Balmoral Park

Contact: Tom Kelley
(708) 672-1414

AMERICAN INTERLUDE TAKES NEWCOMERS FINAL

After preliminary legs at both Maywood and Balmoral Park, eight colt and gelding pacers returned to the half-mile oval at Maywood Park for the $8,000 final of the Newcomers Series on Thursday night.

Once again showing his affinity for the smaller oval, Judith May’s American Interlude made it look easy as he cruised to a 2 ¾ length victory in a career best of 1:57.3.

After settling in fourth as Yang Ming (Marcus Miller) and Smiling Bob (Brian Carpenter) dueled through an opening quarter in 28.2, driver-trainer Lavern Hostetler hustled American Interlude to the outside as the field moved into the stretch for the first time.

Quickly picking off the early leaders, American Interlude charged to the front and was in command as the field reached the half-mile mark in 58.3.

Things were never in doubt from that point on as Hostetler gave the son of Allamerican Ingot a bit of a breather while maintaining a 1 ½ length advantage, as they rolled by the three-quarter-mile mark in 1:28.3.

The four-year-old gelding then finished things off with a 29.0 final quarter to secure his third win in four starts this season. Smiling Bob wound up a pocket-sitting second while Yang Ming was third.

American Interlude now boasts a career record of 6-5-3 in 23 career starts with earnings of $20,801. After a convincing win in the opening leg of the series, American Interlude was made the 7-5 choice of the wagering public returning $4.80, $3.40 & $2.40.