Driver Greg Grismore had Cambest Prince rolling, but a tiring Soligos Hanover slowed his progress, forcing him three-wide around the final turn. The favorite was clearly second best, three and three-quarter lengths behind the Kevin Ehrhardt-trained winner. Carolina Rich raced in the pocket the entire mile to finish third in the 1:54⁴ mile.

The win was the second straight against Invitational company for Coastal Wind, who was claimed for $15,000 seven starts back. After a third place finish in a $20,000 claimer in his first start, he has run off six consecutive wins. The track record of 10 straight still belongs to Lumber Gart, who posted the standard in 1983. Coastal Wind has earned $28,186 since the claim.

Another Jewel for Rudicil, Merriman

On the heels of Midnight Jewel’s Mares Open win at Northfield Park last week, stablemate M D Jewel (no relation) took center stage, working hard to earn a perfect trip (please disregard that oxymoron) and winning Friday’s $8,000 Mares Open Pace by a length over favored True Blue Lu.

Driver Aaron Merriman was after his mare hard form the rail at the start, although he yielded to True Blue Lu and Greg Grismore as the field of six entered the backstretch for the first time. True Blue Lu led through fractions of :29¹, 1:01 and 1:30² over a thawing track rated “sloppy.”

As the field headed into a strong, rain-driven headwind into the homestretch, M D Jewel headed into the inside passing lane and easily went by the leader midway in the stretch. Alamhurst Razzle finished third in the 2:01 mile.

Marty Rudicil of Dundee, Michigan, owns and trains M D Jewel, a six-year-old I D Frost mare. The win gave her a 2004 summary of 6-3-1-2 and earnings of $15,550.

Speed Kills…Rocky Mountain Sun Benefits In Open Trot

An early three-way speed duel doomed half the competitors in Monday’s six horse Open Trot at Northfield and Rocky Mountain Sun was the beneficiary, posting a 10 and three-quarter length, 1:57¹ win in the $8,000 event.

As the wings of the gate closed, One Final Time, Dyna Slick and last week’s winner Ultimate Message all battled for the lead. They continued three-wide past the :28¹ quarter, before Ultimate Message yielded in the third spot. Dyna Slick and One Final Time continued to battle, clicking the timer in a blistering :57¹ at the half. Meanwhile, driver Brett Miller, driving Rocky Mountain Sun, the 3-5 favorite, had a huge smile on his face as he watched the action from fourth. He pulled just before the half and by the 1:27² three-quarter call had easily dispatched his rivals, opening up a five length advantage, before cruising home in an unpressured :29⁴ final panel. Cinderella’s Man was second and Super Mystic finished third.

Scott White trains the five-year-old Armbro Laser gelding for the Rocky Mountain Stable of Mentor, Ohio. The win was his third in five starts this year as he pushed his career earnings over $150,000. The win was also just three-fifths of a second off Rocky Mountain Sun’s lifetime best, taken at age three over the Flying Turns.

McKirgan benefit: Northfield Wall of Fame driver Don McKirgan continues to recover slowly form his bout with Guillain-Barr Syndrome, a debilitating nervous system disorder that causes paralysis. The Don McKirgan Reverse Raffle is scheduled at Northfield Park for Tuesday, May 4. Tickets are $100 and include one number in the raffle, dinner, soft drinks and coffee for two. There will be a cash bar with half of the proceeds to be donated to the McKirgan fund. Door prizes will also be awarded. For more information, contact Mary Randall at (330) 467-4101, extension 203.

”Ritch” get richer: Ritch Art, owned by Northfield’s leading driver in 2003, Greg Grismore, and Tom Cummins of Celina, Ohio, completed a series sweep, tallying his fifth straight win in the $87,400 Senior Trendsetter Final Sunday at the Meadowlands. With strong winds propelling him, Ritch Art led the field through a track record-tying opening quarter of :25² seconds and began to edge away on the final turn. Ritch Art held off the challenges of What’s Demotta You and Dream Believer in the stretch for one and one-quarter length victory. Driver Cat Manzi steered the four-year-old son of Perfect Art to a 1:52¹ mile, which equaled his career best. Darby Miller, who splits his stable between New Jersey and Illinois, took over the training duties for Ritch Art from Triple G on January 15.

Speaking of strong winds: Not all the winds were kind to Grismore over the weekend. Coastal Wind, claimed for $15,000 seven weeks back by Don Shaffer and Charles Ferrette, upset Northfield’s 2003 Co-Horse of the Year Cambest Prince, driven by Grismore, in past Saturday’s $10,500 Invitational Pace. It was Coastal Wind’s second straight Invitational win and his sixth straight since the claim, after a third place finish in his debut for the new connections.

Kevin Ehrhardt trains Coastal Wind and said “all I did was change his shoeing behind. He’s been a pleasant surprise. And Kenny (driver Ken Holliday) is doing a great job with him.”

Coastal Wind has earned $28,186 since the claim and his seven wins in eight starts this year rank second in North America. Northfield’s record for consecutive wins is 10, set by pacer Lumber Gart in 1983.

Multimedia: Northfield Park’s new media guide, its first since 1989, will be ready for distribution on March 1. The 48 page book will include statistical and historical information on the track and its horsemen, as well as 2003 highlights. Working members of the media may request their guide by e-mailing nfldpark@aol.com or by calling (330) 467-4101, extension 215. Promotions guru Carrie Ryman designed the book, which was researched and compiled by assistant publicity director Keith Gisser. The media guide will also be available to the public in Northfield’s gift shop, priced at $10. The guide will be updated annually.