by Mike Paradise, publicity director, Maywood Park
MELROSE PARK, IL—Live Out Loud will be gunning for his fourth consecutive added money event at Maywood Park next week but first he’ll have to earn his way into the $102,000 Maywood Pace Final in Friday night’s first of two elimination races for 3-year-old state-bred colts and geldings.
![](http://ustrottingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/3322-LiveOutLoud.jpg)
Maywood Park photo.
Live Out Loud (No.1, Dale Hiteman) came on in the final stride to gain a head decision over ML’s Boy (Tony Morgan) in the $20,000 Spring Championship for state-bred 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings on May 7.
Despite drawing outside six-slot Live Out Loud and has been installed as the 9-5 morning line favorite in the third race, the first of six horse elimination fields with the first four finishers in each advancing to the Friday, June 11 Final
Owned by M & M Harness Racing LLC and trainer Dave McCaffrey, Live Out Loud, to say the least, has a fondness for the Maywood Park oval. He proved best in the $25,000 Spring Championship here on May 7 and the Art’s Conquest offspring ended his juvenile season with triumphs in a division of the Abe Lincoln open stake and the Illinois Owners and Breeders Association stake.
On Monday June 2 Live Out Loud sped to a quick 1:53.4 qualifier here with Dale Hiteman, finishing almost 17 lengths ahead of the second place horse.
“The reason we wanted to qualify him in that fast fashion is because this division is so tough,” explained his trainer Dave McCaffrey. “ML’s Boy is a very nice horse and Enemy At The Gate is on the verge of becoming a great horse. A lot of these horses raced last week and my horse didn’t get in, so that was the reason for the qualifier. I didn’t want him to be in a position where he wasn’t on his toes and as sharp as possible. What he’s got in his favor is that he’s a very good half-mile horse.”
“Live Out Loud was one of the top two-year-olds last year, and I drove him quite a bit before I went out of town,” Hiteman said after his Spring Championship victory. “This horse has some class and is quite flexible—he’s good on this track but also handles the big track well too.”
Starting inside of Live Out Loud (from the one-post out) is Mr Restricrorplate (12-1, Mike Brown), Gar (8-1, Brent Holland), Coldheartedevenge (2-1, Pat Berry), He Does It All (5-2, Peter Wrenn) and Sharkey (15-1, on Marsh).
He Does It All has had been the busiest sophomore campaign. This will be his 14th season start. He took his mark of 1:53.3 earlier this year and the Meadowlands and in May rattled off three consecutive victories at Hoosier Park.
ML’s Boy, Enemy At The Gate Head 2nd Elim
ML’s Boy and Enemy At The Gate, a pair of fast rising second season Illinois bred pacers, will square off in the second elimination race for next Friday night’s $102,000 Maywood Pace Final.
Enemy At the Gate’s powerful 1:50.4 wining mile in last month’s $54,700 Cardinal Final at Balmoral Park has thrust him to the top of his division. The Tom Simmons trained gelding puts a four race winning streak on the line when he leaves from post six in search of his first career win at Maywood Park.
Enemy At The Gate will open as the 5-2 early second choice behind ML’s Boy (Tony Morgan), a rugged speed horse who drew the two-slot for trainer Tom Harmer and Loudonville, Kentucky owner Michael Polansky.
“Ml’s Boy is in the top of this group of three-year-olds,” said his driver Tony Morgan. “He was a little bit speed crazy last year and a big bully that was hard to control, but this year now Tom (trainer Harmer) has him more under control and rigged to where I can drive him. He’s a big and long-gaited horse and he’s the type that is hard to stop and start up over the smaller track. The big track really suits him a little better.”
Also looking to earn a berth in the Maywood Park Final is Sparky’s Fire (8-1, Gary Rath), Hot Bet (3-1, Pat Berry), Two Comma Kid (8-1, Eric Ledford) and Fox Valley Assault (6-1, Ron Marsh).
Enemy Of The Gate is making his first 3-year-old start on this track. In his first season he finished a close second to Live Out Loud in Cardinal stake elimination and was third behind world record holder Chevie Duramax in the late October Final.
Hot Bet is making his first start on Chicago’s half-miler for the Maywood Park based stable of Tim Pinske. The son of Big Dog is out of the dame Tarport Bette, who also produced the circuit’s Conspicousabsence (1:53.4).