Arty back on track in Borgata Series

Everything is back on track with ex-Australian harness racing superstar Lochinvar Art’s (Modern Art) campaign for the prestigious MGM Borgata series at Yonkers Raceway in New York.

“Arty” had his colors lowered for the first time in the States, finishing runner up to another former NZ/Aust pacer Hemsworth (Sweet Lou) in the third round of the Borgata Series on Tuesday morning (Apr. 4 in Australia).

His trainer Shane Tritton had the pacer scoped when he pulled up “a bit doey” after the run, but Australian owner Kevin Gordon said he had since recovered well.

“I spoke to Shane this morning and he told me Arty had pulled up a bit flat the next day, but this morning he was pigrooting, eating up and is as good as gold,” Gordon said.

“He just wasn’t himself in this week’s heat. Lauren said in the warmup he was good, but then just wasn’t himself after that and he did a great job to hang on and finish second,” he said.

“The scope found a bit of mucus and phlegm on his lungs, and that’s pretty common over there, especially with horses that aren’t used to that cold.

“Today the vet said he is fine, and we could have raced him in the fourth round next week, but we had always planned, if we were in a position to do so, to give him that one off anyway.”

Gordon said Team Tritton was confident Arty would be spot on for the fifth and final round and progress through to the $US500,000 decider.

“We’re currently the points leader, and even with missing the fourth round of heats we will fall back to probably around fifth. So this still leaves us in the top eight where we need to be to get through.  Then we will contest that fifth heat and hopefully then the final the following week,” he said.

“We’re hoping we will have some little advantage because most of that top group will have to go round in all of the heats to be sure of securing their finals spot, and that means they’ll have been racing for six weeks straight.

“We’re happy to be in the position to be able to have the week off this round, even now that he’s okay.”

For Monday’s race program, click here.

For complete Monday race entries, click here.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink