by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — Creative Racing Stable, Jerry Silva and Ray Schnittker’s One More Laugh, a two-time world record holder, will be the one to beat as a field of nine sophomores head postward for Saturday’s (Nov. 13) $245,000 American-National 3-year-old colt and gelding stake which goes as race eight on the big 14-race program at Balmoral Park.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

One More Laugh is favored in the $245,000 American-National on Saturday at Balmoral Park.

Installed as the 8-5 morning line favorite the gelded son of McArdle comes to town after a tough luck fifth place finish in the $437,100 Messenger Stake at Yonkers last week. Prior to that this tough as nails pacer was second behind top ranked Rock N Roll Heaven in 1:48.1 at the Red Mile in the $604,400 Tattersalls. The Schnittker trainee also posted an impressive 3-1/2 length victory at The Red Mile in taking a $111,500 Bluegrass Stake division in 1:49 for regular driver Tim Tetrick who will be back in the bike on Saturday night.

After a 2-year-old season in which he posted nine victories and two seconds in 12 starts with $594,306 in earnings, big things were expected of the altered bay who set a world record for a 2-year-old gelding with his win in 1:49.2 while taking the Governor’s Cup at Harrah’s Chester. He has not disappointed his connections.

One of the few horses to beat the top ranked Rock N Roll Heaven this year, One More Laugh etched his name into the record books once again, joining My Boy David as the fastest 3-year-old geldings in history while capturing the Meadowlands Pace in a blazing 1:47.4.

Sporting a record of seven wins, five seconds and one third with earnings of over $1.3 million in 2010, One More Laugh has a career slate of 16-7-1 in 29 starts with $1,919,690 in earnings.

While his numbers are gaudy his conditioner says that his demeanor in the barn is nothing special.

“In the barn you’ll find him just standing there in his stall,” said Schnittker. “He has zero personality. He’s also kind of a pain to jog because he tends to drift all over the place but when you get him out there to race he really gets down to business. He’s all race horse when it counts.”

Fans will also get to witness One More Laugh’s versatility as plans call for him to stay in town for next Friday’s (Nov. 19) Windy City Pace.

“One More Laugh will be in Chicago for the next two weekends,” said Schnittker. “We’ve got the American-National at Balmoral and then the Windy City Pace at Maywood. This horse is very very versatile. He’s gone in (1):47 and change on a big track, (1):49 and change on a five-eighths and (1):50 on a half-miler. There aren’t too many out there that can say that.”