by Dan Conway, USTA Web Newsroom Correspondant
On Friday night at Hazel Park Raceway the combo of driver Danny Johnson and trainer Eric Beach captured two races including the Invitational Handicap Trot with Pure Electricity. On Saturday evening, they had an entry in the Invitational Handicap Pace and Beach trains the favorite in the Open.
Rick Howles and Sharon Dudzinski own Pure Electricity and they are the connections behind C B Tower, a four-year-old leaving from post four in the $12,600 feature on Saturday night. Danny Johnson was also in the bike behind CB Tower, who was coming into Hazel Park after a victory at Windsor Raceway and a second place finish at Woodbine.
Yankee Lariat and Eric Goodell were the favorites in the seven horse field. They were moving up in class after two victories in non-winner events at Hazel Park. Heavens Escape was also in the field after two victories in the Open.
Western Millennium and Michael Micallef were the second choice of the railbirds. This eight-year-old with $513,715 on his card had four victories in his last six.
This very competitive field left the gate expecting early action with King Of Cards and Brad Kramer going to the front parking Yankee Lariat on the outside second at the :28.1 quarter. Western Millennium got away third and C B Tower followed the field.
Past the quarter pole, Eric Goodell guided Yankee Lariat to the front with King Of Cards settling in second and Western Millennium third. Heading to the half, Johnson had C B Tower coming on the outside followed by Copeland Comet, driven by Vince Copeland. The half came in a crisp :56.1 with Yankee Lariat holding a length and a quarter lead over King Of Cards.
Rounding the second turn and racing down the backstretch, Yankee Lariat continued an even :28 per quarter pace while C B Tower moved up third on the outside, Johnson content to grind it out with the favorite.
Around the final turn it became a two horse race between Yankee Lariat and C B Tower. Out of the turn and down the stretch they raced as a team with C B Tower slowly gaining ground. At this point, the rest of the field was racing for the show spot. The three-quarter time was 1:24.1.
By the stallion Water Tower, C B Tower got up in the last strides for his third victory of the season in 13 starts in a time of 1:52.3. Yankee Lariat was second, a neck back, and King Of Cards was third, four lengths off of the winner.
C B Tower is out of Celebrity Ball by Presidential Ball. He now sports lifetime earnings of $54,433.
Beach’s charge Burningupthetrack, with John Moody in the bike, captured the Open, the last race on the Saturday night program.