Favourites couldn't connect during the late Pick-4 on Wednesday (Dec. 14), leading to a $13,999 carryover in Saturday's early Pick-4 beginning in Race 2.
Loadedwithcreatine ($18) and driver Luke Eversole kicked off the sequence coming from off the pace to win by a length in 1:58.2 over favourite Rose Run Xander and Rose Run Xtreme.
Ashleysbest ($26.40) sprung the upset in the second leg. After getting parked the mile, Keith Kash Jr. had enough left in the tank to overtake betting favourite Battle Strong, who finished second in a dead heat with longshot Roll Me Away through the stretch.
Ebersole garnered his second victory of the sequence with Useawishrightnow ($45.80) in gate-to-wire fashion. Leaving hard from post six, Useawishrightnow controlled the pace and drew off in the stretch to win by six lengths in 1:59.4. Indianslittlepete rallied to be second after making a break at the start, with Burning Hill third.
Wrapping up the late Pick-4 was another gate-to-wire winner in Gunslinger Hill ($18.40), who won for the Deaton brothers -- driver Tim Deaton and trainer Ryan Deaton. Setting the fractions early, driver Deaton got a breather through the middle half. Still, pocket-sitter Our Zak Whitby A tried to make a race of it turning for home but came up a neck short in 1:55.1. American Trademark was third.
The healthy carryover of $13,999 sparked a $40,000 guaranteed pool that is offered as part of the United States Trotting Association Strategic Wagering Program. Northfield's Pick-3s, Pick-4s, Pick-5, Pick-6 and 20-cent Super High Five offer a reduced takeout rate of 14 per cent. Past performances for the sequence will be available at handicapping.ustrotting.com.
MGM Northfield Park currently races five days a week (Saturday-Wednesday) through the end of the year, with first post at 6:40 p.m.
(With files from Northfield Park)