Moen and Cook sweep closing night Opens

Driver Lindsay Moen and trainer Greg Cook captured the Open 1 Pace and the Open 2 Pace Saturday night with Linnycalledfrankie (Captaintreacherous – Saymynamesaymyname) and Catch Me Conrad (Tellitlikeitis – Envy) respectively as Northville Downs ended its 2023 race meet with a large crowd on hand.

Following a blistering pace in the $9,500 Open 1 to a quarter in 26.3 set by dueling leaders Coalford Bythesea and Ticks A Yankin, Linnycalledfrankie came to the outside from fourth up the backstretch to blow by and take over in the stretch winning in 1:55.1 by a quarter-length over runner-up Fred’s Nightmare and third place finisher Admiral Adam.

A race earlier in the $8,500 Open 2 Pace, Catch Me Conrad, who also got away fourth behind dueling leaders, moved outside second over going to the half and then rolled by the competition to take the victory in 1:55.4 by an identical quarter-length victory over runner-up Magic Shark and Normandy Beach who was third.

Both horses are owned by Greg Cook. Linnycalledfrankie nailed his 17th career win and Catch Me Conrad his 53rd career win.

In addition to the night’s races, Northville honored the 14-year-old pacers and trotters who have raced at the Michigan oval in the past few years as the night marked their final time they could race at Northville in 2023 and they are forced into mandatory retirement at the end of the year.

NORTHVILLE DOWNS RETIREMENT CEREMONY

Lindsay Moen and Justin Irvine had driving hat tricks on the night as Don Harmon had a driving double. Trainers Greg Cook and Gerald Malady had training doubles on the program.

The 2023 Driving Title went to Kody Massey (102 wins) and Gerald Malady just nosed out Paul Cloer, Jr. for the 2023 Training Title with 43 wins to Cloer’s 42.

The entire Northville crew thanks all of our patrons, horses, horsemen and women for a great 2023 season.

For complete race results, click here.

by Ken Terpenning, for Northville Downs