Labatts Claiming Series Begins
The Labatts Claiming Series kicked off at Georgian Downs on Saturday night with a trio of $10,000 divisions.
The series is for $12,500 claiming trotters that are non-winners of $60,000 llifetime as of June 15.
All That Jazz ($2.40) romped to a six and a half length victory in 1:58 flat to kick off the series. James MacDonald catch-drove the five-year-old Davanti mare for trainer Corey Johnson and owners Frank Schimizzi and Frank Spagnolo of Ottawa, and New York's Pat Sergi.
With Paul MacKenzie in the driver's seat, Er Mr T ($26.50) upset the second split as he rallied home off a three-hole trip to stop the timer in a career-best 1:56.2. The four-year-old Cincinnati Kid gelding is trained by Richard Baker for owner Leo Baker of Keswick, Ont.
Smuggler Hall ($8.80) got away third in the final division, but caught the popular Xpress Panic, who had jumped out to an early seven length lead. Driven by Dan Clements, the four-year-old Conway Hall gelding prevailed by half a length in a new mark of 1:57.4 for trainer Mike Sinclair and owners Steve Organ of Aurora, Ont. and Rosemary Shelswell of Cookstown, Ont.
The series continues next Saturday, July 21 and wraps up the following weekend with a $30,000 (added) final
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Georgian Downs.