by Mike Paradise, publicity director, Maywood Park
Melrose Park, IL — Constant Change continued his remarkable record at Maywood Park when he paced to another victory in the second $25,000 Associates Stake state-bred stake on Friday night as the 4-5 public’s choice. The 1:53 flat win was the 10th in his last 23 starts on the Chicago circuit’s half-miler, to go along with five second place finishes.
The Associates triumph also earned the horse’s owners Benita Simmons (Springfield, Illinois), Hunt Harness Horse Inc. (Big Rock, Illinois) and Helen Logan (Coffeyville, Kansas) a share of the Maywood Park Pacing Series $20,000 bonus with Taser Gun, who has been sidelined with a leg injury. Both horses earned 75 series points.
“This is a great thrill for us, especially since now we get a share of the bonus,” co-owner Benita Simmons said.
Constant Change ($3.60) darted out quickly from the three slot and had the lead before the first turn for driver Dave Magee. After a :28 first quarter, he got a :29 second quarter breather with Go Warrior Go (Tim Tetrick) racing first up. It took a :28 flat third panel for Constant Change to keep the lead and another :28 last quarter to hold off Go Warrior Go by one and one-quarter lengths. My Buddy Bob took third, three and one-half lengths back in the 10th race co-feature.
“Constant Change really raced well and he didn’t see the track that much this past week either,” continued Benita, wife of trainer Tom Simmons. “The horse had last Saturday and Sunday off, since he won here last Friday night. We jogged him Monday and trained him lightly on Tuesday. Then we gave him Wednesday off and were going to jog him on Thanksgiving, but we weren’t able to….so actually he only saw the track twice this week before this race.
“He was really fresh when he won here last week, but tonight he was much tighter. He’s the type that really races into his fitness level. He’ll have a few days off to play now, and then we’ll have to see what’s next for him.”
Constant Change has now banked $170,715 this season, while winning 11 of 28 starts. The six-year-old Cole Muffler offspring has 14 Maywood Park career victories.
Dave Magee also drove the one-time $12,000 claimer He’s The Real Deal to a convincing 1:53.3 victory as the 8-5 favorite in the first $25,000 Associates Stake division for the Darcy Pletcher Stable.
The five-year-old son of Cole Muffler had a record of just two wins in 33 season’s starts when Indigan Stable (Howe Indiana), Charles Trakas (Newark, Delaware) and Darcy Pletcher (South Chicago Heights) claimed him in late September at Balmoral Park. Friday’s seventh race stake triumph was He’s The Real Deal’s fourth in his last six races for his current connections.
Cold Sweat, Caps Classic and No Hassle all battled for early position with the latter getting command on the backside, taking the field to a :27 flat first quarter. However, No Hassle couldn’t keep He’s A Real Deal from powering past soon after the :55.4 half. The new leader then needed a :28.3 third quarter to keep Black Oliver on his outside.
When driver Dave Magee asked for more from He’s The Real Deal, the gelding responded, drawing off by one and three-quarter lengths. Black Oliver was second best, with Cold Sweat coming on for third, beaten two and one-quarter lengths.
“I claimed this horse on September 25 for just $12,000,” trainer Darcy Pletcher said. “I had always liked this horse. I thought he was really nice gaited and he was kind of a hard hitter that didn’t seem to have an end to him.
“I just made a few, simple equipment changes to him,” Darcy said. “He can be pretty ornry in the barn, he likes to bite and is very playful. Next he’ll probably go back to Balmoral for a start…I’ll put him in wherever he fits, a conditioned or high claimer.”
The $12,500 winner’s share of the purse boosted the winner’s season earnings to $58,661 for the Balmoral Park based Darcy Pletcher Stable.