On The Take Equals Leamington Record
Bob McIntosh's homebred Mach Three gelding On The Take defeated older rivals on Sunday afternoon (October 8) at Leamington Raceway for his first career win and equalled the two-year-old track record.
With Garrett Rooney in the driver's seat for the $3,500 sixth race, On The Take established the lead from post six and carved out fractions of :29.1, :59.1 and 1:28.2 en route to the record win in 1:58.3. His winning time matched the two-year-old Leamington record set by colt Homey Joe in 2016 and was a new gelding mark.
The Robert McIntosh Stables Inc. bred the Mach Three-Everybreathutake gelding, who is also co-owned by James Walker of Port Perry, Ont. The freshman's 10th lifetime start was a maiden-breaking one.
Sent postward as the race favourite, On The Take paid $3.50 to win. He won by three and three-quarter lengths over sophomore filly Stonebridge Cadeau and three-year-old gelding Cam Our Luck.
Rooney also guided the Windsor-based McIntosh stable's Bit Of Luck to a 1:59.4 score, which was the two-year-old pacing colt's fourth victory, as part of a driving grand slam on Sunday's 10-race card.
The Canadian Hall of Fame trainer went two-for-two on the day, and was also breeder of two other Leamington winners trained by Greg Price: the maiden-breaking three-year-old colt Kirbys Luck and six-year-old pacer On Golden Ponder.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Leamington Raceway.