by Ayers Ratliff, Northfield Park Publicity Department

Northfield, OH — This Saturday (September 3), Northfield Park will host the Scarlet And Gray Stakes as the highlight of its 13-race program. The Scarlet And Gray Stakes are for veteran Ohio-breds, and this year’s fields are packed with speed and talent, featuring a number of past winners and track record holders.

Saturday’s first race is for trotting mares and carries a purse of $26,900. BV’s Sister will start from post two as the slight morning line favorite (7-5) over Tom’s OK Lady (8-5) from post four. BV’s Sister is a 7-year-old daughter of Big Victory with career earnings in excess of $500,000. Northfield Park’s current leading driver, Dan Noble, will attempt to pilot BV’s Sister to a win, which would dethrone Tom’s OK Lady, who won this race in both 2009 and 2010, by first breaking and then equaling the track record for a 5-year-old and up trotting mare, stopping the timer twice in 1:56. Pennsylvania regular Mike Wilder is scheduled to be in town to drive Tom’s OK Lady. Other horses going to post are Laser Lucy, Northmedo Amnesty and Mom’s A Hustler.

Race two is for pacing mares and also has a purse of $26,900. Don’t Blame Her, a daughter of Village Connection, was the winner of this event last year. She is the heavy morning line favorite at 2-5, has career earnings of more than $500,000 and holds the track record for a 4-year-old pacing mare of 1:52.2, which she set in 2007. Don’t Blame Her has won four of 27 starts this year and is looking for her 38th lifetime win. Her competition consists of Shez Good Osborne, Forever Lucky, Wildfire Osborne and Lavish Liz.

Saturday’s fifth race features horse and gelding trotters competing for a purse of $31,900. Last year’s winner, Rembrandt Spur, is the morning line favorite. This 5-year-old son of Pegasus Spur will start from post two for trainer/driver Richard Stillings and is looking for career win number 20. Rembrandt Spur looks to add to his bankroll, which has already exceeded $400,000. His foes this year are Christina Victory, Deep Chip, Rompaway Beau, Diamond Hunter and Sing Jesse Sing.

The eighth race for horse and gelding pacers will see morning line favorite and last year’s winner, War Boots, try to defend his title against 2010 Little Brown Jug contender Doc’s Yankee. War Boots looks for his second win in 2011 and will be helped by the advantage of having the rail post position. Trainer/driver Ray Paver has guided War Boots, a son of Memphis Flash, throughout his racing career, which has resulted in earnings of more than $430,000. Doc’s Yankee appears to be his main threat, but the field contains a host of other talented equine athletes including B T Attack, Show Me Glory, Cruise On Osborne, Valentowner, Osborne’s Yankee and Gordie How.