Welch vs Welch in Chicago

Sunday night’s Muscles Marinara final features the winners of the two Muscles Marinara eliminations, that were held last Sunday, but the race itself contains so much more. For starters, the two elimination winners are both trained by Roger Welch.

Robert Rietveld and Paul Gibson’s Victor’s Pursuit lived up to her reputation with a one-length victory in the first elimination heat. She extended her unbeaten streak this year to three and boosted her lifetime earnings to $220,856, getting the mile in 1:55.2.

Arcola, owned by Turndorf Racing LLC, stopped the clock in 1:55.3, only one tick slower than Victor’s Pursuit. That victory was her first of the year and with it, her career earnings were boosted to $332,480. She also set a lifetime mark with that score.

This isn’t a match race, however. There are a number of talented individuals in here, including former Erwin F Dygert winner, Lifes A Holiday, with lifetime earnings of $710,080. Owned by Homer and Connie Hochstetler and trained by Homer, he was the pacesetter in the Victor’s Pursuit victory. He has yet to win in 2006 but has always shown a fondness for the Hawthorne strip.

Not to be ignored, Bruce and Dean Alexander and Homer Hochstetler’s American Lane, also trained by Hochstetler, who will race coupled with Lifes A Holiday, was favored in the Arcola race and led for much of it. He’s already scored four times this year.

Fighting Major Stables’ Parklane Powerful, also trained by Hochstetler, will seek to make it two in a row in Sunday night’s co-featured ninth race, a Filly and Mare Open Handicap, carrying a purse of $15,500.

Possibly standing in her way are Sightings, owned and trained by Carol Mc Williams. Sightings defeated Parklane Powerful two races back but finished second to her in their last start. James Rowney’s Lou Annie surprised Parklane Powerful in her last race, winning for her fourth time this year, but she hasn’t raced since April 23rd.

« Back