World record in the Tom Aldrich to a ‘Smoking Jet’

Northfield, OH –– MGM Northfield Park played host to a pair of $100,000 undercard harness racing features in the Tom Aldrich President’s Trot and Myron Charna President’s Pace on Saturday (August 13) night.

In the Tom Aldrich President’s Trot, MVP Luke (Billy Davis Jr.) powered to the lead but made a miscue around the turn allowing Smoking Jet (Triumphant Caviar, Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) to come through and take the lead. Once making the lead, Wrenn tapped the breaks to the opening quarter in :27.4.

While Wrenn had no challengers, he couldn’t get much of a breather with a : 28-second panel. The outer flow developed in the form of It’s Academic (David Miller), Refined (Matt Kakaley), and Herculisa (Brett Miller), but Wrenn let the son of Triumphant Caviar out a notch and led by three lengths with three-eighths of a mile to trot.

Wrenn guided Smoking Jet past three-quarters in 1:23.2 and had to deal with the daunting presence of the Spirit of Massachusetts runner-up, It’s Academic. Around the final turn, it appeared that Miller would get to the leader, but Smoking Jet was able to kick clear and win by 1-1/4 lengths over It’s Academic and Herculisa in a track and world-record 1:52.1.

SMOKING JET REPLAY

Smoking Jet is trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, and Chris Page. With the victory, his 20th in 82 career starts, Smoking Jet has surpassed $200,000 in earnings.

“He gets over the track at Northfield very well, and likes to be on the lead.” said Wrenn.

2021 Carl Milstein Memorial winner Charlie May (Mcardle-Stipple Hanover) also made his presence felt on Saturday with a powerful 1:49.3 effort.

Local One Last Laugh (Hunter Myers) was able to outkick rivals through the mid-point of the opening turn, but Heart Of Chewbacca (Dan Noble) wanted the lead and was able to clear before a :26.2 first quarter. Charlie May (Brett Miller) wasted no time taking his shot at the leaders, making a first-over bid with five eighths to go.

While Noble was able to tap the breaks and get a breather at the half of :55, he had the 2021 Milstein champion on his back heading into the clubhouse turn for the final time. Charlie May appeared to lose a little bit of ground around the turn, but moving into the backstretch, he found another gear matching strides with Heart Of Chewbacca at three-quarters in 1:21.4.

Charlie May was able to draw off through the stretch to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:49.3. One Last Laugh went around Heart Of Chewbacca in the last turn to finish second, and long shot Odds On Shaggy (Kakaley) closed in the passing lane to finish third.

CHARLIE MAY REPLAY

“He got a good trip last week, and I felt confident coming into the race,” said Brett Miller. “When he’s sharp, he’s dead game.”

Owner Don Tiger echoed his driver, “He’s like a prize fighter; he keeps on digging, looking for other competitors.”

Steve Carter trains Charlie May and now has $1,371,485 in career earnings. The gelding is 21-for-41 lifetime. Tiger said his next stop would be the #Senditin Invitational at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

For complete race results, click here.

by Michael Carter, for MGM Northfield Park