The Big Dog Series Final set at Maywood
February 18, 2004,by Mike Paradise, publicity director, Maywood Park
Melrose Park, IL — After a pair of romping victories in the first two legs of The Big Dog series, Lookin’likeachamp will have to live up to his name to nail down Wednesday night’s $10,000 Final. The well-regarded Joe Anderson-trainee drew the dreaded eight post (3% winning clip) in the ninth race showdown.
“It’s never good when you get the eight hole here at Maywood, but this horse will still be competitive in here,” said his driver Ryan Anderson.
Hammered down to overwhelming odds of 2-5 and 1-5 in his first two series leg triumphs, Lookin’likeachamp and entry mate Outoftheordinary (Dale Hiteman) will open at 9-5 odds, while Canadew Sam (Tim Tetrick), also victorious in both of his series splits, is the morning line 7-2 second choice from post five.
“Lookin’likeachamp is a very lightly raced horse,” Ryan said after the colt’s seven-plus length first leg win in 1:553 here on February 4. “He’s been a bit immature and this was his first start over the half-mile, but he handled himself perfectly. He’s just a gorilla and has a huge stride. I never pulled the earplugs on him and had him shut down from the three-quarters on. He’s absolutely the real deal and is very powerful. He’s one of the best three horses I’ve ever driven.”
Driver Tim Tetrick was also impressed with Canadew Sam’s 1:582 first round conquest here on February 4.
“Joel (trainer Smith) always sends his horses out ready,” Tetrick said after the race. “He’s a very nice horse to drive and it was the first time he raced on a half-mile track, even though he trains on one, so I really didn’t think it would matter to him very much. He got home well and had plenty left in the tank. When I squeezed him out of the hole in the late going he just exploded for me.”
First round winners Sparky’s Fire (15-1, Gary Rath) and Whiteside View (8-1, Andy Miller) are back for Wednesday night’s final for three and four-year-old colts and geldings, along with Glen McNeil (6-1, Dave Magee), Thompson Ridge (12-1, Pat Berry) and second leg conqueror Oliver Custis (3-1, Eric Ledford).
Owner, trainer and driver Gary Rath describes Sparky’s Fire as “just the most perfect little horse to drive, and doesn’t make a wrong move. He really seems to enjoy racing.”
Whitesand View’s 1:582 first leg front-end success came in his pari-mutuel debut and he was bet down to even-money. “This colt won pretty handy,” said driver Andy Miller after the race. “He went wire-to-wire and was never really pressured by anyone. Erv (brother, owner and trainer) has liked this colt all along and thinks he has the potential to be a very nice horse. He’s still very green, however.”