Sophomore Trotters Shine In Bud Light Stakes
Sergeant York and John Pauls Legacy both pulled off victories in their respective Bud Light Stakes divisions for three-year-old trotting colts at Flamboro Downs on Friday night.
In the first $45,392 division, Sergeant York and driver Keith Oliver pulled off a 9-1 upset.
The son of Duke Of York settled in second behind the odds-on favourite, B Strike Three (Rick Zeron), through panels of :28.3 and :58.4. Windsun Pride (Dave Wall) tipped out from third and advanced on the early leader through a 1:28 third quarter, but Sergeant York used a :29.1 final push in the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:58.
Hp Forte (Bill O'Donnell) closed well for second and Windsun Pride was third.
The Larry Walker trainee notched his fifth career win lifting his earnings over the $200,000 mark for co-owners Tony Holmes and Walter Zent of Lexington, Kentucky.
Angus MacDonald engineered a winning trip aboard his pupil John Pauls Legacy in the second $46,217 Bud Light division.
Minor Supernover (Anthony Haughan) set the tempo with fractions of :28.3, :59.3 and 1:29.1 as John Pauls Legacy sat in sixth position, but the 3-1 third choice made a three-wide move around the final turn and cruised to the wire in 2:00.1.
The fan favourite, Dillavec (Paul Walker) survived a first-over trip finishing almost two lengths back in second and Frankie Barolo (Bill O'Donnell) rounded out the top three.
John Pauls Legacy, a Credit Winner colt, scored his sixth lifetime win and bumped his earnings over the $100,000 mark for owner Emil Benvenuto of Old Greenwich, Connecticut.
To view Friday's results, click here.