by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — Trainer Steve Carter has a right to be optimistic when it comes to Saturday’s (Nov. 12) $121,100 American-National for 2-year-old pacing colts at Balmoral Park as he sends out last week’s elimination winner Star Recruit and the runner-up in that event, Caviart Key.

The two finished just a neck apart in last week’s preliminary action after engaging in a stirring stretch drive. When the smoke cleared from that battle it was the late rushing Star Recruit who managed to stick a nose in front of the pacesetting Caviart Key in the final strides. Although they were coupled in the wagering last week, they will go as separate betting interests in Saturday’s battle.

The win was the second straight for Star Recruit who stopped the clock in 1:53.2 that night. Prior to his elimination score the gelded son of Dragon Again-Remarkable Star captured a division of the Circle City Stake at Indiana Downs in similar stretch rushing style.

Starting his career on the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes circuit under the tutelage of veteran conditioner Bruce Riegle, the $19,000 2010 Lexington Selected Sale purchase showed immediate talent by taking a division of the Sire Stakes in 1:53.1 at the Meadows on July 2, which at the time was the fastest mile of the year by a 2-year-old gelding on a five-eighths-mile track. The striking brown gelding, who is owned by the partnership of Steve and Peggy Carter, Robert Reid and Chuck Grubbs, would wind up right back in the charmed circle just 10 days later taking a division of the Reynolds Stakes at Pocono in 1:53.3.

“He was a big horse when he came to me,” said Riegle. “He really continued to mature very quickly. A couple of changes were made on his bridle and a few other things and that really seemed to make him much more aggressive about passing horses which is why I think he’s done such a good job of racing from off the pace.”

A model of consistency throughout his first season, Star Recruit comes into the American-National sporting a record of six wins, three seconds and three thirds in 13 starts with earnings of $195,667.

Although he played second fiddle to his stablemate last week, Caviart Key is more than capable of turning the tables in this event.

The son of Ponder-Dee’s Shark, who sold for just $12,000 at the 2010 Lexington Selected Sale, is no stranger to the winner’s circle at Balmoral having won a division of the Hanover Stake in a career best of 1:53.1 back on July 16. He also proved victorious in Springfield, taking a division of the Review Stake for North America’s leading dash winning driver Dan Noble who will also be in the bike for Saturday’s American-National. A five-time winner in 14 career starts, Caviart Key boasts career earnings of $145,802.

In order to get back to the charmed circle the Carter owned and trained duo will need to knock off the Roger Welch trained Indiana bred champion Fridaynightflight, who leads the field in earnings with a bankroll of more than $320,000 while posting a record of 6-5-2 in 13 starts with a mark of 1:52.2.

Podges Lady looks for homecoming victory

After opening a promising career with a pair of victories, including a four length romp in a division of the Hanover Stake here at Balmoral Park back in July, Sawgrass Farms’ Podges Lady returns to the local scene looking to take home top honors in Saturday’s $86,800 American-National Stake for 2-year-old pacing fillies.

Heading out for what turned into an extended and very successful road trip, the Pennsylvania sired daughter of The Panderosa-Four Starzzzz Hope, who was a $30,000 yearling purchase at the 2010 Lexington Selected Sale, then headed east to the Keystone State where she immediately caught the attention of the harness racing world by blazing to a track record of 1:52.1 in a division of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action at the Meadows.

That victory prompted trainer Joe Seekman to compare the good looking 2-year-old to another top young filly that the Michigan based conditioner had in his barn years earlier.

“Up to this point in her career she’s been a lot like Kikikatie in the fact that she hasn’t let us down one bit,” said Seekman. “I know those are some pretty big shoes to fill but she’s having a pretty nice season (3-4-1, $205,180) and I just hope she continues to get better and better.”

After toiling on the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes circuit for just over a month, Seekman sent Podges Lady to Canada where she finished a very respectable fourth in a She’s A Great Lady elimination. From there it was on to Indiana where she finished a strong second behind the highly regarded American Jewel in the $281,000 Kentuckiana Stake at Indiana Downs.

Podges Lady then headed to Kentucky where she once again finished second behind American Jewel and third behind eventual Breeders Crown winner Economy Terror in a blistering 1:51.3.

After a grueling trip from the nine hole in the Breeders Crown, where she eventually faded to eighth, a trip back to the oval that she started her career on could be exactly what the doctor ordered for this filly to get back on the winning track.