by Keith Gisser, assistant publicity director, Northfield Park

Northfield, OH — On a Friday night that started with a 1-9 getting beat and yet another Canadian driver post a win in his Northfield Park debut, things got back to normal in the $8,000 feature, a Mares Open Handicap Pace carded as the third event on the card.

After 1-9 Bob Belcher-trainee Rosie’s Sweetie got beat in the final preliminary leg of a late-closing series by Romin’s Sweet Mary, Northfield fans saw the first start by driver Jason Gale over the Flying Turns.

Gale, son of the legendary Bill Gale, will be driving regularly at Northfield on weekends, as Windsor Raceway, his home base, has gone to a Wednesday-Sunday schedule.

Gale triumphed with the Belcher-trained trotter Stormy Hall, an 8-5 favorite. The 32-year-old driver, in the familiar Gale maroon and black colors, waited patiently and got the win as he went by in the final turn.

In the feature, yet another Belcher-trainee was the favorite. Magic Sugar, a six-year-old Cam’s Magic Trick mare, posted her third straight win over the Route Eight oval and her second straight against the best distaff pacers on the grounds with a gate-to-wire 1:55¹ win.

In line to Brett Miller, she posted fractions of :26⁴ :57, and 1:26⁴ en route to the win, giving her a 4-1-0, $13,000 scorecard on the year. Jenny Belcher owns the career winner of $105,527. She defeated Polo Jenn, who was first up in the mile, and M D Jewel, who used the inside passing lane to edge True Blue Lu for the show spot.