Western Fair: The Wall looks to scale the field in Camluck Classic

For those who bet on The Wall at 64-1 at Harrah’s Philadelphia last Sunday, a third-place finish in the $100,000 Commodore Barry was no consolation prize. For trainer Nick Surick, the huge effort will serve as a warm up for the C$157,000 Camluck slated for Western Fair Raceway on Friday night.

“I hope he can bounce back from that mile,” Surick said, referring to the grueling outing the 5-year-old gelding by Somebeachsomewhere had to absorb in the Barry. “I mean if he just had a chance to rest at some point in the mile I think he would have won. 25 2/5, 53 1/5, he just was never able to rest.”

[WESTERN FAIR: Get free Harness Eye PPs for Friday's Camluck Classic card.]

Surick watched as The Wall with substitute driver Jim Pantaleano jetted out from the pole position before yielding grudgingly. Passing the stands the first time, The Wall picked up the chase again and retook the top but was put to immediate pressure from Rodeo Rock, who dueled him through a 1:20 2/5 three quarter clocking. “Courtly Choice (the race winner) had everything fall into place for him,” Surick said.

On Friday, Surick hopes the journey will be a little different. He’s actually promising it won’t be the same. “We won’t be leaving from the three-hole,” Surick said. “I won’t mind if he’s first or second over. Whenever Joe (Bongiorno) has fed him racetrack he’s responded.”

After missing last Sunday’s outing with sickness, Bongiorno will be in the sulky at Western Fair, a half-mile track that is right in The Wall’s wheelhouse.

“He’s actually just as fast on the half as he is on the five-eighths as he is on the mile,” said Surick. “I give all the credit to (owner) Joel Benson for where this horse is today. He saw him race in non-winners of $30,000 at Yonkers and finish third from the eight hole. He decided to take the earnings and put him in the Levy Series.”

The owner’s move paid off quite nicely with The Wall capturing two of the preliminary legs in the series then finishing fifth in the final with Andy Miller aboard. “Joe had to drive his horse in the final and he just never had any racetrack to work with,” said Surick.

The Wall will be reunited with at least one Levy horse as Ideal Jimmy ships north for trainer Erv Miller. Ideal Jimmy has won $223,014 already this season with seven wins in 17 starts and will get the benefit of the pole draw for the Camluck. The 6-year-old by Western Ideal has been solid all season long when drawing well and that should make him one of the horses to beat on Friday.

[HANDICAPPING: Derick Giwner & Matt Rose break down the Camluck Classic field.]

The 4-year-old Done Well is likely to be the public choice coming off two impressive back-to-back outings at Flamboro in the Confederation Cup elimination and final. The Ron Burke-trained son of Well Said landed post two and will be searching for his third win in his fourth start of the season. In the Confederation Cup, Done Well went nearly wire-to-wire in a 1:50 2/5 clocking.

Half-mile track specialist Southwind Amazon drew post four in the Camluck and arrives after having success at Northfield Park most recently. A 9-year-old son of the race’s namesake, Southwind Amazon has won 31 times in his last 52 outings over the last two years including a 1:49 3/5 mile at Northfield in 2018.

The 6-year-old Sintra will test the half-mile track for trainer Stephanie Jamieson from post five. Sintra has won two of his first three starts since joining his new barn including a 1:50 1/5 outing at Woodbine Mohawk Park on April 27.

Rockin Speed was roughed up in the Confederation Cup but still managed a fourth-place finish in the final. The Indiana-bred drew post six for trainer Jared Seekman.

Last year’s Art Rooney winner Trump Nation enters the Camluck following a 1:49 3/5 victory at The Meadowlands. Jason Bartlett is listed to drive from post seven.

Rounding out the field for the Camluck is Rockin Ron from the Burke stable in the second tier. Though winless in 2019, Rockin Ron is the defending champion in this event having won the race by eight lengths in 2018. Defending Camluck winning driver Louis Philippe Roy has the assignment.