Northfield Park

Northfield Park's Handicapping Tournament starts this Wednesday, September 2nd! Try your luck and handicapping our races to win! Weekly prizes awarded to the top three. See you on Wednesdays!

No one could correctly come up with the pick-5 on Wednesday night (August 26th), sending a carryover to the Sunday evening (August 30th) program.

The $1 pick-5 wager beginning in race 6 has a carryover of $3,303 and features an estimated pool of $20,000. As always, it boasts the low 14% takeout. The pick-5 is offered in conjunction with the U.S. Trotting Association's Strategic Wagering Program and Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association (OHHA).

Post time for the 16-race program on Sunday is 6pm. For more information on live racing and promotions, visit www.northfieldparkracino.com

Live Racing begins at 6:00 PM.

The Pick-5 on Monday night (August 17th) went unsolved, sending a carryover to the Wednesday evening (August 18th) action.

The $1 pick-5 wager beginning in race 6 has a carryover of $4,124 and features an estimated pool of $25,000. As always, it boasts the low 14% takeout. The Pick-5 is offered in conjunction with the U.S. Trotting Association's Strategic Wagering Program and Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association (OHHA).

There will also be a $2,197 pick-6 carryover beginning in race 8.

Post time for the 16-race program on Wednesday is 6pm. For more information on live racing and promotions, visit www.northfieldparkracino.com.

Melillo got his signature event win at Northfield Park on Saturday night, capturing the $300,000 Carl Milstein Memorial in 1:50.4.

Ronnie Wrenn Jr. and Melillo were intent on leaving for position, but Myboypank (Marvin Luna) and Fire Run (Atlee Bender) both blasted off the gate, forcing Wrenn to take back and let the dust settle. Myboypank and Fire Run battled through an opening quarter in 26.4 before Wrenn was able to drive on to the front.
Just past the quarter, Wrenn reached the lead but quickly released barn mate Aces and Cinches, and settling into the pocket. Aces and Cinches reached the half in 54.3 maintaining control through three-quarters in 1:22.0.

Turning for home with open road in the passing lane, Melillo exploded through and powered home to secure his signature stakes victory.

Redland Rocketman and Brett Miller closed strongly after making a bold four-wide move on the far turn to finish second, while Fire Run came on for third.
The victory was particularly meaningful for Melillo as he is named after co-owner Jason Melillo.

“He’s peaking at the right time and there’s a lot of big races coming up,” Wrenn said. “When he got into the passing lane he exploded.”
Wrenn also believes Melillo has taken an important step forward mentally.

“He’s figuring it out and knows how to win now,” he said.
After coming so close in the Adios, Melillo delivered at 1-5 odds, earning his biggest victory to date in the $300,000 Carl Milstein Memorial.

A familiar face returned to the Ohio spotlight in a big way Saturday night, as Clever Cody dominated the $100,000 Myron Charna Presidents Pace for Ohio-sired veteran pacers. A horse that struck fear into the hearts of Ohio horsemen not long ago, Clever Cody was a force throughout the Ohio Sires Stakes, capturing back-to-back championships and establishing himself as one of the division’s toughest competitors. Now owned and trained by Francois Lecomte and driven by Luke Ebersole, the veteran pacer was aggressively handled off the wings and with an impressive burst of speed coming off the first turn and immediately took control of the race, carving out fractions of 26.0, 54.1 and 1:22.3.

Clever Cody turned for home with the field in pursuit and powered through the stretch to stop the clock in 1:50.1, matching his lifetime best. Chasing him home was a familiar name in the Myron Charna Presidents Pace, as 2022 winner Charlie May and Dan Noble came charging after the leader to finish second. Rose Run Zane and Justin Irvine rounded out the trifecta. Luke said after the race "when you have the rail at Northfield you just got to go". For Lecomte and Ebersole, the victory was a statement from a horse whose dominance once made him one of the most feared faces in Ohio racing. Clever Cody may have changed hands and found a new home in Lecomte’s stable, but his performance in the $100,000 Charna showed that the former Ohio Sires Stakes champion still has plenty of fight left and remains a force to be reckoned with not just in Ohio.

