Barley hopes for Metro dunk

He wasn't given much respect on the tote board during his $40,000 elimination for the Metro Pace for 2 year olds last weekend at Mohawk, but, from his performance, Charley Barley has thrust himself into the mix for this Saturday's $1 million final at the Campbellville oval.

Being paired with driver David Miller and starting from post four didn't seem to help the Western Hanover colt in the eyes of the punters, who sent him off at odds of 73-1 in his elim.

Miller ended up working out a two-hole trip with the John Ezzo and Lisa Adkins-owned horse, and the colt took it for the duration of his mile. He eventually finishing third and paced his mile in 1:52, only beaten 1¼ lengths by post time favorite Mr. Apples, who was well in hand winning in 1:51.4.

Although, if things go the way trainer Jim Arledge hopes they do in the final, Charley Barley may be in the right place at the right time and could make his backers very happy.

"Before his Metro elim he hadn't raced in three weeks," Arledge said about Charley Barley, the second foal out of the Abercrombie mare Last Night. "I was expecting a good performance out of him, in the range of a (1):52 or (1):53 mile. He went in :52 and I was really pleased with him, especially after leaving quicker than he ever has before."

"He's tight now heading into the final and the draw couldn't have worked out any better for him. We have the two elim winners (Mr. Apples, and Artzina) to the inside of us, so if they start mixing it up with each over on the front, we can be right there to pick up the pieces. A second-over trip with him would be great."

Even though Charley Barley has only made four starts this season, and sports a record of one win, two seconds and a lone third-place finish, together worth $24,978 in purses, Arledge insists that it has been by design to get him peaking for events like the Metro.

"He trained down well the whole time we've had him," Arledge said of the colt, who was a $47,000 (U.S.) yearling purchase from the 2005 Lexington Select sale. "We sort of aimed him at the bigger races and tried too stay away from getting him into too many of the sire stakes early." (WEG)

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