The memory of venerable Plain Dealer handicapper George Lewis will be remembered Saturday when the field for the $50,000 Lewis Memorial charges from the starting gate at Thistledown.
NORTH RANDALL, Ohio -- There are long-time race trackers sprinkled throughout the grandstand each racing day at Thistledown who can fondly remember favorite race horses and jockeys of a half-century ago. A precious few can recall the top handicappers from back then, George Lewis of The Plain Dealer and Isi Newborn of the Cleveland Press.
The memory of "Lonesome George," as my father called his old friend, surfaces every year about this time as Thistledown honors his memory with the $50,000 George Lewis Memorial race. This year's event is Saturday.
Lewis was eccentric, a standout among a collection of characters that included announcer Alan Drake, publicists Van Lane and Paul Wilcox, flamboyant mutuel clerk Junior O'Malley and Lewis's handicapping rival, Newborn.
Newborn's fame came from picking long shots in the Kentucky Derby. Newborn would take a pocket full of cash to Churchill Downs, given to him by friends wanting to bet his pick -- and not knowing who'd they bet until the selection made print.
Lewis never went to the Kentucky Derby, but could name every Kentucky Derby winner going back to 1875. He felt it was his duty to stay home and keep the Thistledown fans informed.
Lewis almost always picked more winners than other newspaper handicappers. In 1976, he had at least one winner in 199 straight racing cards. Lewis picked his first winners in 1924 as a 19-year-old reporter for the Cleveland Times, moving to The Plain Dealer in 1929.
My father, Gail Egan, worked in the Thistledown and Northfield Park publicity offices before he died in 1976. He would take me to the Thistledown press box, high above the grandstand, where Lewis poured over thousands of filing cards kept in long metal cases. There was no advance racing form then, so for five to six hours each day, Lewis kept meticulous records on every horse racing at the track.
"In those days, they would finalize entries the morning of the races," said Bob Roberts, a handicapper at the Cleveland Press and The Plain Dealer. "Ohio Derby-winning jockey Tony Rini -- he won with Our Native in 1973 -- is now a Thistle trainer. He was one of the leading riders in those days and would often be listed to ride two or three horses in a single race.
"Rini said he wouldn't decide which horse to ride until he'd seen George's picks in the morning paper. If George picked him to win on a certain horse, that's the one he'd ride."
I was the Northfield Park handicapper late in Lewis's career. Because of a death in the family, Lewis wanted a few days off in 1973. On my first afternoon, aided by the real handicapper in the family, I notched eight winners. The next day, I added seven more.
On the third day, Lewis cut short his leave and was back on the job. He hated to see "a kid" stealing his thunder.
Lewis swore he'd never retire, that "they'll have to cut the uniform off me."
He fell ill in the summer of 1978 and died almost a month later. At 73, he had spent 54 years watching horses race on ovals such Thistledown and Randall, Ascot Park in Akron and the short-lived Maple Heights race track, where the first Ohio Derby was held in 1924. Black Gold won it.
The next season, Thistledown took over Cleveland's horse racing, the Ohio Derby and found a press box chair for a handicapper named George Lewis.
Another old-timer: Catlaunch is at an age when retirement should be looming, but the nine-year-old thoroughbred is still a powerhouse winner for Scioto Farms. Ohio's Horse of the Year in 2008, Catlaunch is the early favorite in the $50,000 Lewis Memorial on Saturday, trying to add to his Thistledown total of 12 wins in 29 starts and $400,055. He has won 32 of 77 in his career, and $782,054.
Catlaunch is looking to repeat in the Lewis Memorial, a 1 1/8-mile event. In the nine horse field are Pyrite Personal, third a year ago, and Sneak A Cold Treat, who won the 2009 Best of Ohio Endurance.
Northfield star: It was expected that the tough, older pacers such as Foiled Again and Won The West would be the horses to beat last Saturday in the $100,000 Battle of Lake Erie. Frank Azur's Hypnotic Blue Chip ($8.60), a four-year-old still considered a youngster, left both in his dust in the final quarter-mile for a five-length margin of victory in 1:49.4. That tied the Northfield Park track mark for age and gait.
Won The West was second, with Foiled Again third after leading much of the way.
Tuesdays are back: Tuesday night live racing is back at Northfield Park, and will be part of the harness racing scene through the end of the year. Both Northfield and Thistledown now offer live racing on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday through August.
Merriman recovering: North America's top harness racing driver, Northfield Park regular Aaron Merriman of Macedonia, was very badly injured in a crash at The Meadows last month. He's facing a lot of healing and rehabilitation, but can't stay away from the races. He said at trackside on Saturday night he can't wait to get back in a sulky, but knows it won't happen any time soon.
Merriman had such a large lead in the North America driving standings that he's still on top, a month later, with 355 victories. That's a 25-win lead over second-place George Napolitano Jr. Merriman, who broke both wrists and shattered an elbow, is consulting with Cleveland Clinic specialists again this week. He hopes to get the casts removed from both arms soon.
Dan Charlino is challenging Merriman for the Northfield lead, ringing up nine wins in 12 outings on the 13-race card on July 2. Charlino now has 204 wins at Northfield, 17 behind Merriman.
Ohio Derby hopefuls: The $75,000 Cleveland Gold Cup was a thriller last Saturday. The trainers of the top three finishers -- Thata's a Heckofacat, Nehru and Busha' -- are considering taking advantage of free nominations for the $100,000 Ohio Derby on July 31.
"All three said they would keep their options open," said Director of Racing William Couch.
Northfield news: Helping to fill the stands at Northfield Park on Saturday night was a $10,000 giveaway, with 13 in attendance assigned a horse in the 13th race. The race winner, Unknown Soldier, won it all for long-time Northfield fan Diane Dylong. The other 12 fans won $100 each.