Iowa contenders face off for championships

With the long season of harness racing to accumulate points behind them, Iowa harness racing leaders looked to compete for the title of Champion at What Cheer on Sunday (9/19).

In the opener, Toast The Host (Mark Mintun) trotted on the track to start from the three-hole.  In perfect form, Toast The Host left quickly to take the lead.  Trotting around the track in 30.1, 59.4 and 1:29.3, Toast The Host spied the finish line as she rounded the last turn.  Last quarter in 30.4, the My MVP filly crossed the wire, ahead of the field by ten lengths.  With glasses raised, Toast The Host celebrated winning the Junie Manatt Memorial Two-Year-Old Trotting Fillies.

The Mike Smith Memorial Two-Year-Old Trotting Colts/Geldings started with Battle King (Gary Liles) taking charge as he left from the rail, in race two.  But Fox River Luke (Royal Roland) had other plans as he quickly gained the lead as they trotted to the half.  Maintaining the lead, Fox River Luke trotted his last quarter in 31 flat.  Capturing the win, Fox River Luke also picked up a new lifetime mark of 2:05.1.

Hunting for her crown, Huntress drew the two-hole in race three, Katherine Carey Memorial Two-Year-Old Pacing Fillies.  As the gate folded, Huntress burst forward to the front.  Cutting the mile in 30.2, 1:01.1 and 1:31, Huntress was in full command at the top of the stretch.  Sprinting home in 29 flat, Huntress lowered her lifetime mark to 2:00.

The last group of two-year-olds paraded on the track in race four, Jim and Shirley Eden Memorial Two-Year-Old Pacing Colts/Geldings.  At the start, CR Dudley (Chad Svendsen) led He’s Special (Mark Mintun) and Lucky To Be Sweet (Will Roland) to the quarter in a blistering 27.4.  Sitting parked, He’s Special looked for the rail, taking the lead at the half in 58 flat, but Lucky To Be Sweet had ideas about the lead as well.  Taking over as they paced to the three-quarter-pole in 1:27.3, Lucky To Be Sweet was up by half of a length.  Looking for the finish line, Lucky To Be Sweet crossed over as victor in 1:59.4, a new lifetime mark.

With her usual game plan, Operation Shipley (Royal Roland) trotted to the front and didn’t look back in race five, Willard Ludtke Memorial Three-Year-Old Trotting Fillies.  Quarters in 31.1, 1:02.1 and 1:32.2, it was all Operation Shipley as she turned for home.  Winning in 2:02.2, Operation Shipley successfully celebrated her tenth win this year.

In race six, Jim Coulter Memorial Three-Year-Old Trotting Colts/Geldings, Paris and Company (Rob Anderson) trotted to the quarter in 30.3.  From the pocket, Officerincommand commanded the lead at the half, trotting in 1:02.4.  But another competitor had eyes on the front as I’m Another Wilson (Adam Hauser) made the third leader change at the three-quarters.  Watching the action up front, Searching For You (Chad Svendsen) let the leaders battle it out and bided his time for the stretch.  From over four lengths back at the three-quarter-pole, Searching For You was second by only half a length as they raced around the last turn.  Searching For You found his fifth season win, trotting in 2:03 flat.

Almost Karen was completely sure about her chances in race seven, Bob and Marilyn Stapp Memorial Three-Year-Old Pacing fillies.  With Adam Hauser in the bike, Almost Karen pushed the gate out of her way, taking control of the fractions.  Pacing in 29, 1:01 and 1:32.1, Almost Karen held off a hard charging Charchar (Mark Mintun) as she crossed the line in 2:00 flat, a wicked last quarter in 27.4, celebrating her fifth season win.

Trying to shut the door on the competition, Imoutthedoor (Chad Svendsen), looking for the lead, was parked to the quarter in 27, by Marc In The Box (Royal Roland) in race eight.  Unable to maintain the lead, Marc In The Box took over and was up by a length, crossing the halfway point in 56 flat.  Charging hard down the backside, Imoutthedoor retook the lead at the three-quarters in a hot 1:26.2.  As RD Skippy (Adam Hauser) made a move from fifth to second, Imoutthedoor did not relent the lead and paced to the wire, winning the Dwight Liles Memorial Three-Year-Old Pacing Colts/Geldings in 1:58.3.

The last two races on the card featured four-year-old and older pacers.  Will Roland found the winner’s circle in both races.  Race nine saw Minnie Vinnie capture the Red and Vesta Carey Memorial, his ninth win this year and Nat A Cam scored the win in race ten, the Judy Liles Memorial, also her ninth season win.

Iowa harness racing concludes their season next Saturday (9/25) at Humboldt, Iowa.  Iowa Sired horses will be in the spotlight; post time is scheduled for 12:30 pm CDT.

For full race results, click here.

by Tara Spach, for the Iowa Harness Horseman’s Association