by Mike Paradise, director of publicity, Maywood Park

, IL — Its Grand Circuit Night Friday at Maywood Park where the 24th annual edition of the Windy City Pace will see the two best Illinois based three-year-old pacers— Jereme’s Jet and My Boy David—tangle for the first time on a half-mile track.

Jereme’s Jet (3-2, Dave Magee), the 2005 Dan Patch winner as the sport’s top freshman pacing colt, and world record holder My Boy David (8-5, Andy Miller), have been installed as the co-favorites for the $250,000 showcase event that will be supported by three other added money stakes on the card—the $110,000 Galt for three-year-old male trotters, the $105,000 Abe Lincoln for first season pacing colts and geldings, and the $100,000 Cinderella for sophomore pacing fillies.

For their Windy City Pace showdown My Boy David drew the coveted one-post with its 24 per cent winning clip this season for Schaumburg, IL owner Shirley Levin, while Jereme’s Jet also landed an inside post with the three-slot for Plainfield, IL owner Genesis Racing Stable.

“Anytime you draw the rail at Maywood it’s a good thing and to get it in a major stake there is really huge,” said My Boy David’s trainer Homer Hochstetler.

“Of course I’m happy with the post (three), but it is what it is,” said Magee. “Jereme’s Jet is super on this track and I have no doubt he’ll give a good account of himself. Tom (trainer Harmer) always has this horse ready to go.”

The two talented pacers have met only twice in their first two seasons, this past summer on Balmoral Park’s mile oval. Jereme’s Jet beat My Boy Davis by three lengths in a July 22 American National elimination (1:49.4). One week later in the final the front-stepping My Boy David gave way only to the winner Life Guard On Duty (1:48.4), beaten one length, however he finished a half-length ahead of Jereme’s Jet, who was third.

Last year Jereme’s Jet captured the three of the most prestigious two-year-old stakes in North America—the Breeders Crown, the Metro and the Governor’s Cup—enroute to being honored as the best freshman pacer in North American when he pulled down $1,039,376 in first season earnings. This year the homebred son of Western Hanover out of the former Illinois champion Ohyouprettything took the Meadowlands Consolation, a Review stake at Springfield and a Hayes stake at DuQuoin.

Jereme’s Jet stayed sharp for the Windy City Pace confrontation with a 1:53.3 qualifier here last week (November 9), pulling away by almost six lengths while still under a hold by Harmer, who also trained and drove the 1986 WCP winner Incredible Finale.

My Boy Davis this year gained national prominence with his second place finish in the $1 million Meadowlands Pace behind Artistic Fella on July 15, followed less than a month later by his 1:47.4 clocking at the Springfield State Fair, a world record mile for a three-year-old pacing gelding. He’ll go into the WCP with season earnings of $538,260.

Trainer Hochstetler says My Boy David is primed for a big effort. “He’s ready to go. He’s been freshen up and last week at Balmoral I trained him down to ‘53’,” said the 54-year-old Indiana native.

My Boy David was a stakes winner on Windy City Pace Night a year ago. The son of Cole Muffler concluded his freshman season with an easy 1:54.3 front-end victory in the $140,000 Abe Lincoln on October 28 with Andy Miller. Two weeks earlier he led from start to finish with Miller in the $65,000 Cardinal Final with a 1:52.4 clocking, a world record on a half-mile track for a freshman pacer.

Taking on the Jereme’s Jet and My Boy David in the fifth race Windy City Pace is Royal Man (8-1, Mike Oosting), Civil Attack (12-1, Dean Collins), Abs Beach Boy (10-1, Dale Hiteman), Bono Bests (5-1, Duke Sugg) and Jandj Art (25-1, Ryan Anderson). Scheduled post is 8:55 p.m. (Chicago time).

Maywood Park is nearing the end of its 60th consecutive year of harness racing, by far the longest of any pari-mutuel racetrack in Illinois.