by Mike Bozich, for Harrah’s Philadelphia

Chester, PA — Three millionaires, one soon-to-be millionaire, and a quartet of sharp upstarts comprise the 2017 Maxie Lee field for older trotters at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday (May 28). It is one of three invitationals on the day’s program, each going for a purse of $150,000.

The leading money earner in the field is the 5-year-old Crazy Wow. The son of Crazed-Topcat Hall won more than $1 million as a 3-year-old, which included wins in the Colonial at Pocono and the Bluegrass at Red Mile. Although the Ron Burke trainee had only one win as a 4-year-old, he finished the campaign strong with a narrow defeat in the TVG Free For All at The Meadowlands. So far this season, he has a pair of second place finishes, with his most recent being in the Arthur Cutler Memorial. The Cutler winner (Resolve) will compete in Elitloppet at Solvalla Raceway in Sweden.

Rene Allard trainee Charmed Life and Kevin McDermott pupil Melady’s Monet are also a part of harness racing’s millionaire club.

Charmed Life is riding a wave of sharp form. Her most recent start was a win in the Miami Valley Distaff, which spoiled the debut of 2016 Dan Patch/O’Brien Award winner Hannelore Hanover.

Melady’s Monet has also had a sharp beginning to his campaign. The 8-year-old gelded son of Revenue S-Keystone Melady has four wins in seven starts this season, only being worse than second once. Melady’s Monet leads the potential Maxie Lee field in career wins with 44.

2015 Dan Patch winner JL Cruze will also be a part of the star-studded lineup. JL Cruze was the first trotter to clock a 1:49.4 over a mile track. Part owner Ken Wood, who owns a drilling company, began drilling in Africa 11 years ago with the hopes of getting people clean drinking water in impoverished areas. Much of JL Cruze’s 2015 earnings were used for the cause. The 6-year-old gelded son of Crazed-Topcat Hall is less than $84,000 from the $1 million mark in career earnings. His most recent effort was a third place finish in the Cutler at The Big M.

Canadian invader Odds On Amethyst will bring his sharp form to the Chester oval for the Maxie Lee. The 6-year-old gelded son of Muscle Hill-Mystical Sunshine has won seven straight races on the WEG circuit, mainly against preferred types.

The Pat Hudon trainee is not the only sporting sharpness however. Peter Tritton student Springback Sam N and Andrew Harris trainee Taco Tuesday fit the bill as well. The former is coming off of three narrow defeats facing the top ranks at Yonkers, while the latter has won four of his last six against Open competition.

The wild card is European newcomer Tuonoblu Rex. The America sired, Italian bred son of Cantab Hall-Eternity Rex won his stateside debut in impressive fashion. He followed that up with an in-hand 1:53.1 win at Pocono, and a similar effort in 1:53 at Harrah’s Philly. The Julie Miller trainee, who won a Grade 3 race at Paris’s Vincennes Racecourse as a 3-year-old, has nine wins in 17 career starts.

The Maxie Lee Memorial Trot is named after long-time horsemen Maxie Lee. A native of North Carolina, Lee made a name for himself as a trainer and driver in the Philadelphia area at Liberty Bell and Brandywine. He had back-to-back Delaware Valley Harness Horse of the Year winners in the mid-1970s with Black Gamecock and Valley Ken. In 1990, Lee became the first African-American with a starter in the Hambletonian, with the Peter Haughton winner Backstreet Guy.