East Rutherford, NJ - The $200,000 Arthur J. Cutler Memorial will see seven of the top
older trotters currently racing convene at The Meadowlands to contest the 19th
renewal of the Grand Circuit stake on Friday, June 24.
Mr. Cutler was a popular and
successful Manhattan restaurateur. His empire of restaurants began in 1990 with
Carmines (still a popular Italian family style venue) and
grew to embrace several cuisines such as Ollie's Noodle
Shop, Gabriela's Mexican and Virgil's BBQ. A Virgil's location is set to
be opened soon by Mr. Cutler's longtime friend Jeff Gural as part of
the renovations at Tioga Downs.
On the track (race 7)
it's a quality over quantity field that includes Obrigado, who will seek
to make it three consecutive memorial trots having annexed the Charlie
Hill and Maxie Lee in his last two starts. A winner 37 times in 67 career
starts, Obrigado is now less than $4,000 from the coveted million dollar mark
in career earnings. Trainer Paul Kelley shares ownership of the classy veteran
with the SRF Stable, Linwood Higgins and Stable 45 and Mark MacDonald will be
in to drive.
Resolve is making his
first start back state-side for Ake Svanstedt after an impressive showing in
the Elitlopp last month where he finished second in that final to Nuncio.
JL Cruze will return to
his favorite track as he searches for the form that made him virtually
invincible in his award winning season of one year ago.
The Burke Stable has
drawn posts one and two with Crazy Wow and Gural Hanover. Wind Of The North and
Flanagan Memory are both accomplished trotters who add class and form to
the contentious field.
Post time on Friday is
7:15 p.m.
