by Mike Paradise, publicity director, Maywood Park

Melrose Park, IL — Giggles The Clown (7-5, Dave Magee) and Monterey (8-5, Tony Morgan), the co-favorites for Wednesday night’s $16,500 Open Pace for fillies and mares, are on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to experience on Maywood Park’s half-mile oval.

“Giggles” has visited this track’s winner’s circle every season throughout her six years of racing, winning here 15 times for owners Ryan Welch and Robert Gangloff, including a trio of ICF stakes (Violet, Maywood Filly Pace and Spring Championship), and two track records.

Meanwhile the four-year-old Monterey made her half-mile debut here a week ago — and her first outing on lasix — and drew off to an easy front-end win for driver Tony Morgan, who said after the race: “This is just a super-gaited mare. She’s just like her mom (Witchtree) except that this mare is much sounder than her mother ever was. She’s very clean-legged and is a great Maywood horse; in fact, she really gets around this track better than she does at Balmoral, where she tends to drift out in the straight-aways.”

“Trainer Jennifer Lappe put her on lasix after she bled in her last race (March 11) at Balmoral,” added Morgan. “She qualified on one of those awful, cold, nasty days, and she really went a big mile that day despite all of the yuk. She really impressed me then.”

Giggles The Clown will leave from post two Wednesday night while Monterey has the outside six slot. Post one was assigned to Robyn’s Alive N (10-1). Completing the field is Cha Cha Ching (6-1), Kennan’s Mama (8-1), and CJR Bogert (12-1).

Missing from the circuit’s distaff open is last week’s winner Parklane Powerful, who is taking the week off, and four-time local season Open champ Cinder’s Best, who was scratched sick from the April 8 Balmoral event.

“Cinder Best had a 102 temperature and didn’t clean up her feed tub. We didn’t think it was worth it to take a chance with her, so we scratched her,” said her driver Eric Ledford, who will be behind stablemate Cha Cha Ching in Wednesday night’s ninth race feature.