Sharp pacers to battle in Wiseman Memorial Final

Alien Art Form (Outrageous Art) and What Cheer (Marced Card), impressive winners of the two elimination heats last week, head the harness racing cast for Friday night’s featured $16,200 Steve Wiseman Memorial Pace Final.

There will be eight races presented by Watch and Wager LLC with first post set for 6:45 p.m.

Alien Art Form was winning for the second time in three appearances since returning from Canada for owner/driver/trainer Ryan Grundy.

Despite some midrace trouble, he put in a determined stretch drive to prevail over Semicolon while coming his final quarter in a sharp :27 1/5.

What Cheer posted a 23-1 upset in the other Wiseman elimination, overhauling the 1-9 pace-setting favorite Sign Of The Time in the process.

The 6-year-old is the only mare in the field as she competes for owners Royal and Roger Roland, trainer Nick Roland and her new best friend driver James Kennedy.

Sign Of The Times had his winning streak snapped last week and will be looking for some revenge. Rick Bertand and Ashlee Glader own, Bertrand conditions and Mooney Svendsen handles the lines.

Completing the field are Eagle Lands, Gandalf, Love To Flirt, Semicolon, Search And Destroy, Bin A Mystery and I Understand.

Grundy sitting pretty with Alien Art Form

Ryan Grundy is hopeful he can work out a nice trip from the rail in Friday’s Steve Wiseman Memorial with Alien Art Form.

The 4-year-old, who is owned, trained and driven by Grundy, came a sparkling :27 1/5 final quarter to be up in time in one of last week’s two elimination heats.

“He’s nothing fancy, just a very nice horse who likes his work,” Grundy related. “He’s also comfortable on any size track.

“He didn’t race at 2, then started here last season and won some Sire Stakes. Pretty soon we’ll have those starting up again, and our goal is to win that $50,000 race at the end of the meet.”

While Alien Art Form has used a strong late charge to win his two races at this stand, his mentor notes he’s versatile and has also prevailed on or near the front.

“He can get it done from everywhere, but with Sign Of The Times in the race Friday, I assume we’ll be in a tracking position.”

As elimination winners, Alien Art Form and the mare What Cheer were able to pick their posts and have the inside two slots.

by Mark Ratzky, for Cal Expo Harness