Antrim County Wins Emerald; First to Win Two Different Crown Races

Antrim County, the 2008 Claimer of the Year, became the first horse to win two different Claiming Crown races in the 11 year history of the Claiming Crown. Jamie Theriot urged Antrim County through the stretch holding off Jeremy Rose and Fancy Runner in a stirring stretch drive. Theriot joins Russell Baze nailing down his second Claiming Crown race of the day after capturing the Iron Horse earlier in the day with Bright Hall.

1. Antrim County
2. Fancy Runner
3. Glamour Guy

Official attendance figure: 11,324. Nice job and big congratulations to the folks at Canterbury Park.

Gran Estrano Takes Highly Competitive Emerald

In what may have been the most competitive race on the card, Gran Estrano under E.T. Baird takes the $100,000 Claiming Crown Emerald over Hard Top and Stormy Surge. Rated beautifully just behind frontrunners Divine Matter and Trying Brian, Gran Estrano picked them off in the stretch and surged off just ahead of Hard Top. A lukewarm favorite at 7/2 he ran like an even money winner to the wire.

1. Gran Estrano
2. Hard Top
3. Stormy Surge

Emerald

A huge field of 13 will take the turf in the Claiming Crown Emerald. Any number of horses can win this race and a lot of this is going to come down to racing luck with the size of this field. There is some early speed, there are confirmed closers and there could be some very good payoffs. I can see Pursue A Dream, Spider Power, Gran Estreno, T Harry and Drivingmaxandmitzi all winning this race.