Sent postward as the longest shot on the board, Saulsbrook Peach and driver Robert Shepherd pulled off a 22-1 upset in the $11,000 Preferred 2 Pace on Sunday night (November 6) at Flamboro Downs.
Fresh off a Preferred 3 victory last Sunday at the Dundas, Ont. half-mile oval, Saulsbrook Peach advanced from fourth to confront even-money favourite Thorn In Your Side (Travis Henry), who had taken back the lead from Rise Up Now (Billy Davis Jr.) early on and led through panels of :27, :55.2 and 1:24.3 until the final turn. At that point, Saulsbrook Peach took over and he then held off the late-flying Ufdragons Rocket (Alfie Carroll) by less than a length for the victory. The seven-year-old gelding matched his season's-best winning time of 1:54 flat, which he had taken in a Preferred 2 event at Flamboro in mid-September. Rise Up Now came through inside to edge out Thorn In Your Side and Paparazzi Hanover (Travis Cullen) for third-place, completing a 2-3 finish for the Richard Moreau stable.
Saulsbrook Peach returned $47 to his backers at the betting windows. Shepherd drove the son of Royal Mattjesty to his 10th win of the year for trainer Isabella Darveau and owner Catheline Pelletier of Mirabel, Que.
The $7,500 Preferred 3 was won by ICR Racing's Champagne Phil ($3.80), who secured the lead in the first turn with the inside post advantage and led the rest of the way to stop the clock in 1:55.1 for driver Bob McClure and trainer Dean Nixon. Adkins Hanover (J.R. Plante) and Im Drinkin Doubles (Scott Coulter) followed over two lengths behind in second and third.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.