by M. Kelly Young, executive director, Harness Horse Breeders of New York

Nichols, NY — Hambletonian starter Flirtin Man will headline the 33rd edition of the Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial Trot on Sunday, August 19, at Tioga Downs. The event, worth a combined $321,350 in purses, attracted 14 colts and 12 fillies for two divisions of each sex.

Flirtin Man will start from post six in race eight as the likely post-time favorite. The winner of nearly $110,000 this year is owned in part by listed driver John Campbell. The colt finished second in his elimination for the Hambletonian, but made a costly break in the $1 million final and finished out of the money. Gary Napierala trains the colt, who has won five of his eight starts this year.

Trainer Larry Remmen will start three colts in the Zweig Memorial Trot. Conway Court and Rushmore Hanover, each of which have earned more than $100,000 in their careers, will start from post three and post five, respectively, in the eighth race. Bet To Win, who has been undefeated in the New York Sires Stakes this season to earn more than $165,000 in just seven starts, will leave from post five in the 10th race.

In the Filly Division, trainer and co-owner George “Buzzy” Sholty paid the supplemental fee to enter Exotic Destination, a daughter of Dream Vacation. She will race from post six in the fifth race.

The filly did not race as a 2-year-old and started out this season at Tioga Downs in the barn of trainer Paul Bernardo. Sholty purchased the filly with partner JML Stables for $65,000 at the July Mixed Sale at the Meadowlands and since then she has made two winning starts for him at the Meadowlands.

“She had a mark of 1:54.3 at Tioga (in her fourth career start), but I was actually just as impressed with her second career start when she went in 1:56.2,” Sholty explained of the factors leading to his decision to buy the filly. “They had been racing her toward the front end at Tioga and some people thought she might be a little hot, but I haven’t seen that in her. She has good manners and has an even temper. At the Meadowlands (driver George Brennan) raced her on the front end also, but based on the competition and George’s decisions, that was just how it happened. I don’t tell my drivers how to race a horse.”

Deciding to supplement to the Filly Division for $5,000 plus the $1,000 entry fee was a no-brainer for Sholty when he considered the cost compared to the potential purse.

“This race and the World Trotting Derby are the two kindest payments that you can make as far as supplementing,” said the trainer. “If you are going to supplement for 3-year-old competition, I’d rather get good value out of it.”

Exotic Destination was staked only to the New Jersey Green Acres and will have to be supplemented to any further stakes engagements this year, which the trainer says could include the World Trotting Derby, American-National, Kentucky Filly Futurity, Matron and Breeders Crown.

The post position draw with listed drivers and trainers for each division are listed below:

Third Race–$43,425
Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial Trot Filly Division
PP – Horse (Driver/Trainer)
1 – Cocktail Hour (Ivan Davies/Ivan Davies)
2 – Treasure Me Always (Ray Schnittker/Ray Schnittker)
3 – Keystone Shana (Jim Morrill Jr./Chris Ryder)
4 – Zing (Stephane Bouchard/Linda Toscano)
5 – Bruschette (Jan Johnson/Jan Johnson)
6 – Loch Katrine (Ed Lohmeyer/Ed Lohmeyer)

Fifth Race–$43,425
Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial Trot Filly Division
PP – Horse (Driver/Trainer)
1 – Radiant Lindy (Jim Morrill Jr./Trond Smedshammer)
2 – Hungadream (Jim Doherty/Paul Doherty)
3 – Southwind Serena (Per Henriksen/Per Henriksen)
4 – Tsarina (Jacquie Ingrassia/Frank Ingrassia)
5 – Pembroke Spice (TBA/Mark Ford)
6 – Exotic Destination (Steve Smith/Buzzy Sholty)

Eighth Race–$117,250
Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial Trot Open Division
PP – Horse (Driver/Trainer)
1 – Redneck Reindeer (Dan Daley/Dan Daley)
2 – Please Poppy (John Campbell/Per Henriksen)
3 – Conway Court (Jim Morrill Jr./Larry Remmen)
4 – New Hampshire Boy (Ray Schnittker/Ray Schnittker)
5 – Rushmore Hanover (Jim Morrill Jr./Larry Remmen)
6 – Flirtin Man (John Campbell/Gary Napierala)
7 – Rovaniemi (Steve Smith/Karen Garland)

Tenth Race–$117,250
Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial Trot Open Division
PP – Horse (Driver/Trainer)
1 – Contrary (Dan Daley/Dan Daley)
2 – Edgestone Hanover (Jeff Gregory/Richard Norman)
3 – Monkey Bones (Steve Smith/Karen Garland)
4 – Photo Maxx (Jim Morrill Jr./Jimmy Takter)
5 – Bet To Win (Jim Morrill Jr./Larry Remmen)
6 – Fraternity Party (Jan Johnson/Jan Johnson)
7 – That’s Hall Folks (Jim Marohn Jr./Paul Bernardo)

The colts and geldings competing in the Open Division of the Zweig Memorial Trot will participate in a pre-race detention barn and must be at Tioga Downs by 9:00 p.m. on Saturday evening.

Also featured on Sunday’s 12-race card are three divisions of the New York State Fair for 3-year-old pacing fillies. First post is 1:15 p.m.