by Keith Gisser, publicity director, Northfield Park

Northfield, OH — Upfront Hannahsboy made his claim to a spot in the $175,000 Cleveland Classic at Northfield on Saturday (June 21) with a stakes record 1:49.2 win in the C$100,000 North America Cup consolation at Toronto’s Mohawk Racetrack June 14. He won by six lengths over Space Walk.

Trainer Jim Arledge, Jr. called on Tim Tetrick to drive Upfront Hannahsboy, who has won five of 15 starts and banked $170,954 in his career. The colt is owned by his breeder, retired mega-auto dealer Ed Mullinax.

Another Arledge-trained Classic hopeful, Sand Shooter, raced credibly in the C$1,500,000 North America Cup, finishing sixth. He was race-timed in 1:50.2 and just missed the final check by a half-length.

The post draw for the Classic is Wednesday, June 18, and the entry box closes at 9:00 a.m. (EDT).

More classic updates: Several other horses are on the horizon for the Classic, including last year’s Ohio Sires Stakes champ Hello Yankie. He qualified well over a sloppy track at The Meadows on June 4, but due to a quirk in the Ohio Sires Stakes rules, which do not allow for off-track time allowances, he did not race in Saturday’s Sires legs at Northfield.

Blueridge Western, a career winner of $371,062, returned from a two-week vacation following his second-place finish in the $301,000 Max Hempt Final at Pocono Downs with a third-place effort in a $35,000 3-year-old Open Pace at Harrah’s Chester Downs last Thursday.

Hello Yankie and Blueridge Western are trained by Mickey Burke.

Dragoon K was second, just ahead of Blueridge Western, in the Chester race. He is trained by Rich Gillock for Robert J. Key.

Also new on the scene is supplemental nominee Andy Roo. The Erv Miller-trainee was third behind two veteran pacers, Yukon Cornelius and Machete, in his last start at Pocono Downs, race timed in 1:51.3.

The Classic allows supplemental nominees in February (there were seven, including Hello Yankie) and supplemental entries at draw time.

There will be a post position draw press release early Wednesday afternoon.