by Kimberly Rinker, managing editor, Hoof Beats

Columbus, OH — Trainer Jim Eaton will have his hands full in the $125,000 Dan Patch Final — one of eight featured contests on Balmoral’s Saturday (September 15) Super Night card. The Michigan native has both elimination winners — Thisbigdogwilfight and Joe Somebody — and fourth-place finisher Third Day in the test for older pacers.

Balmoral Park photo

Thisbigdogwilfight has won 11 times this year and banked $178,758.

Thisbigdogwilfight has been Eaton’s 2007 stable star. The 4-year-old son of The Big Dog has been nearly unstoppable in his domination of the Illinois Free For All ranks. He won his Dan Patch elim in a wire-to-wire, 1:50.4 effort with Hall of Famer Dave Magee at the lines — battling the hard-trying My Boy David in the late stretch.

“He’s not the fastest horse around, but he’s certainly the grittiest,” Eaton noted. “I was concerned going into the final because you never know what can happen in races like these. It was a big relief to win the elim and get into the final — that’s my first objective. There would have been a lot of long faces if this horse hadn’t made it to the final.”

Thisbigdogwilfight has scored 11 wins in 17 starts this year for earnings of $178,758 for the Redbud Stable and Michael McNeely. He’s finished off the board in only two starts all season and has 20 wins in 46 career starts.

“He’s a very low maintenance horse and takes pretty good care of himself,” Eaton said.

Joe Somebody has only five starts in 2007, but has two wins, including his Dan Patch elim, which he won in 1:50.3 by a head for driver Del Chupp over 2005 and 2006 Dan Patch winner King Johnny.

“This horse broke a coffin bone last October,” Eaton recalled. “He’d won three-in-a-row prior to that in 1:52 or better. We took our time bringing him back and it’s paid off.”

Joe Somebody has career earnings of $78,395 for owners John Schwarz, Jr. and Robert Silberberg.

Third Day has racked up $167,332 lifetime under Eaton’s watch. The 4-year-old Cole Muffler gelding finished only 1-1/4 lengths behind stablemate Joe Somebody in his Dan Patch elim with Ryan Anderson in the bike.

“He’s been a little crooked lately and we can’t figure out why,” Eaton said. “He’s been on the left line and we just can’t find out what’s wrong with him.”

Last year on Super Night, Third Day won the $25,000 Langley Consolation in 1:50.4 by 9-1/2 lengths for Brent Holland, and went on to win the $100,000 Maywood Pace in 1:51.3 just a month later.