Incommunicado stellar in $250,000 Charlie Hill Memorial

Incommunicado (Chapter Seven) surged late to win the $250,000 Charlie Hill Memorial in Grand Circuit for aged trotters harness racing action at Scioto Downs on Saturday night (Sept. 09). It was the fifth-straight win for the razor-sharp Ake Svandstedt trainee, who was steered to victory by Yannick Gingras as the even money favorite.

Gingras was content to sit third early as Kildare King (Tim Tetrick) shot straight out for the front leaving the gate with Jujubee (Andrew McCarthy) landing in the pocket. Positions were unchanged through fractions of 26.4 and 55.3. At that point, Pretender was sent first up by Dexter Dunn from fifth with Incommunicado content to sit in.

Approaching the three quarters, Pretender engaged Kildare King with Incommunicado biding his time but picking up Pretender’s cover. Pretender broke stride just as he had pulled even with the leader, leaving Incommunicado first-over.

Kildare King reached the three quarters in 1:23.1 and turned for home with a length lead but he would get grinded into submission by a persistent Incommunicado who surged past late to take a 1:51.4 win. Kildare King held for second over Jujubee with Smoking Jet (Chris Page) finishing fourth.

INCOMMUNICADO REPLAY

The winner, in taking his sixth victory from 10 starts in 2023, boosted his earnings to more than $798,000 for owners Knuttson Trotting of Florida, Little E Llc of New York, Arthur Geiger of New Jersey and David Stolz of Ohio.

Stolz said he was thrilled to win a race of this magnitude in his home state. “It really feels good,” he said. “It’s a wonderful feeling because I knew Laverne Hill and I knew Charlie Hill, and it brings back great memories and I’m very happy.”

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Garnet Barnsdale, for Harnesslink