Sent the 9-5 favourite, Meadowbranch Memo tipped off the rail rounding the final turn and swept past duelers Seeyou Men and Chestnut Schofield to win the $11,500 Preferred 2 Trot at Georgian Downs on Saturday, June 2.
Driver Scott Coulter positioned the Colin Johnson trainee last in the pack of on-stride trotters as Totally Ripped broke before the start, resulting in a refund. Seeyou Men set the pace leaving from post 1 through a :28.2 opening quarter and :58.3 half. Exemplar, from fourth, pulled first over moving to the backstretch, soon drawing alongside Seeyou Men passing three-quarters in 1:26.4. The two remained head to head entering the stretch while Meadowbranch Memo loomed three wide from the back and swiftly trotted past heading to the line, winning by one-and-three-quarter lengths in 1:55.3 over Exemplar and Chestnut Schofield.
A five-year-old gelding by Explosive Matter out of the Carry The Message mare Wen Mars Memo, Meadowbranch Memo, owned by Colin Johnson and Jean Modoux, won his third race in 18 starts and his 10th in 84 overall, earning $194,980. He paid $5.60 to win.
Absolut Seelster shot for the lead from post 1 and wired the field in the $8,500 Preferred 3 trot, winning by two-and-one-quarter lengths in 1:55.4.
Absolut Seelster faced no pressure through the first half, trotting in :28.4 and :59. Pollar Hall, sitting third, moved first over heading to three-quarters, coming within two lengths of the lead through a 1:27.2 clip before stalling while Absolut Seelster widened her lead into the stretch. Wesmont, the odds-on favourite, gave chase in second while All Out Henry kicked wide from second over to claim third.
Owned by Thomas and Elizabeth Rankin, Absolut Seelster, a five-year-old mare by Angus Hall out of the Amazing Adventure mare Malabar Man, won her fourth race in 14 starts this season and her 16th in 70 overall, earning $145,037. Trained by Benoit Baillargeon and driven by Scott Young, she paid $6.70 to win.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Georgian Downs.