SCORPION MOON AND SLIM
DOWN WIN ELIMINATIONS FOR $30,000 JOSEPH CARNEY MEMORIAL TROT On
SUNDAY
SALEM, NH-- Scorpion Moon earned the right to try
and become the first back-to-back winner of the Joseph Carney Memorial Trot when
he cruised to an easy victory in the first of two $12,500 eliminations at
Rockingham Park on Sunday (8-23), but Slim Down had to fight his way to the
winner's circle in the second.
"That would be super if he can do it and be the
first," trainer Tracy Brainard said of Scorpion Moon, who won last year's
edition of the annual race named for Rockingham's late owner and president.
On Sunday, Scorpion Moon looked every bit as
strong, fast, and fit as he did when winning here as a seven-year-old last
year. Sent off as the 6-5 second choice in the field of seven top
trotters, Scorpion Moon rated comfortably off the pace and
let the race unfold in front of him before he was asked by driver
Richard Wojcio to make his move into the far turn. He powered through the
lane to win going away by almost six lengths in 1:56.2 on a fast
track.
"He raced super from the one-hole and got a good,
clean trip," said Brainard, who trains him for Andrew Herzog. "I was a little
concerned after his last race (at Scarborough Downs when he got in to trouble,
broke, and finished a disappointing last of seven in the $50,000 Joseph Ricci
Memorial one week ago), but he gave me the mile that I wanted. I was very
happy to see him go the way he did today. He's a very consistent horse and we
can throw that last race out."
Earlivic finished second, 35-1 shot Annual Dues was
third, and 30-1 choice Mister Lucky Vec followed Scorpion Moon in the order of
finish so all earned spots in next week's final. Even money favorite and
Chester Downs invader Swan Image broke before the half mile pole and had to
go home disappointed with a last place effort.
In the second $12,500 elimination, local favorite
and 3-5 top choice in the field Slim Down bested five others when he came
home in 1:57.3. But the seven-year-old gelding who is driven, owned, and
trained by Jim Hardy needed all of his grit, heart, and desire as he
reminded everyone what a professional racehorse he is.
Slim Down fought off a stiff challenge from 5-2
second choice Andover America and driver Bruce Ranger as they were locked in a
fierce battle in the lane. Andover America got his head in front at one
point, but Slim Down came back to prevail by 1 1/4 length in
1:57.3 and win the fifth of his last seven outings at The
Rock.
"I'm very pleased with how my horse raced today,"
said Hardy. "Bruce has got a very nice horse there and he can give you a fast
last quarter and finish really strong. That horse is always coming at the end. I
got lucky in the race but my horse is very game too."
Joining Slim Down and Andover America in next
week's $30,000 Joseph Carney Memorial final will be the race's third place
finisher Proud Moment, a Meadowlands Invader, and fourth place finisher Foreign
Authority. Since the Carney final field is limited to nine horses, Machu Picchu,
the fifth place horse in the first elimination, gets to round out
the starters because the final time of that race was faster than the second
race.
Live racing returns on Wednesday, Friday, and
Saturday and the 2009 meet concludes on Sunday when the Carney Memorial is the
highlight of the card. Post time is 1:05 PM every day.
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