Northfield still looking for top free-for-allers

Northfield Park reports that the Battle of Lake Erie picture is muddled at best as defending champ Maltese Artist has dropped out and Gold Dust Beach, last year's runner-up, will also skip the race.

Trainer Mickey Burke, who trains Maltese Artist, said he'll instead be sending either new acquisition No Nonsense Yankee (who was committed to race in the Battle for his previous connections) or Fox Valley Armor. The entry box for the race, set for Saturday, closes at 9 am Wednesday.

Silent Swing, who scratched sick from the $91,000 Spring Championship Final, was scheduled to qualify Monday at Mohawk but was scratched again.

Here's the rest of the rundown from Northfield's Keith Gisser:

FROM THE NORTH- Tigerama, the Ontario speedster who would have three sub-1:50 wins already this year if not for broken equipment, will be heading down the Queen Elizabeth Way to I-90, making his way to the Route Eight Oval later this week. Trained by Bill Elliott and driven by Mark MacDonald, Tigerama has won 6 of 11 this year and 57 races overall. Robert Hamather owns the son of Village Jiffy, who is the likely favorite, pending the all-important post draw.

FROM THE EAST- Bono Bests, a winner of 22 of 62 lifetime, comes to the Battle off a win in the Levy Series at Yonkers Raceway for trainer Ross Croghan. Croghan has listed David Miller to drive.  Bono Bests’ lifetime standard is 1:49.3, taken last year at The Meadowlands.  He is a winner of five of nine this year. Trainer George Teague has committed Western Ace to the Battle. Although winless this year, he was third in the $267,000 Isle of Capri Final and was fourth in his last start at Dover Downs, an $85,000 Classic Series leg. Teague shares title on the five-year-old with Kovach Stables. Allamerican Inca was impressive at Pocono Downs Saturday, as he stamped his ticket to the Battle with a 1:51 win. The Noel Daley-trainee is the fastest horse in the Battle, with a 1:48.2 lifetime mark (and a bankroll just a few pennies under $600K).

FROM THE WEST-Chicago-based Booze Cruzin took on Ontario’s best for several starts and acquitted himself well, finishing second and third in two preliminary Spring Championship legs at Woodbine before posting a fourth-place effort in the $91,000 Final. Owner Broekhuis Stables have pointed the Art’s Conquest gelding to the Battle of Lake Erie all along. He has earned over $424,000 in his career.

AS FOR THE REST- With five or six in for sure, there are a few Battle openings left and things will likely come down to the wire. Troy McDougal’s Jacked Up could ship up from the Meadows, or perhaps Ed Mullinax’s Up Front Ohio will try to follow in the footsteps of Mullinax’s Dragon Again. With Maltese Artist out, Jim Koran’s Pacey Deucey, who was dominant locally earlier this year, might take a shot at the top dogs. A chance encounter with trainer Mike Medors at the historic Pinehurst training center last week has resulted in Ohio-bred KF St Patrick being invited to the Battle, as well. He is locked in a battle of his own, trying to earn his way into the rich Levy Series final, after a good third-place finish Saturday. That could weigh on owner Hank Kauffman’s decision. Or maybe Ray Schnittker will ship Ideal Michael, riding a three race win streak, from Saratoga.

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