Catch Me Conrad mowed the competition down to capture the featured $10,800 Open Pace Saturday night (Nov. 5) at Northville Downs at odds of 20-1.
Lying In Cash and Jason Merriman left alertly for the lead from post 7 and battled to the quarter with Sara Jane and driver Justin Irvine, who then yielded for the pocket to let Lying in Cash to take over past the quarter in :27.3. They faced immediate pressure from a parked Magic Shark and driver Kody Massey, who hounded the leader to the half in :56. Southwind Amazon and Art McIlmurray followed the parked cover second over and then flipped three wide to the three-quarters in 1:25.1 and challenged the leader while dragging Catch Me Conrad into the race. The latter came three wide into the lane as the three juggernauts battled down the stretch, but Catch Me Conrad got up for the victory by a neck in 1:54.2 with Southwind Amazon finishing second and Lying In Cash settling for a hard-fought third with only a quarter length separating the top three.
This was the 12th win in 2022 and 39th win in the career for Catch Me Conrad, a six-year-old gelding who is trained and owned by Greg Cook and was bred by Michelle Cook. Lindsay Moen drove the winner.
Driver Drew Neill had a driving triple on the night with drivers Jason Merriman, Don Harmon and Ryan Ver Hage having doubles. Trainer Krista Harmon had a double on the card as well.
Northville Downs will race its next live program next Friday (Nov. 11). First-race post time remains 7:30 p.m. (EST) each night and Northville Downs races each Friday and Saturday night through Dec. 17.
(Northville Downs)
Southwind Amazon
By finishing second, Southwind Amazon remains tied for fourth with Breeze On J for the most career wins by a standardbred, with 123. Niffit, the all-time leader, had 137 wins, so if Southwind continues to race at age 13 next year and at 14 in 2024, he'll need 15 more wins to surpass Niffit.