Trainer Kyle Fellows surpassed $10 million in career earnings with his first start of the night on Sunday, Dec. 7 as John Hill proved best in the opener at Flamboro Downs.

John Hill defended his inside positioning to secure the lead in a :28.1 quarter but was nearly caught flat-footed by Wills Watchin (Mario Baillargeon), who rushed up out of fourth nearing the half in :59 and eclipsed the leader. John Hill got in gear in time though, and a battle ensued between those two to three-quarters in 1:28.4. Wills Watchin hit empty on the final turn, and Stroker (Gary Rivest), the only horse to stick with the top pair, broke stride, leaving John Hill to cruise to a 2-3/4-length victory in 1:57. My Little Friend (Brady Galliers) rallied for second, and Wills Watchin held third.

The victory, John Hill’s fourth in his last five starts, added $4,250 to Fellows’s total, putting the trainer into eight-digit territory. The three-year-old Sunshine Beach-Up Front Roxy gelding is owned by Albert Plomer of Stittsville, Ont. and Ian Kerr of Welland, Ont. He paid $6.40 to win.

Since his training debut in 2013, Fellows has accumulated 642 victories and $10,021,950 in earnings in 3,947 starts. The conditioner’s numbers have risen in recent years after taking the reins of the Fellows stable from his father, longtime trainer Rob. The junior Fellows has flourished, with three straight seasons with more than $2 million in earnings. The current campaign has been his best in wins and money with 161 and $2.9 million, respectively, and he took his first training title when he co-led the Grand River Raceway standings. He is also within reach of the Woodbine Mohawk Park crown with less than a month to go, with three wins to make up on leader Dave Menary.

In the evening’s $11,000 Horses and Geldings Preferred Pace, Odds On Capitalism blasted past repeat-seeking Self Made from the pocket to improve to three-for-four at Flamboro. Self Made left fastest for Austin Sorrie, giving rail starter Odds On Capitalism and Damian MacLellan the two-hole trip through splits of :28.4, :59.1, and 1:27.1. Self Made did the heavy lifting, fending off Ideal Perception (Anthony Haughan) through the middle half, but was unable to parry Odds On Capitalism, who tore out of the pocket on the final turn and sprinted past the pacesetter to a 1:55.3 score by two lengths. It Takes Two (Lorne House) slid up the cones late to take second over Self Made.

Odds On Capitalism tallied his 24th lifetime victory in 105 starts, growing his earnings to $449,273. The Fear The Dragon-Soggy Britches gelding has made four starts at Flamboro since returning from a layoff of more than three months in October, winning three. Rene Bourassa trains the six-year-old for Ecuries Maguire Inc. of Sainte-Marie, Que. and Daniel Gaudeault of Mont-Joli, Que. The winner returned $14.30.

To view Sunday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.

(Standardbred Canada)