Late rally wins $100,000 OSS at Northfield Park

Northfield, OH – The Real Way (Downbytheseaside) rallied down the stretch to win the $100,000 fourth leg of the three-year-old colt harness racing pace Ohio Sires Stakes at MGM Northfield Park Saturday night (July 22).

Burnout with Billy Davis Jr. set a blistering pace off the gate covering the first quarter in 25.2.  The speed continued as Burnout led the field to the half-mile in 52.4 and threw-quarters in 1:20.4.

Around the final turn, Burnout began to tire as Quick Trick and Chris Lems swung wide to take the lead.  The Real Way with Chris Page also began their move towards the front going three-wide around the turn.

As they hit the top of the stretch, Quick Trick went to the front by a length, but The Real Way set his sights on the leader.  The two battled down the stretch with The Real Way getting up at the wire to win by a nose in a new lifetime mark of 1:49.2.

It was the third win in nine starts for The Real Way.  Trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi, The Real Way raised his lifetime earnings to $199,988.

THE REAL WAY REPLAY

Ohio Sires Stakes action continues Wednesday Night (July 26) at MGM Northfield Park with the second leg for two-year-old colt and filly trotters and filly pacers.

Fairiesdelight A (Bettor’s Delight) has done no wrong since shipping in to MGM Northfield Park, and on Saturday (July 22) she improved to a perfect three-for-three in Ohio with a come from behind victory in the $20,000 featured harness racing event.

Drawing inside, Fairiesdelight A (Aaron Merriman) worked hard to defend pylon position around the first turn but was met with pressure from leavers Lydeo (Chris Page), and stablemate Waitforever N (Luke Ebersole).  Merriman decided to take back with his mare, allowing the dueling leaders to slug it out to a torrid quarter of :26, where Lydeo finally worked her way to the lead.

Sweet And Fiesty (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) was the first one to take a crack at the leaders, but she made a break around the far turn for the first time and was relegated to the back of the pack.  Eclipsing the half in :54.2, Lydeo had last week’s winner Adashious Hanover (Billy Davis Jr.) breathing down her neck into the clubhouse turn for the final time.

The pair continued to tussle, matching strides past three-quarters in 1:22.2, with neither really giving an inch.  Turning for home, there were a host of pursuers looking to capitalize on the hot early pace, but Fairiesdelight A, who bided her time through much of the mile rallied to win by a head in 1:51.3.

Owned by M T Stables Ontario Inc, and trained by Braiden Rhoades, the 7-year-old mare pushed her earnings to $93,084 with 17 victories in 92 career starts.

Live racing resumes on Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. MGM Northfield Park currently races on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday.

FREE-TO-ENTER SERIES DRAW NEXT WEEK

Draws for MGM Northfield Park’s new free-to-enter harness racing Summer Series for green three-and-four-year-olds — and two-year-olds — kicks off next week.

The conditions are the same for each of the eight series, which are separated by age, gait and sex. All entrants must fit:

— Non-winners of one pari-mutuel race (Ohio-sired NW 2) or $15,000 lifetime — at time of entry for the elimination round.

Three-and-four-year-olds in all four divisions will race their $12,500 eliminations on Monday night, July 31 (enter by Thursday morning, July 27). The top nine in each division will return for a $20,000 Final on Monday, August 7.

Two-year-olds will tussle in their $12,500 eliminations on Wednesday night, August 2 (enter by Friday morning, July 28). The top nine in each of the four divisions will then return for their $20,000 Final on Wednesday, August 9.

All horses must fit Northfield’s normal qualifying standards at time of entry for the eliminations.

For more information contact Northfield’s Director of Racing Dave Bianconi at 330-467-4101 ext. 52300 (during normal race office hours) or dbianconi@mgmnorthfieldpark.com.

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

by Michael Carter, for MGM Northfield Park