Charlie May heads $300,000 Milstein Memorial

Charlie May has been named the 5-2 morning line favorite in Saturday’s (August 14) $300,000 Carl Milstein Memorial at MGM Northfield Park. The Buckeye-bred monster headlines an accomplished group of nine 3-year-old harness racing pacers in Northfield Park’s premier event.

The Milstein, an invitational event, is slated as race 10 on a 16-race program, with purses more than $918,000. First-race post time is 6PM.

Charlie May enters the Milstein as the top money earner in the field, despite being disqualified for interference after crossing the wire a winner in the $700,000 Meadowlands Pace last month.  Since that disqualification, he has scored two straight wins against Ohio-breds, one being at Northfield. 

The Steve Carter trainee has banked $578,477 in purses throughout his young career but drew post seven in Saturday’s main event for owner Don Tiger of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.  Charlie May’s regular pilot Brett Miller will drive.

Water Sports Teen drew post two and is the 3-1 second choice.  He has won four of his last five races, getting passed in the stretch in the $375,000 Adios at The Meadows in his most recent race.  This top sophomore has finished in the top three in 13 of 17 races this year, with eight victories. 

His 1:48.2 mark is the fastest in the race and has earned $133,696 this year for owner Joshua Graber of Quincy, Michigan.  Joe Bongiorno will drive for his sister, trainer Jennifer Bongiorno.  

Heart of Chewbacca, 2019 Ohio Sires Stakes runner-up to Charlie May, drew post nine and is the 9-2 third choice.  Heart of Chewbacca has won 10 of 17 career efforts and has earned $329,023.  Harness racing’s all-time leading trainer Ron Burke conditions this colt for Ohio owners Dennis Owens and Norman Rae Racing LLC.  Dan Noble will drive.

Canadian standout Bettor Sun (Douglas McNair, 8-1). Indiana heavy-hitter Rockin On Venus (Ronnie Wrenn Jr., 10-1), Minnesota phenom Alilthundadownunda (Ronnie Wrenn Jr., 20-1), and stakes veterans Bayfield Beach (Yannick Gingras, 6-1), Mysweetboymax (Aaron Merriman, 12-1) and Chase H Hanover (Brian Sears, 15-1) are also slated starters in the impressive field.

The complete field is as follows:

1. Bettor Sun (Sunshine Beach) – Douglas McNair, Gregg McNair 8-1
2. Water Sports Teen (Somebeachsomewhere) – Joe Bongiorno, Jennifer Bongiorno 3-1
3. Rockin On Venus (Rockin Image) – Ronnie Wrenn Jr., Kelly O’Donnell 10-1

4. Alilthundadownunda (Malak Uswaad N) – Ronnie Wrenn Jr., Jessica Johnson 20-1
5. Bayfield Beach (Somebeachsomewhere) – Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke 6-1
6. Mysweetboymax (Sweet Lou) – Aaron Merriman, Sam De Pinto 12-1
7. Charlie May (McArdle) – Brett Miller, Steve Carter 5-2
8. Chase H Hanover (Captaintreacherous) – Brian Sears, Scott Cox 15-1

9.Heart Of Chewbacca (Bring On The Beach) – Dan Noble, Ron Burke 9-2 

The race is named in honor of Carl Milstein, who owned Northfield Park from 1984 until his death in 1999. Brock Milstein and the Milstein family operated Northfield Park until July 2018, when MGM Growth Properties purchased the racetrack from Milstein Entertainment, LLC.

Exciting undercard

The 16-race program includes the $100,000 Myron Charna President’s Pace, a race for older Ohio-sired pacers (by invitation only), the $100,000 Tom Aldrich President’s Trot, a race for older Ohio-sired pacers (by invitation only), three $40,000 divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings, two $50,000 divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes for 3-year-old trotting colt and geldings, two $50,000 divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings, as well as three $20,000 Open events.

by Ayers Ratliff, for MGM Northfield Park