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Saturday, June 21

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WON THE WEST, TAKESHIGEMICHI TAKE HEINEKEN PREMIUM LIGHT CLEVELAND CLASSIC SPLITS AT NORTHFIELD 

 Won The West (below) and Takeshigemichi   (above) won their respective $87,600 Heineken Premium Light Cleveland Classic divisions at Northfield Park Saturday night over a lightning fast track. 

In the first heat for three-year-old pacing colts, Won The West ($4.60) sat behind pacesetter Up front Barry through fractions of 26.3, 55.0 and 1:23.4 before exploding out of the pocket to win by five-and-a-quarter lengths in 1:53. Up Front Barry held second and longshot Quandary Hanover finished third. Won The West was driven by Greg Grismore for owners Strollin Stables, William Robinson and James Koheler, all of Ohio. Mickey Burke has trained him to nine wins in fourteen starts. The $43, 800 winner’s share of the purse doubled his career earnings. 

The second Heineken division saw Takeshigemichi ($4.20) control the entire mile as Daniel Dube put him on the front and propelled him through fractions of 27.4, 56.3 and 1:24.2 en route to a 1:52.2 win over Big Al’s Delight, who shook loose late, but was five-and-a-half lengths behind. Home Bed Advantage finished third. Takeshigemichi was trained by Anthony Mannino for owners Lightning Stable of Millstone, New Jersey. He has now earned $201,084 in his career.