All Bets Off drew Post 4 and has been named the 5-2 slight morning-line favourite. He has attracted national driving star Matt Kakaley and is one of two starters in the field for the harness racing’s leading trainer, Ron Burke. All Bets Off will be making his third local appearance on Saturday. He won the inaugural $400,000 Carl Milstein Memorial in 2014 and was the runner-up (from Post 8) in the Battle of Lake Erie last year. He has career earnings of $2,272,503 and took his 1:48.2 lifetime mark over Rosecroft Raceway’s five-eighths-mile oval.
Luck Be Withyou enters the Battle of Lake Erie off two consecutive victories and drew Post 3. He has been given a 3-1 morning line. Saturday will mark Luck Be Withyou’s fourth start over ‘The Flying Turns.’ He finished dead-heated for second in 2014 in the $400,000 Milstein and has been eighth and fourth in his two Battle attempts. Luck Be Withyou has a career bankroll of $1,339,741 and won a $500,000 Breeders Crown in 2013 and the $500,000 Ben Franklin in 2015.
Guantanamo Bay drew the rail and is the 9-2 third choice. He and his driver, Vincent Ginsburg, will both be making their Northfield debuts. Guantanamo Bay has four wins this season and 14 career scores. He paced a lifetime best of 1:51.2 (over the Meadows’ five-eighths-mile track) last year and has earned $278,538.
Since its inception in 1986, the Battle of Lake Erie has drawn some of the sport’s top veteran pacers. Past ‘Battle’ champions include racing greats Falcon Seelster, Quite A Sensation, Jaguar Spur, Dorunrun Bluegrass, Cambest, Gallo Blue Chip, Maltese Artist and Foiled Again.
This will be the first year since 2009 that Foiled Again will not compete in this race. However, he is not ready to completely pass the torch and will be leading the post parade after competing in the $20,000 Open Pace on the undercard. Later in the evening he will greet fans from a special stall set up on the grandstand apron. Harness racing’s richest horse, with $7,521,128 in earnings and 94 victories, loves people and is accustomed to fans who like to take selfies with him.
The 2017 $200,000 Battle of Lake Erie field:
(Post – Horse – Driver – Trainer – M/L)
1 – Guantanamo Bay – Vincent Ginsburg – Daniel Renaud – 9-2
2 – Soto – Art Stafford Jr. – Eric Ell – 6-1 - (Sired by Rock N Roll Heaven)
3 – Luck Be Withyou – Aaron Merriman – Chris Oakes – 3-1
4 – All Bets Off – Matt Kakaley – Ron Burke – 5-2 (Sired by Bettor's Delight)
5 – Mr Wiggle Pants – Aaron Merriman – Scott McEneny – 5-1
6 – Night Pro – Ronnie Wrenn Jr. – Dale Decker – 12-1
7 – Rockin Ron – Aaron Merriman – Ron Burke – 8-1
8 – Sunfire Blue Chip – Mark MacDonald – Jimmy Takter – 10-1