Killer Instinct has not had much luck with the draw over the past few weeks, but on Sunday (April 23), everything clicked as he took down the $19,000 co-featured Open Trot at MGM Northfield Park.
With inside rivals Rose Run Xtra (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), Barn Hall (Aaron Merriman) and Eye Ofa Tiger As (Billy Davis Jr.) all jostling for position, Hunter Myers decided to be patient and allow the pace to develop in front of him with Killer Instinct.
Entering the backstretch, Eye Ofa Tiger As had to work hard to clear Rose Run Xtra, but at the quarter in :28, Wrenn would not sit in the two-hole and cleared entering the far turn for the first time.
Kicking clear by about 1-1/2 lengths, Rose Run Xtra got to the half in :56.3 with no one taking a swing at the favourite. With three-eighths of a mile to go, Myers tipped Killer Instinct to the outside with last week’s upsetter Parshall (Jason Thompson) in tow.
At three-quarters in 1:25.1, Rose Run Xtra braced for the challenge of Killer Instinct, who forged his way to the front. The son of champion Southwind Frank strode to a 1-1/4-length win in 1:53.3. Eye Ofa Tiger As dug in to be second, while Rose Run Xtra faded to be third.
Owned by Corey Hendrick and trainer Melanie O’Donnell, Killer Instinct has now earned $283,006 in 87 starts, making 32 trips to the winner’s circle.
Fresh off a second-place effort against Open company last week, barn pet Bernie continued his recent form returning to the winner’s circle after the $19,000 Open Pace on Sunday evening.
It was no easy task for Bernie and Ryan Stahl to get to the lead as he had in recent weeks, with several horses leaving to his inside. He rode second-over cover behind One Last Laugh (Myers) into the backstretch for the first time. He had to work very hard to make the lead and finally go there at a the quarter in a very quick :26.
Getting to the half in a contested :54.2, Bernie began to brace for a challenger with the outer flow developing in the form of Carolina Beach (Merriman) and Rockn Motion (Wrenn), with Elliot Moose (Kurt Sugg) in hot pursuit third over.
The battle continued past three-quarters in 1:22.1, with Rockn Motion tipping three-wide and Almanac (Davis) fanning four-wide for the drive. Turning for home, it looked like anyone’s race to win or lose. Bernie was kept to task through the stretch, winning by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:51.1 over Alamac and Carolina Beach.
Owned by the POD Stable and trainer Jessica Millner, the talented son of Big Jim has earned $514,608 in his career. It was Bernie's fifth win of the season in 16 starts, with 39 victories to his credit.
With the Pick-5 going un-hit on Sunday evening, there will be a carryover of $6,145 going to Tuesday’s (April 25) Pick-5 that begins in Race 6. The low 14 per cent, $1 minimum wager is estimated to eclipse $50,000. The Pick-6, featured nightly in Race 8, also went uncovered on Sunday, it will feature a carryover of $1,987.
Live harness racing resumes on Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. (EDT).
(Northfield Park)
Southwind Amazon
Southwind Amazon finished 4th in last night's 9th race at Northfield and remains in 4th place in all-time wins with 125. He needs 13 more wins by the end of next year (providing that he races at age 14 in 2024) in order to become the winningest standardbred in harness racing history. Unfortunately, he has really slowed down in 2023 and only has 2 wins thus far this year. I don't think that he's going to make it.