Don Mills Opener In The Books

Four divisions of the Don Mills Series went postward on Monday evening at Woodbine Racetrack, and there was no shortage of talent or speed in the quartet of $25,000 trotting tilts

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Charlie Is A Joker was sent off as the 1-5 favourite in the opening split, and he delivered on that pari-mutuel promise. Sylvain Filion rolled the Per Henriksen pupil to the lead from Post 2 and threw down fractions of :29.1, :59.2 and 1:28.4 before sprinting home in a :28-second clip to win by a nose over hard-closing P L Daley. Third prize went to Edit.

The homebred, who races for owners Tom and Elizabeth Rankin of St. Catherines, ON, is now 2-for-3 this season after going 11-for-13 last year. The four-year-old son of Angus Hall-Keystone Caprice has banked $95,047 to date.

Run And Tell Pap turned in a big trip in his debut for trainer Meg Crone, who watched the gelding power away from the competition en route to earning a new lifetime mark. Jody Jamieson marched the gelding to immediate command from Post 6 and they supplied the field with a first quarter clocked in :27.2. The pocket-sitting E W Fisher launched a first-over bid in the backstretch, and that 3-5 favourite eventually brushed to the lead. He led the group through middle panels of :56.3 and 1:25.3 before coming to a stop. Run And Tell Pap popped off the rail and used a :28.4 closing panel to win by a length over Here Comes Numbers. The show dough was earned by Dukester.

Jerry and Theresa Silva of Long Beach, NY share ownership on the five-year-old son of High Falls-Adeles Jade. Together they’ve watched the 21-time winner put together a 2-1-1 record in five starts this year. His bankroll climbed to $168,964 with the victory.

Jessesjo toted a five-race winning streak into his Monday evening assignment for trainer Dave Menary, and the five-year-old son of Jailhouse Jesse-Boston Blaze had no problem pushing that streak to six straight for driver Jody Jamieson. The gelding settled into an early four-hole while Maple Leaf Spirit hustled the field through an opening quarter in a :27-second clip. Bullet took over in the second quarter and led the field to the half in :56.2 before Jamieson and Jessesjo shot to the outside and powerfully rushed to the lead. They hit the three-quarter pole in 1:25.4 before using a :29.2 final frame to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Bullet in 1:55.1. Ice Machine rounded out the top three finishers.

Sent off as the 1-5 favourite, Jessesjo won for the 14-time in his career while boosting his earnings to $119,232. He is owned by the Burke Racing Stable LLC of Fredericktown and Weaver Bruscemi LLC of Canonsburg, PA.

Slip Into Glide had plenty of speed to chase in the final division, and when Mario Baillargeon called on him to go to work the gelding complied and drew off to win by a pair of lengths in 1:55. The four-year-old son of Yankee Glide-Balanced Breeze tucked in fourth while The Triple Lindy led the field through fractions of :27.1, :55.4 and 1:25. Baillargeon advanced behind the cover of Over And Out around the final turn before accelerating off cover and driving away to the impressive tally. Poof K was second best, with third prize going to J J Hall.

Ben Baillargeon trains the gelding for 574238 Ontario Inc, 493807 Ontario Inc, Diane Ingham and Craig Turner. The connections have watched the trotter rack up seven lifetime wins and purse earnings in excess of $116,000 to date.

The $35,000 second leg of the Don Mills Series is scheduled for next Thursday, with the $75,000 final set for Monday, February 27.

To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – Woodbine Racetrack.

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