from Hollywood Dayton Raceway

Dayton, OH — Fields have been drawn for the $135,750 Dayton Trotting Derby and $138,500 Dayton Pacing Derby, to be contested on Friday night (Oct. 2) at Hollywood Dayton Raceway. The second annual editions of the pair of Grand Circuit stakes have attracted some of the best older horses in North America, as well as several nationally acclaimed drivers.

Shake It Cerry, fresh off an impressive 1:53.3 qualifier at The Red Mile, has been awarded the slight 5-2 morning line nod over Wind Of The North (Dave Palone), Obrigado (Mark MacDonald) and DW’s NY Yank (Matt Kakaley) in the Trotting Derby. Trainer Jimmy Takter has listed Yannick Gingras to guide the 4-year-old Donato Hanover mare, as she seeks to add to her $2,279,648 career bankroll. The lone mare in the field, who was the Breeders Crown and Dan Patch Award winner for sophomore fillies in 2014, will face stiff competition from a trio of older geldings who have each won stakes or open class events in recent weeks.

Wind Of The North, second choice at 3-1, was runner-up in last week’s $210,000 Centaur Stake at Hoosier Park and won the $100,000 Chip Noble Memorial at Scioto Downs three weeks ago for trainer Daryl Bier.

Obrigado, assigned 4-1 opening odds, disappointed in his last start in the $516,800 Maple Leaf Trot final at Mohawk, but has won the $200,000 Crawford Farms at Vernon Downs and a $48,000 Open at Yonkers within his last four starts for trainer Paul Kelley.

DW’s NY Yank, 9-2 on the morning line for trainer Ron Burke, is approaching $1 million in earnings and won the Open at Harrah’s Philadelphia two starts ago. In his last outing, he was beaten by a head in 1:55.1 at Yonkers.

Southwind Pepino (6-1, Hugh Beatty), Il Sogno Dream (8-1, Aaron Merriman), Rompaway Galaxy (12-1, Chris Page) and Tinder (15-1, Tyler Smith) comprise the balance of the strong eight-horse contingent.

On the strength of recent wins in the $513,750 Canadian Pacing Derby at Mohawk, the $150,000 Roll With Joe at Tioga and $215,000 U.S. Pacing Championship at The Meadowlands, State Treasurer (David Miller) has earned 5-2 morning line favoritism in the Pacing Derby. In his last start for trainer Ian Moore, however, the $1,726.964 winner was narrowly defeated — finishing third — by Doo Wop Hanover and All Bets Off, who are also in Friday night’s field.

All Bets Off (3-1, Matt Kakaley) was a head behind Doo Wop Hanover at the wire in the $225,000 Jim Ewart Memorial at Scioto on Sept. 12, closing out the quick 1:49.2 mile with a :27.4 final panel. As one of three millionaires in the impressive nine-horse field, All Bets Off captured the $152,000 Prix D’Ete for trainer Ron Burke in late August.

Doo Wop Hanover (John Campbell) is putting together a stellar 4-year-old season for trainer Steve Elliott. In addition to his recent win in the Ewart Memorial, he won the $250,000 Graduate Series final in July and was second to State Treasurer in the U.S. Pacing Championship. Despite drawing the outside No. nine post position, Doo Wop Hanover is listed as 7-2 on the morning line.

Foiled Again (6-1, Yannick Gingras), the richest harness horse of all-time with more than $7 million banked, will make his second attempt to win the Dayton Pacing Derby at age 11.

Others in the impressive full field are Shamballa (9-2, Rick Zeron), Let’s Drink On It (8-1, Travis Seekman), Santa Fe Beachboy (10-1, Dave Palone), Beach Memories (12-1, TBA) and Mattamerican (15-1, Mark MacDonald).

In total, the Dayton Pacing Derby field has 229 victories and purse earnings of a robust $13,391,226. All nine of the entrants have winning race records of 1:49.4 or faster, with the quickest being State Treasurer‘s 1:47.

The Dayton Trotting and Pacing Derbies have been slated as the 10th and 11th races on a 13-race card. Post time for the first race is 6:35 p.m.