Jurassic Hattie was placed as the winner of the Tom Aldrich Memorial Trot for Ohio-sired aged trotters on Saturday night. From her rail start she was the first one to the lead in 26:4 before yielding to Legacy Affair and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. There wasn't much of a breather for Legacy Affair getting down to the half in 55:0. On the final turn, Jurassic Hattie popped to the outside off her ideal trip and couldn't get to Legacy Affair in the final stages as she crossed the wire a neck behind. However, the excitement quickly turned to anxious moments as the judges posted the inquiry sign. After reviewing the stretch action, the judges determined that Legacy Affair had gone inside two pylons at the top of the stretch and placed her second, elevating Jurassic Hattie to the winner’s circle in 1:53:3.

The victory gave Jurassic Hattie her second straight win over Legacy Affair after taking last week’s $65,000 Ohio State Fair. Jogging Full Trot saved ground and rallied for third. For Jurassic Hattie, she is now a 17-time winner and has pushed her career earnings over three-quarters of a million. She is owned by her breeder Jerry Welch and trained by Stacey Van Huizen.

Don't forget to join us tomorrow evening for our annual Carl Milstein Memorial event! Harness Races, Dinner, Giveaways, Games and Prizes!

The field is set for the 2026 $300,000 Grade 2 Carl Milstein Memorial, and one of the sport’s most accomplished young pacers will arrive at Northfield looking to finally break through on the Grand Circuit.

Melillo, a member of trainer Ron Burke’s powerhouse stable, figures to be among the horses to beat when the three-year-old pacing stars line up for Northeast Ohio’s premier sophomore pacing event. He was installed as the 7-5 morning line favorite by Director of Racing Dave Bianconi.

The talented son of Sweet Lou has been knocking on the door of a major Grand Circuit victory all season, and he will get another opportunity to claim his first on Saturday with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. in the sulky.

Melillo enters the Milstein after back-to-back runner-up finishes behind his Burke stablemate Al Papi in both the Delvin Miller Adios elimination and final. In the Adios final, Al Papi powered to a 1:48.1 victory at The Meadows, with Melillo right there after chasing his stablemate to the wire.

The Adios was just the latest in a season that has seen Melillo take on virtually every major challenge placed in front of him.

He finished fourth in both the Meadowlands Pace and the MGM Messenger Stakes, while also earning a fifth-place finish in the North America Cup. Melillo has continued to dance every dance against the best three-year-old pacers in North America, consistently putting himself in position to contend on racing's biggest stages.
That consistency has led to him being the expected favorite for the Carl Milstein Memorial.

Melillo will be driven by Ronnie Wrenn Jr., who will also be looking to add the Carl Milstein Memorial to his list of major victories. Wrenn Jr. has already established himself as one of Ohio's premier reinsmen and has been aboard Melillo throughout his campaign, including his runner-up finish in the Adios final. The partnership will now look to make its breakthrough on Northfield Park's half-mile oval.

The Carl Milstein Memorial has long served as one of the premier stops on the Grand Circuit, and this year's field that lines up for the 13th edition promises to bring together another thrilling race.

Post Horse Driver Trainer Odds
1 Fire Run Atlee Bender Erv Miller 10-1
2 Melillo Ronnie Wrenn Jr. Ron Burke 7-5
3 Ballroom Affair Aaron Merriman Joe Bongiorno 5-1
4 C Millertimeagain Corey Callahan Molly Gara 12-1
5 MyboyPank Marvin Luna Tony Alagna 6-1
6 Borderline Mobby Dan Noble Dave Menary 9-2
7 Redland Rocket Man Todd McCarthy John Pentland 8-1
8 Tsunami Seas David Miller Virgil Morgan Jr. 20-1
9 Aces And Cinches Yannick Gingras Ron Burke 4–1

Dinner Special and Live Harness Racing this Saturday!
For Reservations, Please Call 330.467.4101