on Tuesday (January 3) to get his 1,000th career win, and it came in the final race with Buckeye Boy.

Following the race, Rhoades said, "My step-dad would've been super proud of me. I don't even know how to feel right now; it's on to the next thousand."

Rhoades, who began his training career in 2004, celebrated his birthday on Monday (January 2). The biggest season for Rhoades was in 2022 where he earned shy of $1.5 million in earnings, winning 185 starts earning him a 12th place finish in the national trainer standings and third in the standings at the Flying Turns.

On a track that had not been speed-favoring most of the night, Buckeye Boy (Aaron Merriman) was sent to the lead, opening up a 3 1/2 lengths margin at the quarter in a snappy 26 2/5. His closest pursuer, Vintage Grand (Keith Kash Jr.), was able to make up ground on the leader, but Merriman didn't take his foot off the gas pedal, hitting the half in 54 3/5.

The pair would move past three-quarters together in 1:24 3/5 after Kash Jr. moved Vintage Grand outside to take a shot at the leader, but Vintage Grand had nothing left in the tank in the lane, with Buckeye Boy hitting the wire in 1:56 1/5 and winning by 1 1/2 lengths.

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Pick 5 carryover highlights Wednesday program

Favorites struggled during the Pick 5 sequence on Tuesday (January 3), leading to a $6,284 carryover in Wednesday's (January 4) Pick 5 beginning in race six.

In partnership with the United States Trotting Association's Strategic Wagering Program, the wager will feature a $30,000 guaranteed pool and sports a low 14 percent takeout and a $1.00 base investment.

Jessica Millner's trainee, Fireworks Flash (Luke Ebersole), created some fireworks, winning the first leg of the sequence at 13-1. Fireworks Flash made up a lot of ground throughout the mile and made a big three-wide move to win in 1:57. The fireworks continued in leg two as The Git Up (Ryan Stahl) made an appearance in the winner's circle. He made a first-over bid for the lead at the half and pushed past early leader Mickey (Kurt Sugg) to win by a half-length over another closer in Starlitblackdragon (Aaron Merriman) in 1:59. Angus Lake made a big move into the backstretch for the final time in leg three to win by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:58 1/5. In the final leg, Caviart Skyler (Luke Ebersole) made a three-wide bid from last at the five-eighths pole and cruised to an easy 1:54 2/5 victory, winning by 12-1/4 lengths.

First post time on Wednesday is 6:00 p.m.

--edited press release (Northfield)--