by Mike Paradise, publicity director, Maywood Park

Melrose Park, IL — No Hassle won the hard early battle for command and parlayed it into a front-stepping victory in Maywood Park’s Friday night (August 11) $12,100 feature. The seven-year-old state bred pacer posted a 1:53.3 clocking with driver Brent Holland in the conditioned pace.

Maywood Park Photo

No Hassle (Brent Holland) took Maywood Park’s Friday night feature race in 1:53.3.

The 3-1 second choice in the evenly matched field of seven pacers left hard from the two post with Holland, as did Dale Hiteman with Patch Adams N from the pole position. And Pat Curtin with number four Fox Valley Snaffle and number five Ryan Anderson with Peter’s Wrath also shot out at the start and were three and four wide, respectively, in the first turn.

No Hassle ($8.40) was able to wrestle the lead away from Patch Adams N before the :27 flat first quarter. Curtin dropped Fox Valley Snaffle into the three hole, leaving Peter’s Wrath hung out. No Hassle paced to a :55.3 half-mile time to keep Peter’s Wrath on his outside, a head behind him.

Lucky Life was sent three-wide coming out of the third turn by Tim Tetrick and Sam Widger took the 2-1 luke-warm favorite Indian Territory four-deep on the backside. A :29 flat third panel enabled No Hassle to remain on top by three-quarters of a length over Lucky Life, who passed the tiring Peter’s Wrath at the 1:24.3 three-quarter pole.

No Hassle still had something left for the late going, pulling away in mid-stretch to post a one length victory over Lucky Life, who nosed out Indiana Territory for the place spot.

“Going into the race I was a little unsure and I didn’t think Dale (driving Patch Adams N) would let me go, so I just wanted to ease my horse to the front,” Holland said after the race. “My horse really just floated along to the first quarter.

“Down the backside I called on him and he responded well to the challenge,” Holland added. “I knew that if he had a lot in the tank for me down the backstretch that he’d have plenty left for the stretch. I was glad, too, that at the start the four (Fox Valley Snaffle) left hard because it kept the five horse (Peter’s Wrath) out there for longer, too.

“Everything really worked out well for us this time,” Holland said. “In the last turn I asked this horse to pace on a bit and he just strided out to win very easily.”

No Hassle was claimed in mid-May by trainer Dave McCaffrey for Z Tam Racing and won for the third time in nine outings for his Nanuet, New York owner. No Hassle, a son of Incredible Finale, now has lifetime earnings of at $418,158.