by Dan Conway, USTA Web Newsroom Correspondant

Five very nice Invitational trotters, with total lifetime earnings in excess of $1 million, went to post on Friday night at Hazel Park Raceway. This was the first Invitational of the 2005 season.

The big favorite was the five-year-old, Honor The Cash, who had been competing against the big boys at Woodbine and the Meadowlands in February and early March. Looking at his race record, the 1:54.3 victory at Woodbine in February just jumps out at you.

The bettors’ second choice was the eight-year-old mare, Rompaway Stacey, who captured the Open at Northville Downs three weeks ago before finishing second and fourth in that same class since.

Honor The Cash had the services of Eric Goodell and the advantage of the one post. A gelding who likes to cut the fractions, Honor The Cash left alertly at Hazel Park and was solidly in front at the :28.3 quarter. Don Harmon got away second with Rompaway Stacey, and Michael Micallef got stuck on the outside third with Pure Electricity.

Heading past the clubhouse and around the turn, Honor The Cash trotted leisurely to the half in 1:00. Rompaway Stacey remained second on the pylons with Pure Electricity now racing third. At this point, Mark Webster came out with Hollywood Joe and started to trot up on the outside, followed by Todd Buter and Babe’s Five Six.

Down the backstretch and into the final turn, Hollywood Joe raced game on the outside but was still fourth, three and a quarter lengths back of Honor The Cash at the 1:31.1 three-quarter pole.

Honor The Cash, by Armbro Laser, out of Honor Code, is owned by Dawn Del Montier and trained by Sherif Cunmulaj. A winner of over $93,000 last season, this is a trotter who is definitely coming into his own.

Coming into the stretch, he had a length and a half lead over Rompaway Stacey and he simply pulled away in the lane to win by two and a half lengths in 2:00. Rompaway Stacey was second with Babe’s Five Six third, some six lengths off of the winner.

Honor The Cash now has 2005 earnings of $53,562 and a lifetime bankroll of $165,257.