by Keith Gisser, director of publicity, Northfield Park

Northfield, OH — With Tuesday night live racing returning tomorrow (November 6), Northfield’s weeknight action features four November To Remember late closing series for young horses.

Monday’s late closer spotlights male trotters, with Wayne Mast’s Athlete In Action appearing to be the standout among two-dozen diagonal gaiters looking to qualify for the $8,000 final on Monday, December 3.

The gals take center stage on Tuesday, with an evenly matched group of filly pacers looking for spots in the $9,000 final on December 4. Tuesday also features trotting fillies, with Duane Miller’s Carry The Light appearing best on paper. That December 4 final is estimated at $7,000.

Wednesday showcases horse and gelding pacers, and in the first leg, 23 entrants were split into three preliminary heats, as they attempt to earn their way into a $10,000 championship on December 5.

Odds are you’ll have fun to start your Thanksgiving holiday: On Wednesday, November 21, Northfield Park and the Ohio Lottery team up once again to present the popular Pick Three Trifecta Night.

On that night, every patron paying regular admission will receive a free pre-printed Ohio Lottery Pick Three ticket good for the Thanksgiving eve drawing. If the three numbers on the ticket match the official order of finish in any of that night’s trifecta races (races 1-12), the ticket holder wins $50.

Any unclaimed funds go into a Lucky 13th drawing held prior to (you guessed it) the 13th race. That prize, guaranteed at $500, has exceeded $2,000 several times over the last few years.

Hey, you don’t have to work the next day, so stick around all night and cash big.

Ham it up, you turkey: It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without a turkey, and we are not talking about your humble scribe’s on-air handicapping picks. We are talking about a $35 gift certificate to The Honeybaked Ham Store. That warrant can be used for your turkey, a ham, or for several of their great boxed lunches.

The drawings occur at Northfield on Friday, November 16, and there will be 24 winners in all, with two certificates being awarded before each of the evening’s first 12 races. The certificates are redeemable at any Honeybaked Ham Store.

Déjà Vu all over again?: Watching the American-Nationals at Chicago’s Balmoral Park was like watching a replay of Northfield’s top 2007 races, as Battle of Lake Erie champ Maltese Artist, owned in part by Jim Koran of Macedonia, won the $205,000 veteran Pace; Heineken Premium Light champ Won The West took the $275,000 3-year-old colt pace; and Courageous Lady show finisher Go On BB won the $206,000 sophomore filly pace, her 19th win this year.

Three-time Northfield driving champ Greg Grismore drove Maltese Artist and Won The West. He also picked up a place finish in Go On BB’s race, driving Real Velocity.