Light Blue Movers with the upset in Open

Light Blue Movers (Ready Cash) was the 6-1 upset harness racing winner and Hellabalou (Sweet Lou) the bettor’s choice winner in the $18,000 co-feature Open Handicap Trot and Pace at MGM Northfield Park Sunday, January 1, 2023.

The New Year’s Day program saw Magical Muscle Man (Kurt Sugg) first on the lead in the 2^nd race Open Trot with Light Blue Movers and driver Aaron Merriman grabbing the two-hole spot as they went to the first quarter in :27.2 over a track labeled good with a one-second allowance from the judges.

Predator And Prey (Hunter Myers) came first-over from fourth place and gave second-over cover to the 1/5 race favorite Mission Accepted (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) as Magical Muscle Man continued to cut the mile past the half in :56.3.

Down the backstretch, Magical Muscle Man maintained control of the lead as Predator And Prey gained ground with every stride and collared Magical Muscle Man by the three-quarters in 1:25.1.

After battling around the final turn to the head of the stretch, Predator And Prey had a nose advantage over Magical Muscle Man with Mission Accepted fanning out for a charge down the stretch.

But that never happened. It was Merriman sliding Light Blue Movers inside of Magical Muscle Man and scooting along the pylons to win by one length in 1:54.4. Predator And Prey was second with Magical Muscle Man third and Mission Accepted fourth.

LIGHT BLUE MOVERS REPLAY                              

It was the third straight win for Light Blue Movers and, of course, his first start of 2023. He is trained by Bill Rhoades for owner Timothy Poitinger and paid $15.60 and to win.

The 3^rd race saw a bit of a shock after the start of the Open Handicap Pace as race favorite Hellabalou went off-stride on the first turn trying for the lead.

Better Than Spring (Billy Davis, Jr.) was on the early lead, but sure enough Wrenn got Hellabalou back into the race, coming first-over and taking the lead by the opening quarter mile in :26.2.

There was no rest on the front-end for Hellabalou as General Idea (Hunter Myers) came first-over to challenge the race favorite to the half mile in :54.2. Rockn Motion (Chris Lems) had picked up the second-over cover.

It was all to no avail as Wrenn let Hellabalou out a notch in the backstretch and they pulled away from the field by three and one-quarter lengths at the three-quarters in 1:21.3.

Around the final turn, Hellabalou held the field at bay for Wrenn and they went on to win by two lengths in 1:50.2. General Idea was second with Dancin Dragon (Aaron Merriman) third.

HELLABALOU REPLAY

For Hellabalou, it was the five-year-old stallions third straight win. He is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable, LLC, Eric Good, Weaver Bruscemi, LLC and Lawrence Karr. He paid $2.40 to win.

For complete race results, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink