by Keith Gisser, assistant publicity director, Northfield Park

Northfield, OH — Wilbur Lang has offered a discounted breeding to the Ontario trotting stallion Earl to the first person to offer a $500 donation to the Don McKirgan fund.

Interested parties can call Lang directly at (937) 675-6751 to make arrangements.

McKirgan, a Northfield Park Wall of Fame driver and trainer, is suffering from Guillan-Barre Syndrome, a nervous system disorder that causes paralysis.

Sam Schillaci sent Positivereaction N three-wide up the backstretch and easily won Friday’s $8,500 Mares Open Handicap Pace at Northfield, with MD Jewel second and Polo Jenn third.

Schillaci waited patiently with his seven-year-old Cam’s Trickster mare during a contentious opening panel that saw MD Jewel defend the rail; Polo Jenn leave aggressively from post five; and Magic Sugar, undefeated in three Northfield starts this year, hung three-wide.

Polo Jenn cleared to the lead at the :27² quarter. It appeared driver Greg Grismore would leave Magic Sugar hung, but Jason Gale aggressively drove on to get the lad and post a :56⁴ half. At this point Positivereaction was en route on the outside. She cleared as the field reached the 1:27¹ three-quarter pole and drew off from there, posting a 1:56 season’s best.

Jodi Schillaci trains the winner for New York owners Frank Masella, Jr., and Eva Saintcross. The win was her fourth in 11 starts this year, and pushed her career earnings to $97,285.

51-1 bomber Erynn O’Tulip was a pistil as she put the petal to the metal around the final turn to leaf the field behind in a stunning lifetime best 2:00 effort in the $7,500 Championship leg of a late closing event for filly and mare pacers who were non winners of two pari-mutuel races or $7,500 lifetime on the Friday undercard.

Trainer-driver Tom Hall waited patiently while Rosie’s Sweetheart, Cassava and Romin’s Sweet Mary banged it out early, and then followed cover from Glenview Sharon three-wide up the backside.

Hall trains the four-year-old Electric Yankee mare for Reginald Cocklin and William Taylor.