Sportswriter fights off Malicious in qualifier

In a battle of a pair of expected divisional contenders among the 3-year-old pacing colt ranks in 2010, Sportswriter edged Malicious by one length in a Thursday morning qualifier at Mohawk Raceway, with the defending Dan Patch and O'Brien award-winning champion crossing the wire in 1:56 with Brian Sears in the sulky. The win was the second straight in qualifying action for Sportswriter, a son of Artsplace trained by Casie Coleman and owned by Steve Calhoun, West Wins Stable and Southwind Farm.

 

The Mohawk racetrack was listed "fast" but given a one-second time allowance by the stewards. At the start in Thursday's qualifier it was Malicious, with trainer Dr. Ian Moore driving, who left fastest with Sears tucking into the two hole with Sportswriter in the short five-horse field. Malicious was first to the quarter in :27.1 and the half in :58.4.

 

Approaching the three-quarters Sears tipped Sportswriter to the outside and was moving past the leader when the timer clicked 1;29.1. Closing out the mile with a final quarter of :26.4, Sportswriter was able to hold onto the one-length margin under the wire over Malicious.