by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Maywood Park

Melrose Park, IL — Fresh off a 7-1/2 length romp in last week’s $235,000 American-National Stake at Balmoral Park in which he casually shrugged off a tough trip, Richard Gutnick, TLP Stables and William Augustine’s Market Share will look for a “Windy City sweep” as he takes on seven other sophomore trotting colts in Friday’s $108,000 Galt Stake at Maywood Park.

Lisa photo

Hambletonian champion Market Share will be looking to add the Galt Stake to his resume.

Currently the number four ranked horse in North America and the leading moneywinner in 2012 with $1,947,405 in earnings for the ownership group of Richard Gutnick, T L P Stable and William Augustine, the son of Revenue S has already captured the sport’s top two events for diagonally gaited sophomores, taking the $1.5 million Hambletonian and the $1.03 million Canadian Trotting Classic this season.

With a win in the Galt, Market Share can become the fourth trotter in the history of the sport to amass $2 million in earnings in a single season, joining such greats as Muscle Hill, Donato Hanover and Deweycheatumnhowe.

Carefully handled by trainer Linda Toscano, Market Share was unbeaten in five starts as a 2-year-old, all over the half-mile oval at Freehold Raceway so he should be right at home on Maywood’s half-mile track. Even though he boasted a perfect record, Toscano entered the 2012 season uncertain how the colt would fare when asked to compete on the larger tracks.

“It just goes to show you what can happen when a horse gets brave and confident,” Toscano said. “He was always a sound horse, he’s always been a good-gaited horse, and all of a sudden he figured out what to do.

“I always knew he had a great work ethic, but I still wasn’t sure he’d be able to pick it up on the mile track. Once he got a taste of it and figured out what we wanted, he’s gotten stronger and stronger. He’s a classic example of what can happen when a horse gets real brave. He’s always been a fun horse to have around the barn, and to watch what he’s been able to do, I think Timmy (Tetrick) and I are both in awe.”

After his victory in Crete last Saturday night Tetrick was singing the praises of the bay colt who is scheduled to be back on the track for a 4-year-old campaign in 2013.

“This horse really does better when he’s chasing horses and tonight he was first up to some very good trotters,” Tetrick admitted. “Linda and her crew have done a great job keeping this horse fresh and happy all year, and I’m looking forward to driving him in the Galt and then again as a 4-year-old.”

The $108,000 Galt Stake
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Lindys Jersey Boy-Daniel Dube-Frank Antonacci
2-Appomattox-David Miller-Frank Antonacci
3-Frost Bites K-Peter Wrenn-Douglas Hamilton
4-Keystone Orion-David Boughton-Donald Lindsey
5-Market Share-Tim Tetrick-Linda Toscano
6-Natural Forces-Skip De Mull-Skip De Mull
7-Slugfest-Jay Randall-Maureen Salino
8-Prayer Session-Dave Magee-Bobby Brower