Scioto: 'Majestic' a major 'Player' in $135,000 Charlie Hill

In the pandemic-shortened 2020 racing season which kept many of the top older trotters from starting even 15 times, Majestic Player A won that many starts. Wins have been slower to develop in 2021 for the Australian import as he looks to get on track in Thursday's $135,000 Charlie Hill Memorial at Scioto Downs.

Majestic Player A finished second in his initial U.S. start in early February 2020 before reeling off four straight wins in the Open ranks at Miami Valley. While no horse could stop him, the COVID-19 racing shutdown placed the now 7-year-old on the sidelines for more than two months before a reappearance at Scioto Downs on May 29. The wins piled up as usual -- six straight -- between Scioto and Hoosier in the Open class. Unfortunately for owners Jeff Fought Racing, Brian Carsey and Casey Myers, that all came to a halt when Majestic Player A met up with stakes foes for the first time and finished ninth in the Crawford Farms Trot at Tioga Downs in August.

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Majestic Player A perked back up in against his usual rivals at Scioto and Hoosier, compiling a 5-3-2-0 record before another shot at Grand Circuit stakes. The results were better this time around as he picked up checks in the Allerage, Dayton Derby and Breeders Crown.

"He gets really nervous. As soon as you take him out of his comfort zone he starts shaking. That is what hurts him the most," said trainer Walter Haynes Jr. "When I went to Tioga, I went three days out and he was horrible. When you take him out of his stall and place him in a paddock and close both gates on him, that's what he doesn't like."

The fact that the Charlie Hill takes place at Scioto is certainly good news for Majestic Player A, the 7-1 fifth choice on the morning-line. The son of Majestic Son owns a perfect record in three starts over the Columbus oval. On Thursday he'll reunite with driver Brett Miller from post 4 after Haynes sat in the bike for Majestic Player A's first two starts of the year.

"I think he'll be fine at Scioto because it is only three hours from home and they have outside stalls where he can keep his head out and look around. That's going to help him more than anything," said Haynes, who explained why he drove Majestic Player A to start the year. "I didn't think he qualified good enough. Then the next start he had a jog cord in his mouth and it broke in half. He just pulled all the race out of himself that night.

"I put a different jog cord on him and trained him today [Monday] and he was much better. I think he is pretty sharp and I expect him to be good on Thursday."

Although some of the best in the older trotting division are on the East Coast at The Meadowlands for the Miss Versatility on Saturday, the Charlie Hill still attracted a solid group of established stakes performers led by $1.4 million winner Guardian Angel As (9-2). Trained by Anette Lorentzon, the son of Archangel will be making his first start of 2021 after a pair of qualifiers, the last of which was a 1:56 1/5 win at Miami Valley. Tim Tetrick will drive from the furthest outside post in the field of seven.

Mission Accepted (9-5) has begun 2021 with a strong 5-3-2-0 record at The Meadowlands and Miami Valley in some of the top classes and will look to drive his winning streak to four on Thursday for trainer Ron Burke and driver Chris Page. Mission Accepted, who starts from post 1, would move within a few thousand of millionaire status with a Charlie Hill win.

Burke also sends out recent Meadowlands Preferred Handicap winner It's Academic (4-1) from post two in Thursday's Charlie Hill. The 4-year-old, who has won half of his 30 career starts, wired the field on April 24 in 1:51 3/5 with Yannick Gingras in the bike and the two will hook up again from post 2.

Pure Chance (post 3, Aaron Merriman, 12-1), Whata Swan (post 5, Trace Tetrick, 3-1) and Sky Castles (post 6, Dan Noble, 20-1) complete the field.

Thursday's 11-race card at Scioto starts at 6:15 PM and also includes a pair of $30,000 Opens. The race 6 trot is a wide-open affair while the 10th race pace features the 2021 debuts of Bllack Hole, a 1:48 winner at The Meadowlands last year, and Century Farroh, the 2020 Breeders Crown Older Pace winner at Hoosier Park.