by Keith Gisser, assistant publicity director, Northfield Park

Northfield, OH — 14 pacing mares and 15 pacing horses, including two $7,500 supplemental entries, were in the box for Northfield Park’s Scarlet and Gray Stakes, necessitating $10,000 eliminations this Friday (August 26).

A field of nine trotting mares will chase a purse of $47,500 on Saturday, September 3, while ten male trotters, including $7,500 supplement Woody Woodrow, will chase $55,000 that night.

The pacing mares will contest their elims in races eight and nine on Friday’s 15 race Northfield card. The first elim features a pair of Virgil Morgan, Jr.-trainees — Honey’s Bud Light and Perfek Lady Kalfas — as well as Northfield regular Hidden Affair; Meadows shipper Anita Rush; Scioto Downs campaigners Cmon Suzie Hangon and Park It Ashley; and Indiana-based Bay Place.

The second $10,000 split features defending Scarlet and Gray champion C C Spice, as well as 2002 and 2003 champ Shutupandkissme. Also trying for a spot in the top four — and a chance at the $37,500 Final — are Pan And Teller, True Blue Lu, Jetstream Cute Cam, Express Lane Too and Marvel Sahbra.

Pacing horses will be looking for berths in the $52,500 Final on Super Night, with the purse buoyed by the supplemental entries of Laughing Is An Art and Coal Black Beauty.

The 12th race will be the first horse pace elim, with 2003 Scarlet and Gray champ Noble Cam challenging Coal Black Beauty, Samurai Sam, Town Gazelle, Sid The Squid, Western Sam and My Pal Mark.

The second split, race 13, features Laughing Is An Art, Doctor Rodney, Norman Pheeny, Up Front Ohio, Pansonance, Hardrock Hudson, Confirmed Winner and Super Gizmo.

Friday’s Northfield card also features three-year-old filly trotters and pacers in their final Ohio Sires Stakes legs as they try to earn their way into $100,000 Championships set for Super Night. There are two trotting divisions going after $20,000, while the two pacing splits chase $20,200.

The male trotters entered in the Scarlet and Gray are Bubba Dunn, world champion Dunkster, who won the event in 2003, Five Carat Diamond, Full Count, Glory Bound, 2002 winner Hesza Lazer, Kami’s Call, defending champ Mysterious Speed, Striking Rum and Woody Woodrow.

The nine mares entered include Calico Comer and her sister, O’Cala Kash, who is the defending champ, Lisa’s Laser, Medoland Miracle, Ohio Minnie, 2003 champ Sack Cloth, Simply Made, Tady Strikes Again and That Fly’n Angel.