Waples Sweeps Preferreds Again
For the second consecutive Saturday night, driver Randy Waples swept a pair of Preferred Paces at Woodbine Racetrack
. Waples clicked with repeat winner Twin B Warror for trainer Jeff Gillis and Panmunjom for trainer David Menary.
Twin B Warrior sat fourth as Real Mean Art (Rick Zeron) fired off fractions of :26.1, :54.1 and 1:22.3 in the $30,000 Preferred Pace. Lennon Blue Chip (Jody Jamieson) then pulled the pocket around the final turn with Biletnikoff (Mario Baillargeon) and Twin B Warrior following his move from third and fourth. The four-year-old son of Apaches Fame-What An Attitude tipped wide before kicking home in :27.3 to prevail in a season's-best 1:51. Lennon Blue Chip finished three-quarters of a length behind and Kindly Poet (Doug McNair) rounded out the top three.
Twin B Warrior paid $4 to win as the even-money favourite. He has won three (consecutive) races in five starts this year, including the Willowdale Stakes on January 22. His earnings climbed to $89,500 for 2011 and $598,361 lifetime for owner Mac Nichol of Burlington, Ont.
Dropping back into the $26,000 Preferred 2 Pace where he scored on January 29, Panmunjom found himself back in the winner's circle following a 1:52.1 triumph.
Hyperion Hanover left from the inside post position and led the way past the first quarter in :27.1. As he headed to the half in :56, Astreos Flash (Jody Jamieson) came charging up alongside as did favourite Get Out Of Dodge (Rick Zeron) in the three-path. Astreos Flash finally cleared ahead of Hyperion Hanover but continued to face pressure from Get Out Of Dodge as they raced past the next marker in 1:23.2. Meanwhile, Panmunjom began to advance from sixth and came changing home in :28.1 to prevail by one and a quarter lengths over a game Get Out Of Dodge. Fire On The Water (Sylvain Filion) came on for third.
Panmunjom paid $13.30 to win as the 5-1 third choice. The win was his second in five starts this year pushing his earnings to $33,030. The career winner of $417,313 is owned by Menary, Putnam Training Centre Ltd. of Mossley and Denis Breton of Welland, Ont.
The victory was one of three on the 13-race card for Menary as Mcapulco won his WEGZ Stakes elimination and Big Bad Bosley won the 12th race.
To view Saturday's results, click here.