by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Arch Madness wasn’t ill, but a victory in a conditioned handicap at Harrah’s Philadelphia last week might have been just what the doctor ordered. Now the 10-year-old gelding is returning to competition against the continent’s best older trotters as he heads to Saturday’s eliminations for the John Cashman Jr. Memorial at the Meadowlands.

The Cashman, formerly known as the Nat Ray, attracted 15 horses. The top five from two $50,000 eliminations will advance to the $300,650 final on Aug. 2, Hambletonian Day, at the Big M. Among the entrants are world champion Sebastian K, Maple Leaf Trot winner Intimidate, two-time Dan Patch Award-winner Market Share, and 2013 Hambletonian champion Royalty For Life.

Saturday’s card at the Meadowlands also includes a $35,000 Hambletonian Oaks prep for 3-year-old female trotters and $40,000 single elimination for the Lady Liberty for older female pacers. Nine of the 11 fillies entered in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks, which is Aug. 2, will compete in Saturday’s prep. Ten mares are in the Lady Liberty elimination, with Rocklamation receiving a bye to next week’s final.

USTA/Ken Weingartner photo

Arch Madness, with caretaker Ida Nilsen, has earned $4.22 million in his brilliant career.

Arch Madness, who skipped the Maple Leaf Trot at Mohawk Racetrack in Ontario, enters his Cashman elim with one win in eight starts this season. Lifetime, he has won 35 of 115 races and earned $4.22 million, good for sixth place among all trotters in history and second to only Moni Maker among trotters that raced the majority of their careers in North America.

“It’s always nice to get an easy win in a horse,” Trond Smedshammer said about Arch Madness’ victory at Harrah’s Philadelphia on July 16. “That’s the best medicine for a horse, winning. I was very happy about that decision (not to go to the Maple Leaf Trot). It worked out good.

“You can’t ask him to go everywhere; he’s 10 years old. Canada was an easy decision to leave out.”

Arch Madness (Balanced Image-Armbro Archer) was winless in two races at age 2, but won at least one race worth more than $170,000 in six of the next seven years. His top triumphs came in the 2007 Breeders Crown for 3-year-olds, 2008 Maple Leaf Trot, 2011 Oslo Grand Prix, 2010 Cutler Memorial, 2009 Credit Winner, and 2013 Allerage Open Trot.

He finished second in the Elitlopp in 2012 and 2013. He also finished second twice in the Breeders Crown Open, in 2008 and 2009, and twice in the Maple Leaf Trot, in 2009 and 2011.

“Arch is pretty much the same as he’s been previous years,” said Smedshammer, who trains the horse for owners Marc Goldberg and Willow Pond LLC. “It doesn’t seem like he’s lost much, it’s just the competition is tougher. It’s been brutally tough, especially (Sebastian K).

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Arch Madness came charging down the middle of the racetrack to win the 2013 Allerage Farms Open Trot final.

“I haven’t been too worried about it because later in the year when the others seem to be getting tired, he usually gets better,” Smedshammer added.

Arch Madness will start from post seven in the second of the two Cashman eliminations. To his inside from the rail are Mister Herbie, Wishing Stone, Sweet Justice, Uncle Peter, Sebastian K, and Appomattox. To his outside is Creatine.

The first division, from post one, is Market Share, Your So Vain, Spider Blue Chip, Intimidate, Sevruga, Archangel, and Royalty For Life.

It is an accomplished group, with Sebastian K being history’s fastest trotter and 10 of the remaining horses having won at least one Breeders Crown, Maple Leaf Trot, or Trotting Triple Crown race.

They have five Breeders Crown trophies (Uncle Peter, Arch Madness, Intimidate, Spider Blue Chip, and Market Share), four Maple Leaf Trot titles (Arch Madness, Mister Herbie, Market Share, and Intimidate), two Hambletonian triumphs (Market Share and Royalty For Life), two Kentucky Futurity wins (Wishing Stone and Creatine) and one Yonkers Trot (Archangel).