by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — Boasting 19 career victories in 24 starts and a bankroll of $1,851,455, along with the number three ranking in North America, Craig Henderson and Richard and Joanne Young’s Put On A Show is the 6-5 morning line favorite for Saturday’s (Nov. 13) $191,000 American-National Stake for 3-year-old filly pacers at Balmoral Park. The race, which has been carded as the ninth, will cap off six straight American-National finals.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Put On A Show will be looking to add an American-National title to her resume.

This year’s Breeders Crown champion comes to Balmoral Park after a rare defeat when she finished second in a $159,000 division of the Glen Garnsey Memorial at The Red Mile. Given a brief rest after that race trainer Chris Ryder elected to give his prize filly a tune-up for the American-National, with the daughter of Rocknroll Hanover-Steinam’s Place cruising to a qualifying victory in 1:52.2 at the Meadowlands on Nov. 2.

Purchased as a yearling for $75,000, Put On A Show has been doing just that from the time she hit the track as a 2-year-old. Putting together a record of seven wins and two seconds with earnings of $732,308 in her first season, Put On A Show captured such major stakes as the She’s A Great Lady and Eternal Camnation.

This year has been even better for the Ryder trainee who has put up 12 wins and two seconds in 15 starts, with earnings of $1,119,147. Among her biggest triumphs are the $500,000 Breeders Crown, the $355,000 Valley Forge, $226,355 Simcoe and the $171,000 Nadia Lobell in which she took her lifetime best of 1:49.4 with Tim Tetrick at the controls.

“Put On A Show has only been beaten a couple of times in her career,” said Tetrick. “She can race on the front end, off the pace or first up. It really doesn’t matter to her. She’s very fast and this filly is big and strong. She drives like a Cadillac and is one of the most gifted fillies I’ve had the pleasure to sit behind.”

Amazingly, 10 of her 12 victories this season have come in under 1:51. With a win on Saturday night the talented filly will boast major stakes victories on six different racetracks this season.

“She’s been a pleasure to be around from the time I got her,” said trainer Chris Ryder. “She never causes us any problems and is as easy keeping a filly as you’ll find. She’s a clean pacer who goes straight with a loose hopple. We’ve been blessed to have her and I just hope she continues to amaze us like she has already.”