The eliminations for the 2021 Dream Of Glory Trot were contested over less than ideal conditions on Saturday (July 24) at Hanover Raceway.
All eyes were on Highland Mowgli in the first division, but it was Publicity Seeker making headlines with his upset. Louis-Philippe Roy placed 1-2 choice Highland Mowgli on the front through a :29.3 opener, then had things all his own way with middle half fractions of 1:01 and 1:31.1. Doug McNair angled Publicity Seeker from the pocket around the final turn and the trotter responded willingly, powering past Highland Mowgli in the stretch to win by nearly four lengths in 2:01.2. Highland Mowgli stayed for second ahead of Century Highness (Jody Jamieson).
Steve Bossence co-owns and trains Publicity Seeker (Muscle Mass - Pretty Craft) for owner-breeder Richard Thompson of London and co-owner Derek Reid of Etobicoke, Ont. The sophomore was winless on the season, but sports a respectable 1-2-1 summary from four seasonal starts.
Sweet Soul David is now perfect in his three Hanover Raceway appearances, and he'll look to run that unbeaten tally to four next week after his win in the second elim.
Roy had Sweet Soul David on the front early, but yielded to Muscle Jack (Jody Jamieson) after a :30.1 opener. Muscle Jack put up midrace panels of 1:00.2 and 1:31.2 over the offgoing, hoping to outsprint the pocket-sitting favourite in the final 400 metres. Roy tipped Sweet Soul David to the outside and got up over Muscle Jack through a :31 final quarter to win by half a length in 2:02.4.
Pat Lang trains and co-owns Sweet Soul David (Kadabra - A Sundae On Sunday) for co-owners Simon Swindells of Little Britain, Garth Bechtel of Meaford and Paul Kleinpaste of Orangeville, Ont. That's the third win in four seasonal starts for Sweet Soul David, the winner of the 2020 Balanced Image Trot at Hanover, lifting his bankroll over the $95,000 mark.
Tipsy In Dixie made every call a winning one to capture the third Dream Of Glory elimination, and the trotting filly did so impressively. Driver James MacDonald made the front from post five, hammered out fractions of :29, 1:00.3 and 1:30.1 over the track rated four seconds by this point, then closed her mile in :30.4 to score in 2:01 — the fastest of the three elims — over Kilauea (McNair) and Buckys Angel (Wayne MacLean).
Trained by Harry Poulton for Thestable Tipsy In Dixie of Guelph, Ont. and Hutchison Harness LLC of North Ridgeville, Oh., Tipsy In Dixie (Muscle Mass - Twin B Alibi) will head to the Dream Of Glory Trot Final on a four-race win streak. She has four wins in five outings as a sophomore, with earnings of $35,650.
The draw for the 2021 Dream Of Glory Final was conducted during the card. Third-place finishers Century Highness and Top Of the Bar made the final by draw. The post order is as follows:
1. Sweet Soul David
2. Century Highness
3. Publicity Seeker
4. Tipsy In Dixie
5. Muscle Jack
6. Kilauea
7. Top Of The Bar
8. Highland Mowgli
AE. Buckys Angel
To view the results for the Saturday card, click the following link: Saturday Results - Hanover Raceway.