Xtreme Horsepower Night At Georgian
Abbey Road C became just the sixth Canadian-sired trotter to surpass $2 million in lifetime earnings with an extremely dominant 2:29.3 win in the $20,000 Xtreme Rewind 1-1/4 mile trot as part of Xtreme Horsepower night at Georgian Downs
.
The ten-year-old altered son of Incredible Abe-Jayport Whimsey was on top at every call for trainer-driver Keith Jones and won by open lengths to join the select company of Peaceful Way, Glorys Comet, Goodtimes, JM Vangogh and Arch Madness in the double millionaire club.
"For sure he's put me on the map," said Jones after the win. "I can't even say what a great horse he's been, and he's been great all his life. It very seldom happens and for me to be a part of his life, it's a great feeling. He's just a super horse."
When asked what makes him good at the clockwise races, Jones replied that he's all business and class.
"He's been good the wrong way, when he's behind the gate he's all business. To win at home on Xtreme day, it means even more."
In a rarity for racing these days, Jones has driven Abbey Road C in each of his 63 wins and 245 lifetime starts.
Blissfull Breeze capped off the night with a stunning 1:08.2 performance in the $20,000 final of the Xtreme Battle, establishing a new world record for the distance.
As expected, Blissfull Breeze and Simon Allard captured the fastest of two five-eighths mile $10,000 elimination tilts for the $20,000 final of the Xtreme Battle by virtue of a 1:10 win for trainer-owner Rene Allard, who co-owns with Robert Cloutier of Montreal and Ferme Bureau Et Fils Senc of Saint-Leonard, QC.
Presidio and driver Scott Cisco were victorious in the first heat $10,000 elimination of the Xtreme Battle in a time of 1:12. Trained by Jim McEachern for George Coleman of Peterborough and Donald Revoy of Oshawa, Ont., Presidio returned for the card's $20,000 finale along with eight other pacers - the top four finishers from each elim plus one fifth place finisher.
Were Rolling posted a 17-1 upset in the $25,000 Xtreme Classic trot, contested over two and a half miles and completed in 5:25.4. John Kovacs engineered the winning trip for trainer Bob Dancetovic of Paris and Jorgovanka Dancetovic of Cambridge, Ont.
Driver Stephane and trainer Claude Pouliot teamed to get Mathers Crombie the win in the the second blink-and-you-miss-it $15,000 Xtreme Sprint for G And G Bonadonna Stable, Montreal, QC.
The first of two $15,000 Xtreme Sprint one-eighth mile dashes was a photo finish with Awesum Best coming out on top over Hippity Hop N.
Steve Byron was able to encourage his sprinter, a four-year-old Cammibest-Silver Face mare to the win in :12.2 for trainer John Curran and owner Ken Curran of Coldwater, Ont.
Gro Formia made a four-wide brush on the backstretch with Chucaro Guadal in the 1-5/8 mile $20,000 Xtreme Challenge before clearing and opening up to a massive lead, tripping the timer tons the best in 3:18.2.
Formia trains Chucaro Guadal, an Argentinian-bred son of Altheas Crown - Arin Granadilla for Osvaldo Formia of Delray Beach, Florida.
Standford Bridge sat third for most of the mile before making a late bid and besting pacesetter Suzy Solitaire in the $20,000 1-1/4 mile Xtreme Shotgun, hitting the wire a half-length to the good in 2:30.3 for trainer-driver Mike Hales and owner Dennis Rich of Milton, Ont.
Paradise Bayama and driver Dan Clements made a monstrous backstretch brush to swoop the field and wear down an iron-tough Gimme A Million and 14 others in the $20,000 1-5/8 mile Xtreme Challenge in a stone cold time of 3:16.2
.
Paradise Bayama (Aces Up - Leila Bayama) is trained by Marty Fine for Onlineharnessowner Com 6 of Uxbridge, Ont.
Goshenlineexpress was able to survive a parked-out first turn to wear down Scotian Rambo and hold off favoured Logan M for the :39.2 victory in the $15,000 three-eighths of a mile Xtreme Rush pace.
Anthony MacDonald guided Goshenlineexpress, a five-year-old Astreos-Direct Landing horse to the winner's circle for trainer Bud Sinclair who co-owns with Lindsey Sinclair of Stratford and Harold Eyre of Seaforth, Ont.
In rein to Simon Allard, Always Western was a gate to wire winner in 1:53.1 to kick off Xtreme Horsepower night in the 13-horse $20,000 Xtreme Mile.
Allard, who stated after the race that his strategy was to be on top and not get in road trouble, picked up the win aboard the Western Hanover-Always An Art horse for trainer Richard Moreau and owner Normand Ricard of Yamachiche, QC.
The out-of-the-ordinary Xtreme races for standardbreds weren't the only forms of on-track entertainment. Some of Georgian's top drivers competed in the Horseless Sulky Pull. An exhibition Xtreme Miniature horse race was also carded after race 3.
To view Saturday's results, click here.