'Bruiser' Romps In Spring Pacing Championship Opener

After enjoying a one-week hiatus from the Open ranks at Woodbine Racetrack, Ramegade Bruiser returned to the seven-eighths mile oval and rolled to a decisive victory in Saturday's opening leg of the Spring Pacing Championship

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The rags-to-riches pacer, who was sent off as the even-money favourite in the eight-horse affair, tucked into the two-hole for driver Chris Christoforou, who tracked a charged-up Clowns Smile (Mark MacDonald) into the first turn. Ramegade Bruiser wanted no part of the pocket trip, however, and Christoforou promptly swung him back to the outside.

The speedsters were side-by-side through an opening quarter in :26.3 before Ramegade Bruiser muscled his way to the engine. Once in command, the six-year-old son of Rambaran relaxed into a comfortable stride and took the field past the mid-way point in :56.1.

He amped up his speed in the third quarter when pressed by the parked out Stormaway (Dan Megens), who was to the wheel of the leader at the three-quarter pole in 1:23.4. Ramegade Bruiser fired home in :27.3 to freeze the teletimer in 1:51.2. It was nearly two lengths back to runner-up Clowns Smile. Stormaway held on gamely to finish third.

“He raced real good tonight and bounced back,” said Dave Brown, who owns and trains the career winner of $800,239. “He had a splint bone that was bothering him after his last start, so I got that touched up and he was better. I didn’t want to race him after I got that done because it blew up a little. I trained him pretty good this Tuesday to get him tightened up and he raced great.”

Also of note in Saturday’s opening leg of the Spring Pacing Championship was the fact that Secrets Nephew, who was voted Canada’s Older Pacing Horse of the Year in 2008, was pulled up at the three-eighths pole after a badly gapped off start.

The seven-year-old son of Camluck, who scored a 1:51.2 victory in last week’s edition of the Open Pace, just wasn’t himself according to trainer/driver Lyle MacArthur.

“Normally when the starter sounds the horn he just swells up, but he didn’t do that tonight,” said MacArthur, who co-owns and bred the pacer with Lyle Grandinetti of Amherst, New York. “He’s been fighting allergies for a while now, and that might be what was bothering him. I did some blood work recently and when the results came back they weren’t bad. He seemed normal tonight until I asked him to go in behind the gate. When I realized he wasn’t himself I just pulled him up.”

Round two of the Spring Pacing Championship goes next Saturday evening at Woodbine Racetrack, with the $91,000 (est.) final scheduled for Saturday, April 11.

In other action, a $35,000 Open for four-year-old pacers left Real Celebration brimming with confidence after he prevailed in 1:52.

Real Celebration, by Real Artist, paced his way to the front of the field from post position No. 5 with MacDonald at the lines. After settling on top, the 9-5 choice set the tempo with opening fractions of :27.1 and :56.4.

At the halfway point, Anderlecht (Phil Hudon), who prevailed ahead of Real Celebration in last week’s Cam Fella Pacing Series Final, pulled out from third and launched a challenge through three-quarters in 1:25.4. While Anderlecht had his sights set on another victory, Real Celebration hung in there reaching the wire on top by half a length. Mcapulco (Jody Jamieson) rounded out the top three.

Trained by Casie Coleman, Real Celebration picked up his second win of the year in seven starts and ninth of his career. A winner of $153,339, Real Celebration is owned by J Robert Darrow of Dublin, C Ed Mullinax of Amherst and Ron Broadstone of Columbus, Ohio.

To view Saturday’s results, click here.

(With files from WEG)