August 21, 2009
ELIMINATIONS FOR JOSEPH CARNEY MEMORIAL
TROT AT ROCKINGHAM PARK ON SUNDAY
SALEM, NH-- Defending champion Scorpion Moon
returns to Rockingham Park on Sunday as he takes the initial step
toward becoming the first back-to-back winner in the history of the Joseph
Carney Memorial Trot, which is held annually to honor the track's late owner and
president
Scorpion Moon, who won the Carney last year in
1:55.2, is among some very talented invaders taking on the top
trotters on the grounds in a pair of $12,500 eliminations. The $30,000 Final of
the Carney will be presented on Sunday, August 30th, which is also the closing
day of the 2009 live harness meet.
In the first $12,500 elimination, the
eighth event on Sunday's 11-race card, Scorpion Moon has been
installed as the early 7-2 second choice in the field of seven. The
eight-year-old gelding will try to make amends for a dull effort and last place
finish in the $50,000 Joe Ricci Memorial at Scarborough Downs last time out
despite being dispatched at even money. For Sunday's race at Rockingham,
Scorpion Moon gets a driver switch from Kevin Switzer to Richard Wojcio, who
currently ranks second in the Rockingham standings with 61
victories.
In the second $12,500 elimination carded as the
10th race, local favorite and track record holder Slim Down drew the inside post
and the 5-2 morning line favoritism in the field of six. Slim Down, with owner
and trainer Jim Hardy handling the reigns as he always does, has always taken to
the Rockingham racing strip and has set track, New England, and even a
world record here. In 2006, the now seven-year-old gelding established the
mark of 1:55.2 for four-year-old trotting geldings and that same year he set the
world record of 1:48.1 for the most unusual distance of 15/16 ths of a
mile.
Slim Down, the winner of eight of 15 starts during
his 2009 campaign, has won five of his last seven starts at The Rock and been
second the other two times. On July 5th, he partnered with Hardy for the
driver's career milestone of 4,500 career wins.
While Slim Down is clearly a sentimental favorite
as well as a very good and game horse, he faces a stiff test from Meadowlands
invader Proud Moment. As the 7-2 second choice who has six wins this year
against some salty competition, the four-year-old gelding will have the services
of Alessandro Spano in the bike. Locally based Andover America, the 9-2 third
choice, retains regular driver Bruce Ranger and also figures to attract strong
support at the windows.
In addition to the two $12,500 Carney eliminations
on Sunday's card, there will be a pair of $3,600 legs of the inaugural running
of the Battle of New England trotting division and both races feature full
10-horse fields. The second leg will be part of the undercard one week from
Sunday when the races are capped by the $30,000 Joseph Carney Memorial Trot
final, and the Battle of New England will be decided in the final at Plainridge
Race Course on September 7th.
Live racing resumes at Rockingham on Saturday with
a 10-race card and post time of 1:05 PM.
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