by Mike Paradise, publicity director, Maywood Park

MELROSE PARK, IL—Multi-stakes champion Cinder Best started her 2004 campaign on a winning note with a dominating performance in Wednesday night’s $16,500 Open Pace for fillies and mares at Maywood Park.

Maywood Park photo.

Cinder Best (Eric Ledford) was the dominant wnner of Wednesday night’s $16,500 Open Pace for fillies and mares at Maywood Park.

Despite a three-month layoff, Cinder Best (Eric Ledford) was bet down to 7-10 odds and the 7-year-old Cambest mare proved her backers correct with a snappy 1:54 flat clocking, finishing two and one-half lengths ahead of Giggles The Clown (Dave Magee). Heaven And Earth (Tony Morgan) was third, another four and three-quarter lengths behind.

Ledford hustled Cinder Best ($3.40) away from the four-slot and Magee did the same with “Giggles” from the 6-hole. Cinder Best had the early lead going into the first turn but gave it up to “Giggles,” who took the seven-horse field to a :28.2 first panel.

Eric didn’t wait long to regain the lead with Cinder Best. The Seldon Ledford trainee brushed to the front before the :57.2 half. The winner then put together :28.3 and :28 final quarters and pulled away in the lane for her Napoleon, Ohio owners Thomas Gerdeman and Elaine and Robert Lauf.

“Cinder Best was that good tonight,” Eric said. “She allowed me to drive her aggressively, and that first quarter was pretty polite, which helped her cause. Initially, Dave (Magee, driving Giggles The Clown) wanted to follow me, but I wanted to follow her for a while.

“Tonight my mare was a little more aggressive than she normally is, or than I thought that she would be. And she was up on the steel (on the bit) a lot behind the starting gate. Once I got her on top she was way more relaxed than she had been in the two-hole.”

Cinder Best’s victory boosted her career earnings to $568,464, while “Giggles” bridesmaid paycheck of $4,125 was enough to out her over the $600,000 plateau for owners Ryan Welch and Mary and Robert Gangloff.

Canadew Sam Perfect In The Big Dog Series

Maywood Park photo.

Canadew Sam (No. 5, Tim Tetrick) stayed unbeaten in The Big Dog series with a victory in Wednesday night’s $10,000 Maywood Park final.

Canadew Sam (Tim Tetrick) stayed unbeaten in The Big Dog Series, holding off all challengers in the $10,000 final with a new lifetime mark of 1:55.1 in the co-featured ninth race.

The 3-year-old Nobleland Sam gelding proved fastest from the starting gate, zipping to the lead from the five-post, where he ended up being pressured throughout the mile.

Canadew Sam needed a :28.1 first quarter to keep the seven-horse Oliver Eustis (Eric Ledford), from clearing while the 3-5 favorite (No. 8) Lookin’likeachamp (Ryan Anderson) was racing right behind second over. Lookin’likeachamp had to make a three-move at the :56.4 first half. He got around Oliver Custis and the Artsplace colt actually was almost one length ahead of Candew Sam at the 1:25.3 three-quarters, however, the Joe Anderson trainee couldn’t clear the leader and gave way turning for home.

Canadew Sam ($12.80) finished three-quarters of a length the best. Glen McNeil (Dave Magee), who raced inside much of the way was second, while Thompson Ridge got third, beaten one and one-quarter lengths.

“I knew that Ryan’s horse Lookin’likeachamp, was the best horse in the race,” explained winning driver Tim Tetrick. “But he was saddled with the eight-hole and really had a tough road to get the lead from there.

“Eric (Ledford, driver of Oliver Custis) held up the road block and kept Ryan’s horse from progressing early on to the front. If that had happened, we probably would have been in trouble,” continued Tetrick. “I drove the horse the way I had to, to win the race, and I owe it all to the horse because he really did all the work out there.

“He’s just a super horse to drive. He doesn’t wear earplugs, and is quick off the gate, but is loose-lined behind it. That’s how smart he is, you can have the lines loose and simply speak to him and he’ll take off and get to the lead in a flash. He’s a very fun horse to drive.”

Canadew Sam posted 1:58.2 and 1:56.1 victories in the first two legs of the series, while Look’inlikeachamp rattled off miles of 1:55.3 and 1:54.1 in his first two rounds. Next up for both horses will be in Balmoral Park’s $10,000 final of The Big Dog Series on Tuesday, February 24.

Owned by Horsemans Financial Agency and Premier Racing Stable LLC of North Aurora, Illinois, Candew Sam is now 4-for-5 on the season with earnings of $22,235.