By Tom White
8/27/04

Delaware Presiding Judge Tim Schmitz Honored By Indiana State Fair

Delaware, OH--Illinois native Tim Schmitz, who has been presiding judge for the Delaware, Ohio Grand Circuit race meeting since 2001, received the 2004 Grand Circuit award by the Indiana State Fair in a ceremony August 22 at Indiana Downs. Schmitz joins such previous winners as Delvin Miller, William Haughton, John Campbell and George Sholty.

Schmitz has been presiding judge for 37 years at tracks such as The Red Mile, Sportsman's Park, Fairmount Park, Hoosier Park, Indiana Downs, Maywood P)ark, Balmoral Park, and the Du Quoin, Illinois and Indiana State Fairs.

Some of the prestigious races he's presided over include the Little Brown Jug, Hambletonian, Kentucky Futurity, the Hoosier Cup, Review Futurities and the Fox Stake.

Royal Mattjesty, Peruvian Hanover and Art's Chip Contenders For $113,000-est. Magical Mike Pace

Multiple stakes winner Royal Mattjesty has assumed the role of favorite for the $113,000-est. Magical Mike Pace scheduled for Jug Day, September 23 at the Delaware, Ohio County Fair.

Four Starzzz Shark, the dominant older pacer for most of the 2004 season was retired last week.

Royal Mattjesty, trained by Nat Varty, won his elimination of the Breeders Crown and dead-heated with Peruvian Hanover in the Crown Final. In 2004, Royal Mattjesty also has won the War On The Shore and Battle Of Lake Erie. He has lifetime earnings of $1,215,510 and a mark of 1:48.4 take this year.

Peruvian Hanover, trained by Mickey Vanderkemp, has banked $1,614,176 with $257,326 coming this year. He was also fourth in the $700,000 William Haughton Final.

A horse rounding into form is Art's Chip, trained and driven by Mark Evers. Art's Chip, with earnings of $433,279, is coming off victories in a $200,000 division of the U.S. Pacing Championship and a 1:50.3 win last weekend at The Red Mile. Allamerican Captor is another new threat. Trained by Ohioan Vigil Morgan, Allamerican Captor was third in the Haughton Final and second in his division of the U.S. Pacing Championship.

Timesareachanging Is 3-1 Favorite In Saturday's Cane Pace Eliminations

Saturday's Cane Pace eliminations at Freehold Raceway is the first stop in Pacing's Triple Crown Series and nine of the 10 starters are eligible to the Little Brown Jug. The $334,875 Cane Pace Final will be raced Labor Day, September 6.

Adios winner Timesareachanging is the 3-1 early favorite along with North America Cup winner Mantacular, Meadowlands Pace winner Holborn Hanover and Oliver Wendell Holmes division winner Metropolitan. Other starters are Brandon's Cowboy, Camelot Hall, Western Terror, Harry Hornet, Mark's Secret Love and Droppin'thehammer.

Mantacular was supplement into the Cane for a fee of $35,000. If he should win the Cane, he can be supplemented into the Messenger. If he wins both the Cane and Messenger, Mantacular can be supplemented into the Jug.