by Dan Conway, USTA Web Newsroom Correspondant

The six-year-old pacing gelding Antique Tom hadn’t won a race in a couple of months and in his last start in the Open Handicap at Northville Downs he went off at 30-1 and finished fifth. In Saturday night’s $12,000 Invitational Handicap Pace at Hazel Park he just didn’t look like the wisest pick.

The bettors much preferred King Of Cards, who had captured the last two Opens at Northville and hadn’t finished worse than third in a couple of months. The second choice was Copeland Comet, a lifetime winner of $441,074 who was coming in from Windsor Raceway after a third place finish.

As the gate left on the far side of Hazel Park’s five-eighths-mile track, Larry Stalbaum powered King Of Cards from the outside five hole easily to the front. Vince Copeland was away second with Antique Tom, followed by Downtown Dude and Dale Decker.

Like any sensible horse with some speed, King Of Cards likes the front end but can also close with some authority. In his two victories at Northville Downs he cut the fractions, but racing at Woodbine in February he didn’t score any victories but showed the ability to come at the end. King Of Cards hit the quarter in :28.4.

Racing down the stretch and rounding the clubhouse turn, King Of Cards kept up the pace while Eric Goodell brought Meal Ticket out, and they were sitting third on the outside at the :59.1 half-mile marker. Copeland Comet followed Meal Ticket second over.

Down the backside, Meal Ticket, who won three straight at Windsor Raceway in February, moved up to challenge the leader as the field rounded the final turn. The three-quarters came in 1:27.4 with King Of Cards three-quarters of a length in front of Meal Ticket, with Antique Tom saving energy third, another length back.

Coming into the stretch, King Of Cards, the favorite, looked like a pretty sure thing, but everybody was starting to get into the action. Meal Ticket was still strong and Antique Tom was looking for racing room. Copeland Comet and Downtown Dude were just another length back and flying.

Antique Tom had been closing decently at Northville Downs, but on this night his closing kick was spectacular. At the wire in 1:56, Antique Tom, by Sportsmaster, out of Hailee Mindale, was three-quarters of a length better than King Of Cards. He closed in :27.4. King Of Cards, who was second, Meal Ticket, who was third, and Copeland Comet finished in :28.2.

Antique Tom is now three for 10 this season with earnings of $20,441. Russ Mignano owns and trains the lifetime winner of $128,278.

Antique Tom rewarded the unwise with a $31 payoff.