by Keith Gisser, assistant publicity director, Northfield Park

Northfield, OH — Cambest Prince showed he is truly a horse for the course as he returned from Delaware to win Saturday’s $10,000 Invitational Pace at Northfield Park in a very fast 1:55⁴. The win was his second of the year at Northfield in just two starts, and his third in a row over the Flying Turns.

Oaks Enforcer did all the work in the mile. After being parked by a pesky Hot Rod Hudson, Oaks Enforcer cleared to the top just after the :27² quarter. He then posted fractions of :56⁴ and 1:26² before tiring.

Meanwhile, Cambest Prince and Greg Grismore lingered in last, mounting a challenge at the paddock gate and moving up to second at the three-quarter pole. The Jeff Cox-trainee rolled from there to get the four and a half length win. Soligos Hanover, the longest shot in the race, finished second and Hot Rod Hudson was third.

Jeff Cox trains the winner, who will be honored February 28 as 2003 Northfield Park co-Horse of the Year. He is owned by Sam Jacobs and Charles Burris, Jr. of Delaware. The win by the eight-year-old son of Cambest–Last Lark put his career bankroll at $589,203.

Almahurst Razzle scores in Mares Open

In Friday’s $7,500 Mares Open Handicap Pace, Senia Rebecca Lawson’s Almahurst Razzle upset favored Midnight Jewel, using the passing lane to post a 1:57² victory.

Silver Dollar Star cut all the fractions over a racing surface listed “good”, as Brett Miller steered her to splits of :29, 1:00 and 1:28. That powerful third panel, pressured by 2003 Northfield Park co-Horse of the Year Midnight Jewel, proved to be Silver Dollar Star’s undoing, as Almahurst Razzle, who sat in the pocket the whole way, dropped down into the open stretch to post a neck win over the pacesetter. Midnight Jewel’s rally leveled, yielding a show finish.

Greg Grismore drove the winner for trainer Bob Belcher. The pair took driving and training honors at Northfield in 2003 and both appear to be picking up where they left off.

As for Almahurst Razzle, the win was her third in six starts this year and her 12th of the past two seasons. A daughter of Dragon’s Lair, the eight-year-old went over $300,000 in her career with the win. Her bankroll now stands at $300,224.

ST. VALENTINE’S EVE?!?: It’s a new day to celebrate. Since Northfield Park’s Clubhouse is sold out for our 2-for-1 buffet special on Valentine’s Day, we are going to make the same offer on Friday, February 13.

$17.95 gets you not one, but two great romantic buffets featuring dishes including portabello mushroom ravioli, chicken marsala, butter crumb whitefish, beef and ham carved to order, a complete salad bar, over 20 feet of desserts and much, much more!

For reservations, call (330) 467-1807. The buffet is available from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., but you get to keep your table for the entire evening.

SPREEFUL TUESDAY: The Sixty-Second Winning Spree returned to Northfield Park Tuesday, with four patrons winning a total of $765.40.

Robert Cartwright of North Royalton was the big winner, cashing for $329.40, including a $290+ trifecta. Contestants selected for the spree have one minute to call out as many $2 wagers as they can, and they get to keep their winnings.

83-year-old Claude Starks, who has been coming to Northfield since the track opened in 1957, cashed for $81. Afterwards, Starks, who had never won anything at the track, commented, “Don’t wait another 50 years to call my name.”

Well, Claude, and the rest of you, it’s simple. Be here for Tuesday live racing (now through April 27), enter the contest and have your name pulled. Then you will experience the Sixty-Second Winning Spree without waiting fifty years.

NATIONAL HOTY IS LOCALLY OWNED: It was no surprise that Triple Crown Winner No Pan Intended was named national Horse of the Year over the weekend, winning the Dan Patch Award from the U.S. Harness Writers.

We just have to brag on him a little bit, since his owner Bob Glazer, a Hawken School grad and Pepper Pike native, got his start as a horse owner right here at Northfield Park.

No Pan Intended also won the Breeders Crown in 2003, en route to winning Three-Year-Old Pacer honors and Pacer of the Year honors before being named HOTY for 2003.