A Trio of Titans
Past, Present, and Future Handicap headliners clash in the Shooting Star 

Charles Dickens would have liked the lineup for the Shooting Star Stakes.  After all, ghosts of the Horse Park past, present, and future will be on display.For the first time, three North Dakota-Bred Derby winners will face off against one another as Maddies Blues, Aferds Code Red, and Augie Gee hit the track for Sunday’s $4,000 co-feature. 

Maddies Blues represents the past.  The multiple-stakes winner at the North Fargo track, Curt Rohweder’s charge had his best years on these grounds in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2007. The nine-year old son of Aferd finished a willing second in his lone start this year, a six furlong allowance event where he finished second behind another contender in Sunday’s race, Lonesome Traveler. 

Aferds Code Red, the winner of the NDTOBA Mile earlier this meet, is the star of the North Dakota handicap division at the present hour.  Rohweder also owns this strapping gray who, like Maddies Blues, is trained by Dave Bernhardt.  ‘Code Red won the Dean Kutz Stakes last year and now looks to wear the crown in this final handicap test before the meet closes. 

Augie Gee, the diminutive three year-old, is fresh off a win in last Saturday’s North Dakota Derby and could be a future star.  The chestnut gelding will be taking on older foes for the first time in stakes company and jockey Chet Delorme will once again be aboard for the ride.  Remarkably, Augie Gee is making his sixth start of the meet and he has been as consistent as they come with two wins, a second, and two thirds on a track he relishes. 

But its possible that one of the three Flickertail-breds may not be the star attraction when it is all said and done.  Not only did Lonesome Traveler defeat Maddies Blues two weeks ago, but he was also a strong third in the Roughrider Handicap on opening weekend and he returns for more.  Trainer Keplin’s six year-old could be lost in the handicapping shuffle and may offer a nice price on the odds board. 

Speaking of stakes winners, the mare Dance Cruise from the barn of Shannon Sortino will receive consideration off of her win in the Flickertail Stakes on August 22^nd.  The mare will be piloted by Jake Olesiak who has been nearly bullet-proof in thoroughbred stakes events.

Gramma’s Golden Boy, who finished off the board in an allowance test on August 22^nd, and Omega, third in a $2,400 claimer on August 14^th, complete the seven horse lineup.